View source for Iain Dowie

{{Short description|Northern Irish football manager (born 1965)}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Infobox football biography
| name               = Iain Dowie
| image               = 
| caption             =
| fullname            = 
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|1965|1|9|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Hatfield, Hertfordshire|Hatfield]], [[Hertfordshire]], England
| height              = {{height|ft=6|in=1}}<ref name = ATS>{{cite book|last1=Chalk|first1=Gary|last2=Holley|first2=Duncan|last3=Bull|first3=David|title=All the Saints: A Complete Players' Who's Who of Southampton FC|year=2013|location=Southampton|publisher=Hagiology Publishing|isbn=978-0-9926-8640-6|page=301}}</ref>
| position            = [[Forward (association football)|Striker]]
| youthyears1         = |youthclubs1 = [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]]
| years1              = 1983–1985 |clubs1  = [[Cheshunt F.C.|Cheshunt]]           |caps1 = 34  |goals1 = 2
| years2              = 1985–1986 |clubs2  = [[St Albans City F.C.|St Albans City]]           |caps2 = 53  |goals2 = 13
| years3              = 1986–1988 |clubs3  = [[Hendon F.C.|Hendon]]                           |caps3 = 87  |goals3 = 47
| years4              = 1988–1991 |clubs4  = [[Luton Town F.C.|Luton Town]]                   |caps4 = 66  |goals4 = 15
| years5              = 1989      |clubs5  = → [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]] (loan)                  |caps5 = 5   |goals5 = 1
| years6              = 1991      |clubs6  = [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]]         |caps6 = 12  |goals6 = 4
| years7              = 1991–1995 |clubs7  = [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]]                 |caps7 = 122 |goals7 = 30
| years8              = 1995      |clubs8  = [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]]           |caps8 = 19  |goals8 = 6
| years9              = 1995–1998 |clubs9  = [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]]         |caps9 = 68  |goals9 = 8
| years10              = 1998–2001 |clubs10  = [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]] |caps10 = 31 |goals10 = 2
| totalcaps = 497 | totalgoals = 128
| nationalyears1      = 1990–1999 |nationalteam1 = [[Northern Ireland national football team|Northern Ireland]] |nationalcaps1 = 59 |nationalgoals1 = 12
| manageryears1       = 1998      |managerclubs1 = [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]] (caretaker)
| manageryears2       = 2002–2003 |managerclubs2 = [[Oldham Athletic A.F.C.|Oldham Athletic]]
| manageryears3       = 2003–2006 |managerclubs3 = [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]]
| manageryears4       = 2006            |managerclubs4 = [[Charlton Athletic F.C.|Charlton Athletic]]
| manageryears5       = 2007–2008 |managerclubs5 = [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]]
| manageryears6       = 2008            |managerclubs6 = [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]]
| manageryears7       = 2010        |managerclubs7 = [[Hull City A.F.C.|Hull City]]}}
'''Iain Dowie''' (born 9 January 1965) is a [[Coach (sport)|football manager]], former professional footballer and sports television pundit.

He played as a [[striker (association football)|striker]] from 1983 until 2001, notably in the [[Premier League]] for [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]], [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] and [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]]. He earned 59 caps for [[Northern Ireland national football team|Northern Ireland]], scoring 12 goals. He also played in the [[Football League]] for [[Luton Town F.C.|Luton Town]], [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]] and [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]], and in Non-league for [[Cheshunt F.C.|Cheshunt]], [[St Albans City F.C.|St Albans City]] and [[Hendon F.C.|Hendon]]. 

After retiring from playing he went on to manage [[Oldham Athletic A.F.C.|Oldham Athletic]], [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]], [[Charlton Athletic F.C.|Charlton Athletic]], [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]], [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]] before joining [[Hull City A.F.C.|Hull City]] in a football management consultant. He has since worked as a pundit largely for [[Sky Sports]].

