More agony for luckless ex-Portsmouth and Blackburn man who went 16 months without a club after Fratton Park exit

He was signed to replace Matt Clarke, yet subsequently suffered a torrid three years at Fratton Park.

Now the luckless Paul Downing is on the lookout for another club after being released by a National League North side following a heart-breaking end to the season.

Kidderminster Harriers headed into the final game of the season at Southport leading the table and poised for an instant return to the National League.

However, Phil Brown’s men lost 2-1 to be agonisingly caught at the finishing line, instead slumping from first place to third and condemned to the play-off semi-finals - where they were beaten by Chester eight days later.

In the aftermath, Brown was dismissed, while Downing was among five players released following the arrival of ex-Eastbourne Borough boss Adam Murray.

Awful misfortune at Portsmouth with injury

It represents yet another career blow for the 33-year-old, who previously didn’t play for 16 months following his Pompey exit in the summer of 2021.

Boss Kenny Jackett had great hopes for the Blackburn man, who joined in June 2019 and was unveiled as a free transfer on the same day the Blues sold the outstanding Clarke to Brighton.

That summer also saw Jackett splash out on John Marquis, Ellis Harrison and Marcus Harness, while Sean Raggett arrived on loan, as he moved to bolster Pompey’s League One promotion hopes following a play-off semi-final defeat to Sunderland in May 2019.

However, Downing struggled to make an impact, primarily through awful misfortune with injury, and would total just nine league starts in his three Fratton Park seasons.

Overall, the centre-half made just 27 appearances during his time on the south coast, while spent the second half of the 2021-22 campaign on loan at Rochdale, before his inevitable departure.

Danny Cowley allowed him to leave Fratton Park along with Callum Johnson, Shaun Williams and Ollie Webber, with few surprises among the 2022 retained list.

16 months without a club

Downing would not find another club until 16 months later, when he joined National League North side Hereford in September 2023 and became a regular as proved his injury issues were behind him.

Then, in June 2024, he became Brown’s first signing of the summer at Kidderminster as they set about making an instant return to the National League following relegation.

Downing would go on to make 30 appearances, including 19 starts, yet lost his place at the turn of the year place, with a 3-0 win over Peterborough Sports representing his only start since February.

Heart-breaking end at Kidderminster

Indeed, the former West Brom and Walsall man was an unused substitute in their National League North play-off semi-final defeat to Chester, played in front of 4,647 supporters.

Despite taking an early lead, Harriers lost 2-1, with Declan Weeks netting a winner eight minutes from time to dump them out of the play-offs.

Now Downing, who turns 34 in October, is looking for a fresh challenge following his Aggborough departure.

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