Robins appoint new assistant manager

Cheltenham Town manager John Ward has re-shuffled his backroom staff by
appointing former Wolves
reserve team boss Keith Downing as his assistant manager. Downing left Wolves to
take up the offer
at the Robins and will start work on Monday. He re-joins John Ward, with whom he
worked for five
years at the Midlands club.

Coach Bob Bloomer has been offered the job of youth team coach, his former role
at the club,
following the departure of Mike Davis two weeks ago.

A hard-working central midfield player, Keith joined Wolves as a player from
Notts County in 1987
and appeared against the Robins in their FA Cup visit to Molineux that year. He
made 228 appearances
for Wolves and gained popularity with supporters with his never-say-die attitude
in the heart of the
midfield. He left Wolves in 1992 for Birmingham City and went on to play for
Stoke City, Cardiff
City and Hereford United. He retired from the playing side of football to
concentrate on coaching at
Edgar Street with the man who brought him to Molineux, Graham Turner who had
taken over the reins at
Hereford. Keith was invited back to Molineux to work in the club’s Academy in
February 1999 as under
17s coach. In the summer of 2003, ahead of Wolves’ debut in the Premier League,
Keith was appointed
as reserve team coach, working with a mixture of senior players and continuing
his work with Academy
players’ development.

Keith Downing told www.wolves.co.uk : "It's been a difficult decision but this
is a chance for me to
work at first team level. I spent most of my playing and coaching career with
Wolves and I have a
great affection for the club, so saying goodbye to everyone has been hard. But
the Cheltenham job is
a more senior and diverse role and will give me a chance to develop my career."

John Ward said of Downing: "I have known him for six years and worked with Keith
for five years at
Wolves. At 37 he is young, enthusiastic and very keen to pursue a career as a
coach. I am very
confident that the players will enjoy his manner and enjoy working with him. If
I will have a
problem with Keith it will be getting him off the training ground because he
likes to spend a lot of
time working with the players."

Bob Bloomer is considering the youth coach offer having worked with the first
team since January
2003. "I want Bob to work closely with us as a group because I want to bring the
youth set-up closer
to the first team," said Ward. "I know that Brian Forsbrook, Head of Youth, is
keen to work with him
again and I very much hope that he accepts the offer. I think that myself, Keith
Downing, Bob
Bloomer and Ian Weston can make a strong team here for the football club."

[Cheltenham OS]

Regards, HHH.

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