==Club career==
Born in [[Hatfield, Hertfordshire|Hatfield]], [[Hertfordshire]], Dowie was rejected by [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]] aged 16 and later went to the [[University of Hertfordshire]] to study for a [[Engineer's degree#In the United Kingdom|MEng degree]] in [[engineering]]. On completion he became an employee of [[British Aerospace]], whilst keeping up football at [[non-League football|non-League]] level playing for [[Cheshunt F.C.|Cheshunt]] alongside his brother Bob. He left Cheshunt to improve his fitness and signed for [[St Albans City F.C.|St Albans City]], then moved on to [[Hendon F.C.|Hendon]]. While playing for Hendon, Dowie was spotted by [[Luton Town F.C.|Luton Town]] who signed him in the [[1988–89 in English football|1988–89]] season, when they were in the [[Football League First Division|First Division]]. He then moved in quick succession to [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]] (a brief [[loan (association football)|loan]] spell), before establishing himself as a [[First team (association football)|first team]] player in the [[1989–90 in English football|1989–90]] season when his eight goals in 29 league games helped Luton finish seventeenth.<ref name=profile>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/charlton/article1084332.ece|title=Profile: Iain Dowie|work=The Times|date=1 August 2003|access-date=4 April 2009| location=London|first=Sadie|last=Gray}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

On 22 March 1991, with Luton still in the First Division and Dowie still a first team regular with seven goals from 29 games that season, Dowie agreed to join [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]] [[promotion and relegation|promotion]] chasers [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]] for a [[fee]] of £480,000. He proved himself to be a competent deputy for the injured [[Trevor Morley]] as his four goals in the final 12 league games of the season secured the team's promotion as Second Division runners-up. But when the [[1991–92 in English football|1991–92]] season began, Morley had returned to fitness and Dowie found himself on the sidelines until his £500,000 move to [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]] on 3 September 1991 after less than six months at [[Boleyn Ground|Upton Park]].

He played alongside [[Alan Shearer]] and [[Matthew Le Tissier]] – two of the country's highest regarded strikers in the early 1990s – and scored nine goals in 30 league games to ensure that the team finished high enough for a place in the newly formed [[Premier League|FA Premier League]]. His good form continued in the [[1992–93 in English football|1992–93]] season, despite the loss of Shearer, as he scored 11 league goals. His tally dropped to five goals in 39 games during the [[1993–94 in English football|1993–94]] season, though the club avoided relegation again, and he managed another five goals from 17 league games in the [[1994–95 in English football|1994–95]] season before manager [[Alan Ball Jr.|Alan Ball]] decided that he wanted younger partners for Le Tissier in attack, signing [[Gordon Watson (footballer, born 1971)|Gordon Watson]] and [[Neil Shipperley]] while dropping [[Craig Maskell]] and selling Dowie to [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] for £400,000 on 13 January 1995.

His spell at Palace was a frustrating one; he was cup-tied for the [[Football League Cup|League Cup]] semi-finals against [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/fowler-has-the-fizz-for-liverpool-1610562.html|title=Fowler has the fizz for Liverpool |work=The Independent|location=London |date=9 March 1995|access-date=10 September 2018}}</ref> and Palace reached the [[FA Cup]] semi-finals where they lost to [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] after a replay. Lastly, despite a dynamic fightback after being three goals down to [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]] on the final day of the season, they still lost 3–2 and were relegated from the Premier League one season after promotion.<ref>[http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=39598 Iain Dowie] www.sporting-heroes.net</ref>

He then spent nearly three years back at West Ham. During his time back at West Ham, he came under fire from the supporters for going long periods without scoring at a time when the team were struggling for goals and had a crisis in attack. In fact, Dowie is probably best remembered by West Ham fans for scoring a bizarre headed [[own goal]] in an infamous defeat to [[Stockport County F.C.|Stockport County]] in the [[Football League Cup|League Cup]] in front of the live Sky cameras at Edgeley Park.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/opinion/blogs/football-banter/Rocket-science-own-goals-and-bouncebackability-The-life-and-times-of-Iain-Dowie-10-things-you-need-to-know-about-Phil-Brown-s-replacement-as-the-new-Hull-City-boss-article358609.html |title=Rocket science, own goals and bouncebackability – The life and times of Iain Dowie |publisher=Mirrorfootball.co.uk |access-date=4 May 2010}}</ref> Dowie then moved across London to [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]] (QPR), where he ended his days playing in [[defender (association football)|defence]], and being [[player-manager]] of QPR's [[reserve team]]. Dowie also had a brief spell as [[caretaker manager]] of QPR in the autumn of 1998, between the dismissal of [[Ray Harford]] and appointment of [[Gerry Francis]].<ref name="profile"/>

