Following the departure of Ben Mansford. Sources: Sheffield Wednesday's David Downes agree Blackpool sporting director role Sheffield Wednesday’s head of recruitment David Downes has agreed a deal to become sporting director at Blackpool, sources have told Football Insider. He is set to leave his position at the League One club to join up with the Championship strugglers at Bloomfield Road. Downes joined up with Wednesday in 2019 after Steve Bruce was appointed as head coach before the manager resigned five months later to take over at Newcastle United. Downes was previously at Aston Villa who he joined in 2014 before leaving to link up with the Yorkshire club. During his time at Villa Park, his role focused mainly on youth recruitment and finding youngsters for the club’s academy. But Downes has played a much more important role in Sheffield, heading up the recruitment arm of the club that was instrumental in the club’s turnaround since their relegation from the Championship in 2021. The club are currently third in League One ahead of the final game of the season this weekend and are four points adrift of second and five points behind the league leaders. Downes’ next club Blackpool are languishing at the bottom end of the table and are 23rd with just one game left in the season and are set to be relegated after this weekend. Blackpool are three points behind Reading, who are also at risk of relegation, ahead of the final game of the season. Reading themselves are three points from safety behind Huddersfield, who also have a game in hand. https://www.footballinsider247.com/sources-sheffield-wednesdays-david-downes-agr | |