Liverpool manager's decision was the lowest point of my career – I knew I needed to go

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I wasn’t happy playing left-back. But I knew from then it was the time for me to move.“I was getting signals other players were coming in, and I was getting used at left-back when I was a winger.

I wasn’t a regular in the team at Liverpool. I was in and out, I had a difficult spell there."In 2022 Downing insisted that he was happy to play under Dalglish and lamented the Liverpool legend's dismissal by club chiefs, despite the Kop Icon winning the League Cup and reaching the FA Cup final in 2012.He told the ECHO: “He was unbelievable to play for, Kenny, and I was sad that he left after only one year because I think he should have been given at least another season.“I played in a legends game at Anfield recently and it was the first time I’ve seen him for a while and he hasn’t changed since when I first met him.

He still looks to take the p*** out of everyone, but he’s just a great fella, great to play for and I wish we could have just done better for him.“We had a good cup run, winning one and losing in the final in the other, but I think the Premier League was the one, we should have done a lot better in that.“You feel a bit responsible. I was sick with all the messing around and I decided to leave, but looking back I should have given it another year."After representing West Ham for two seasons, Downing, now 41, returned to Middlesbrough, where he began his career.