==International career==
Dowie's father was born in [[Belfast]],<ref name="ATS" /> thus qualifying him to play for [[Northern Ireland national football team|Northern Ireland]], for whom Dowie gained 59 [[cap (sport)|caps]] and scored 12 goals.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nifootball.blogspot.com/2006/10/iain-dowie.html|title=Iain Dowie international career profile |work=Northern Ireland Football Greats|access-date=17 March 2010}}</ref>

==Managerial career==

===Oldham Athletic===
After retirement from playing, Dowie then became assistant manager of [[Oldham Athletic A.F.C.|Oldham Athletic]]. However, following the dismissal of manager [[Mick Wadsworth]], Dowie became manager and led the club into the [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]] play-offs in the [[2002–03 in English football|2002–03]] season after spending heavily. However, financial trouble hit Oldham and Dowie lost much of his first team squad. Funds were so hard for the club at the time that Dowie along with the remaining members of the squad were not paid for several months. Dowie tried to stick out the post for as long as possible until he decided to move on citing the need to support his family as a reason.{{cn|date=July 2023}}

===Crystal Palace===
On 21 December 2003, Dowie was appointed manager of Crystal Palace, inheriting a squad with low morale and occupying 19th place in Division One. However, under his leadership, the club went on an impressive run that included 17 wins from 23 games after he took over, until the end of the season, enabling the club to finish in sixth place in the First Division, just scraping into the play-off places. This feat was attributed to complete change in the atmosphere and training regime at the club, including a tougher disciplinary regime, introduced by Dowie.<ref>{{cite news|last=Brodkin|first=Jon|title=How Dowie set up the Palace revolution|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2004/may/08/sport.comment4|access-date=17 March 2012|newspaper=The Guardian|date=8 May 2004}}</ref> After beating [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]] in the semi-final, on a [[Penalty shootout (association football)|penalty shootout]], the club beat Dowie's former club West Ham by a single goal in the Final for a place in the FA Premier League. Dowie's squad contained some promising footballers, including Andrew Johnson. Dowie made a couple of signings to the Crystal Palace squad: he signed goalkeeper [[Gabor Kiraly]] to challenge [[Julián Speroni]] for the number 1 top. Kiraly was first choice throughout the season.  The club lasted only one season there, being relegated on the final day of the season when [[Charlton Athletic F.C.|Charlton Athletic]] scored a late equaliser in a 2–2 draw.

He remained at Palace when the club was relegated to the [[Football League Championship|Championship]] despite rumours that he was approached by other Premier League clubs to take over.{{citation needed|date=March 2010}} The only actual report of a club approaching Palace to speak to Dowie was when [[Portsmouth F.C.|Portsmouth]] chairman [[Milan Mandarić]] approached Palace [[chairman]] [[Simon Jordan]] to speak to Dowie, in November 2005. Jordan refused this approach, and for the meantime Dowie remained at [[Selhurst Park]].{{citation needed|date=March 2010}}

After losing the play-off semi final to eventual winners [[Watford F.C.|Watford]], Dowie left Crystal Palace by "mutual consent" on 22 May 2006 following discussions with chairman Jordan.<ref name="Boss Dowie leaves post at Palace">{{cite news| title = Boss Dowie leaves post at Palace| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/crystal_palace/5001988.stm| website = BBC Sport| date = 22 May 2006| access-date =19 February 2007}}</ref> He had been allowed to leave without compensation being paid to Crystal Palace as he had wanted to be nearer to his family in [[Bolton]].<ref name=Jordancpfc>{{cite news|last=Grant|first=Alistair|title=Dowie called 'deceitful' by High Court judge|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2315239/Dowie-called-deceitful-by-High-Court-judge.html|access-date=17 March 2012|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|date=15 June 2007}}</ref> Jordan was infuriated when just eight days later, on 30 May 2006, Premier League club Charlton unveiled Dowie as their new manager.<ref name=Jordancpfc/>

Jordan then issued Dowie with a writ, claiming that he had misled him about his reasons for leaving Crystal Palace.<ref name="Palace take action against Dowie">{{cite news| title = Palace take action against Dowie| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/crystal_palace/5029950.stm| website = BBC Sport| date = 30 May 2006| access-date =19 February 2007}}</ref> Dowie, however, insisted this was not the case, and was publicly backed by both Charlton Chief Executive Peter Varney, who branded the writ "a sad and pathetic publicity stunt", and chairman [[Richard Murray (businessman)|Richard Murray]], who was adamant that his legal team could find no grounds for the writ to be upheld, and suggested that there may be more personal reasons behind the writ being issued.<ref name="Dowie: Writ won't spoil big day">{{cite news| title = Dowie: Writ won't spoil big day| url = http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?hlid=390992&CPID=8&CLID=33&lid=&title=Dowie:+Writ+won%27t+spoil+big+day&channel=| publisher = Sky Sports| date = 30 May 2006| access-date = 19 February 2007}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The case was heard in the [[High Court of Justice|London High Court]] in the summer of 2007, and on 14 June [[Michael Tugendhat|The Hon. Mr Justice Tugendhat]] ruled that Dowie had "deceived" Jordan and made "false representations" in conversations with Crystal Palace on 20 and 22 May, stating he had had no contact with Charlton when he had in fact spoken to them on 17 and 22 May.<ref name=Jordancpfc/> Dowie was ordered to pay Palace's legal bill, estimated at up to £400,000 and a similar amount to his own legal team in addition to compensation due to Crystal Palace.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dowie ordered to pay out 'cataclysmic' legal costs|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2007/jun/22/newsstory.sport10|access-date=17 March 2012|newspaper=The Guardian|date=22 June 2007}}</ref> In 2008 an out-of-court agreement between Dowie and Crystal Palace was reached "on terms acceptable to Crystal Palace Football Club".<ref>{{cite news|title=Palace settles dispute with Dowie|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7332416.stm|website=BBC Sport|access-date=17 March 2012|date=5 April 2008}}</ref>

===Charlton Athletic===
When Dowie took over at the Valley, he was given more money than any previous manager to spend on players. He signed [[Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink]], and [[Scott Carson]] on loan, but was unable to prevent the team suffering a disastrous start to the Premier League season.<ref>{{cite news|last=Kelly|first=Rob|title=Top 10 most underwhelming managerial appointments|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/8189019/Top-10-most-underwhelming-managerial-appointments.html|access-date=17 March 2012|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|date=9 December 2010}}</ref> Despite this, the team reached the quarter-final of the League Cup for the first time in their history. However, Dowie was unable to lift the team away from the relegation zone of the Premier League and build on the success of former manager [[Alan Curbishley]], resulting in him and the club parting company on 13 November 2006, after just 15 games in charge.<ref name="Charlton part company with Dowie">{{cite news| title = Charlton part company with Dowie| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/charlton_athletic/6145292.stm| website = BBC Sport| date = 13 November 2006| access-date =19 February 2007}}</ref>

Soon after his departure from Charlton, in December 2006, he was linked with the vacant managers job at [[Hull City A.F.C.|Hull City]], but he turned down the position.<ref name="Dowie turns down job as Hull boss">{{cite news
| title = Dowie turns down job as Hull boss| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hull_city/6172253.stm| website = BBC Sport| date =16 December 2006| access-date =17 March 2010}}</ref>

===Coventry City===
Dowie was unveiled as [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]] manager on 19 February 2007.<ref name="Dowie takes over as Coventry boss">{{cite news| title = Dowie takes over as Coventry boss| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/coventry_city/6371083.stm| website = BBC Sport| date = 19 February 2007| access-date =19 February 2007}}</ref> He found immediate success at the club with a number of wins but towards the end of the season their form dropped off and the Sky Blues finished 17th in the Championship table.

On 29 August, Dowie was linked with the vacant manager's position at [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]] following the dismissal of [[Martin Allen (footballer)|Martin Allen]]. Coventry City dismissed claims that an approach was made and that any approach would be "firmly rebuffed".<ref>{{cite news| title = Coventry deny Foxes' Dowie link| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/coventry_city/6979665.stm| website = BBC Sport| date = 5 September 2007| access-date =27 October 2007}}</ref> These rumours renewed again on 24 October when [[Gary Megson]] left Leicester to manage [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]]. Dowie refused to comment on the speculation.<ref name="Dowie quiet on Leicester link">{{cite news| first = Peter| last = Fraser| title = Dowie quiet on Leicester link| url = http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11712_2826702,00.html| publisher = Sky Sports
| date = 26 October 2007| access-date =17 March 2010}}</ref> On 11 February 2008, Dowie was released from his contract as Coventry manager,<ref name="Dowie sacked as Coventry manager">{{cite news| title = Dowie sacked as Coventry manager| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/coventry_city/7238421.stm| website = BBC Sport| date = 11 February 2008| access-date =17 March 2010}}</ref> which was officially cited as being due to significant differences of opinion between the management team and the Board as to how the club should be going forward.<ref name="Ranson explains Dowie departure">{{cite news| title = Ranson explains Dowie departure| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/coventry_city/7240645.stm| website = BBC Sport| date = 12 August 2008| access-date =17 March 2010}}</ref>

===Queens Park Rangers===
On 14 May 2008, Queens Park Rangers appointed Dowie as their new first team coach following the previous week's departure of [[Luigi de Canio]].<ref name="Dowie confirmed as coach of QPR">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/q/qpr/7400236.stm|title=Dowie confirmed as coach of QPR|website=BBC Sport|date=14 May 2008 |access-date=14 May 2008}}</ref> He was sacked as manager of QPR after just 15 games in charge on 24 October, with the team in ninth position in the league.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/q/qpr/7689062.stm|title=QPR part company with boss Dowie|website=BBC port|date=24 October 2008 |access-date=24 October 2008}}</ref>

===Newcastle United===
On 1 April 2009, [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]] appointed Alan Shearer as manager until the end of the season, with Dowie being appointed to his coaching staff.<ref name="Shearer confirmed as Magpies boss">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/7975700.stm|title=Shearer confirmed as Magpies boss |access-date=2 April 2009|date=1 April 2009 |website=BBC Sport}}</ref>

===Hull City===
Dowie was named as the temporary "Football Management Consultant" of Premier League team [[Hull City A.F.C.|Hull City]] on 17 March 2010,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hullcityafc.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10338~1996782,00.html |title=Dowie Takes City Role |date=18 March 2010 |publisher=Hull City AFC |access-date=9 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314155918/http://www.hullcityafc.net/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10338~1996782%2C00.html |archive-date=14 March 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> after manager [[Phil Brown (footballer born 1959)|Phil Brown]] was placed on [[gardening leave]].<ref name="Iain Dowie confirmed as new Hull City manager">{{cite news| title = Iain Dowie confirmed as new Hull City manager| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hull_city/8571513.stm| website = BBC Sport| date = 17 March 2010| access-date =17 March 2010}}</ref> He was faced with the challenge of guiding the [[Yorkshire]] club to Premier League safety in order to secure them a third season in the top flight; however, the challenge was effectively ended on 24 April 2010 when Hull were beaten 1–0 at home by Sunderland<ref>{{cite news|last=Sheringham |first=Sam |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/8637469.stm |title=Football – Hull 0–1 Sunderland |website=BBC News |date=24 April 2010 |access-date=4 May 2010}}</ref> and fellow relegation battlers West Ham United (a club that Dowie served twice as a player) won their game 3–2 against a Wigan Athletic side still faced with an outside chance of relegation.<ref>{{cite news|last=Bevan |first=Chris |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/8637973.stm |title=Football – West Ham 3–2 Wigan |website=BBC News |date=24 April 2010 |access-date=4 May 2010}}</ref> Hull City were relegated on 3 May 2010 after an injury time equaliser from [[Wigan Athletic]]'s [[Steve Gohouri]] made their game 2–2, ending Hull's hopes of survival with one game to go.<ref name="Hull relegated">{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/hull-relegated-after-wigan-draw-1961271.html | title=Hull relegated after Wigan draw | work=The Independent|location=London | date=3 October 2010 | access-date=18 October 2014}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Dowie worked as a commentator for [[Sky Sports News]].

His niece [[Natasha Dowie]] is an international footballer who played for [[Charlton Athletic L.F.C.|Charlton Athletic Women]] while he was manager of the men's team.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}} Dowie has two sons, Oliver and William.<ref>{{cite news|last=Cheese |first=Caroline |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/8657919.stm |title=Football – Monday football as it happened |website=BBC Sport |date= 3 May 2010|access-date=4 May 2010}}</ref> Dowie's brother, Bob, was a semi-professional footballer and manager and worked alongside Iain as Director of Football at Crystal Palace.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk/staff/bob-dowie |title=Bob Dowie |publisher=Aylesbury United F.C.|access-date=20 June 2019}}</ref>

In March 2016, Dowie was employed as Regional Sales Manager for "Go To Surveys".<ref>{{cite web|last1=McCartney|first1=Aiden|title=You'll never guess where former Coventry City manager Iain Dowie is working now|url=http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/football/football-news/youll-never-guess-former-coventry-11072249|work=Coventry Telegraph|access-date=23 March 2016|date=21 March 2016}}</ref>

He coined the word 'bouncebackability' which entered the ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'' in 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/football/the-agony-and-the-ecstasy/2018/may/25/football-league-play-offs-dowie-bouncebackability|title=Bouncebackability: a word coined for the play-offs that fits them perfectly|date=25 May 2018|website=The Guardian}}</ref>

Dowie suffered a cardiac arrest in March 2024 during an exercise class in [[Chorley]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4ng8v0w7edo|title=Plea from ex-footballer whose heart stopped in gym|date=11 July 2024|website=BBC News|accessdate=16 July 2024}}</ref>

==Playing statistics==

===Club===
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

|-
!rowspan=2|Club
!rowspan=2|Season
!colspan=3|League
!colspan=2|[[FA Cup]]
!colspan=2|[[EFL Cup|League Cup]]
!colspan=2|Other
!colspan=2|Total
|-
!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals

|-
|rowspan=5|[[St Albans City F.C.|St Albans City]]
|-
|[[1984–85 Isthmian League|1984–85]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.saintsstatistics.co.uk/index.php/pictures-video/video/player2/playerlisa/629/?season=87 |title=Games played by Iain Dowie in 1984/1985 |publisher=saintsstatistics.co.uk |access-date=10 November 2022}}</ref>
|[[Isthmian League|Isthmian Division 1]]
|13||3||0||0||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||13||3
|-
|[[1985–86 Isthmian League|1985–86]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.saintsstatistics.co.uk/index.php/pictures-video/video/player2/playerlisa/629/?season=47 |title=Games played by Iain Dowie in 1985/1986 |publisher=saintsstatistics.co.uk |access-date=10 November 2022}}</ref>
|Isthmian Division 1
|29||9||0||0||colspan=2|—||4{{efn|name=CUP-85/86|Appearances in [[Alan Turvey Trophy|Isthmian League Cup]] (1 appearance, 1 goal), Herts Senior Cup (2 appearance) and [[FA Amateur Cup|Amateur Cup]] (1 appearance)}}||1||33||10
|-
|[[1986–87 Isthmian League|1986–87]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.saintsstatistics.co.uk/index.php/pictures-video/video/player2/playerlisa/629/?season=46 |title=Games played by Iain Dowie in 1986/1987 |publisher=saintsstatistics.co.uk |access-date=10 November 2022}}</ref>
|[[Isthmian League|Isthmian Premier]]
|11||1||1||0||colspan=2|—||3{{efn|name=CUP-86/87A|Appearances in [[Alan Turvey Trophy|Isthmian League Cup]] (1 appearance, 1 goal), Herts Charity Cup (2 appearance) and [[FA Trophy]] (1 appearance)}}||1||15||2
|-
!colspan=2|Total
!53||13||1||0||0||0||7||2||61||15
|-
|rowspan=5|[[Hendon F.C.|Hendon]]
|-
|[[1986–87 Isthmian League|1986–87]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hendonfc.net/Appearances/1986 |title=Games played by Iain Dowie in 1986/1987 |publisher=hendonfc.net |access-date=11 November 2022}}</ref>
|Isthmian Premier
|31||17||0||0||colspan=2|—||15{{efn|name=CUP-86/87B|Appearances in GM Associates Cup (7 appearance, 3 goals), [[Middlesex Senior Cup]] (5 appearance, 1 goal) and [[London Senior Cup]] (3 appearances, 2 goals)}}||6||46||23
|-
|[[1987–88 Isthmian League|1987–88]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hendonfc.net/Appearances/1987 |title=Games played by Iain Dowie in 1987/1988 |publisher=hendonfc.net |access-date=11 November 2022}}</ref>
|Isthmian Premier
|39||19||2||0||colspan=2|—||15{{efn|name=CUP-87/88|Appearances in [[Alan Turvey Trophy|Isthmian League Cup]] (2 appearances, 1 goal), Premier Inter-League Cup (1 appearance), [[FA Trophy]] (4 appearances, 2 goals), [[Middlesex Senior Cup]] (2 appearances), [[Middlesex Senior Charity Cup|Middlesex Charity Cup]] (4 appearances, 6 goals) and [[London Senior Cup]] (2 appearances)}}||9||56||28
|-
|[[1988–89 Isthmian League|1988–89]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hendonfc.net/Appearances/1988 |title=Games played by Iain Dowie in 1988/1989 |publisher=hendonfc.net |access-date=11 November 2022}}</ref>
|Isthmian Premier
|17||11||6||10||colspan=2|—||7{{efn|name=CUP-88/89|Appearances in [[Alan Turvey Trophy|Isthmian League Cup]] (4 appearances, 3 goals), Premier Inter-League Cup (1 appearance, 1 goal) and [[FA Trophy]] (2 appearances, 2 goals)}}||6||30||27
|-
!colspan=2|Total
!87||47||8||10||0||0||37||21||132||78
|-
|rowspan=5|[[Luton Town F.C.|Luton Town]]
|-
|[[1988–89 in English football|1988–89]]<ref name="LUTON">{{cite web|url=https://www.hattersheritage.co.uk/iain-dowie |title=Games played by Iain Dowie for Luton Town |publisher=hatters.com |access-date=6 November 2022}}</ref>
|[[Football League First Division|First Division]]
|8||0||0||0||1||0||1{{efn|name=FMC|Appearances in [[Full Members' Cup]]}}||1||10||1
|-
|[[1989–90 in English football|1989–90]]<ref name="LUTON"/>
|First Division
|29||8||1||0||1||0||2{{efn|name=FMC|Appearances in [[Full Members' Cup]]}}||3||33||11
|-
|[[1990–91 in English football|1990–91]]<ref name="LUTON"/>
|First Division
|29||7||2||0||2||0||2{{efn|name=FMC|Appearances in [[Full Members' Cup]]}}||0||35||7
|-
!colspan=2|Total
!66||15||3||0||4||0||5||4||78||19
|-
|[[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]] (loan)
|[[1989–90 in English football|1989–90]]<ref name="ENFA">{{cite web |url=http://www.enfa.co.uk/playersearch.php |title=Player search: Dowie, I (Iain) |website=English National Football Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=8 November 2022}}</ref>
|[[Football League Third Division|Third Division]]
|5||1||0||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||5||1
|-
|[[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]]
|[[1990–91 West Ham United F.C. season|1990–91]]<ref name="ENFA"/>
|[[Football League Second Division|Second Division]]
|12||4||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||12||4
|-
|rowspan=6|[[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]]
|-
|[[1991–92 Southampton F.C. season|1991–92]]<ref name="ENFA"/>
|First Division
|30||9||4||0||4||0||4{{efn|name=FMC|Appearances in [[Full Members' Cup]]}}||0||42||9
|-
|[[1992–93 Southampton F.C. season|1992–93]]<ref name="ENFA"/>
|[[Premier League]]
|36||11||0||0||2||1||colspan=2|—||38||12
|-
|[[1993–94 Southampton F.C. season|1993–94]]<ref name="ENFA"/>
|Premier League
|39||5||2||1||2||0||colspan=2|—||43||6
|-
|[[1994–95 Southampton F.C. season|1994–95]]<ref name="ENFA"/>
|Premier League
|17||5||0||0||3||0||colspan=2|—||20||5
|-
!colspan=2|Total
!122||30||6||1||11||1||4||0||143||32
|-
|rowspan=4|[[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]]
|-
|[[1994–95 Crystal Palace F.C. season|1994–95]]<ref>Games played by Iain Dowie in 1994/1995
* {{cite web|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/person/pe21283/iain-dowie/ |title=League appearances |publisher=worldfootball.net |access-date=9 November 2022}}
* {{cite web|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/person/pe21283/iain-dowie/ |title=FA Cup appearances |publisher=worldfootball.net |access-date=9 November 2022}}</ref>
|Premier League
|15||4||6||4||colspan=2|—||colspan=2|—||21||8
|-
|[[1995–96 Crystal Palace F.C. season|1995–96]]<ref name="ENFA"/>
|First Division
|4||2||0||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||4||2
|-
!colspan=2|Total
!19||6||6||4||0||0||0||0||25||10
|-
|rowspan=5|West Ham United
|-
|[[1995–96 West Ham United F.C. season|1995–96]]<ref>Games played by Iain Dowie in 1995/1996
* {{cite web|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/person/pe21283/iain-dowie/ |title=League appearances |publisher=worldfootball.net |access-date=9 November 2022}}
* {{cite web|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/person/pe21283/iain-dowie/ |title=FA Cup appearances |publisher=worldfootball.net |access-date=9 November 2022}}
* {{cite web|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/person/pe21283/iain-dowie/ |title=League Cup appearances |publisher=worldfootball.net |access-date=9 November 2022}}</ref>
|Premier League
|33||8||3||1||3||0||colspan=2|—||39||9
|-
|[[1996–97 West Ham United F.C. season|1996–97]]<ref>{{soccerbase season|2149|1996|access-date=6 November 2022}}</ref>
|Premier League
|23||0||0||0||5||2||colspan=2|—||28||2
|-
|[[1997–98 West Ham United F.C. season|1997–98]]<ref name="ReferenceA">{{soccerbase season|2149|1997|access-date=10 November 2022}}</ref>
|Premier League
|12||0||1||0||3||0||colspan=2|—||16||0
|-
!colspan=2|Total
!68||8||4||1||11||2||0||0||83||11
|-
|rowspan=6|[[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]]
|-
|[[1997–98 in English football|1997–98]]<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
|First Division
|11||1||0||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||11||1
|-
|[[1998–99 in English football|1998–99]]<ref>{{soccerbase season|2149|1998|access-date=10 November 2022}}</ref>
|First Division
|19||1||1||0||1||0||colspan=2|—||21||1
|-
|[[1999–2000 in English football|1999–2000]]<ref>{{soccerbase season|2149|1999|access-date=10 November 2022}}</ref>
|First Division
|0||0||1||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||1||0
|-
|[[2000–01 in English football|2000–01]]<ref>{{soccerbase season|2149|2000|access-date=10 November 2022}}</ref>
|First Division
|1||0||0||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||1||0
|-
!colspan=2|Total
!31||2||2||0||1||0||0||0||34||2
|-
!colspan=3|Career total
!463||126||30||16||27||3||53||27||573||172
|}

{{notelist}}

===International===
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year<ref name=NFT>{{cite web|url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/14066/Iain_Dowie.html |title=Games played by Iain Dowie for Northern Ireland |publisher=national-football-teams.com |access-date=11 November 2022}}</ref>
|-
!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan=10|[[Northern Ireland national football team|Northern Ireland]]
|1990||5||0
|-
|1991||5||1
|-
|1992||3||0
|-
|1993||8||1
|-
|1994||6||1
|-
|1995||7||5
|-
|1996||6||2
|-
|1997||6||1
|-
|1998||6||1
|-
|1999||7||0
|-
!colspan=2|Total||59||12
|}

<!---DO NOT DELETE REPEAT ENTRIES!!! REPEAT ENTRIES REPRESENT Iain Dowie SCORING MULTIPLE GOALS IN A GAME!!!--->
''Scores and results list Northern Ireland's goal tally first.''<ref name="NFT" />
{| class="wikitable"
! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition
|-
| 1 || 16 October 1991 || [[Belfast]], Northern Ireland || {{fb|AUT}} || 1–0 || 2–1 || [[UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying]]
|-
| 2 || 25 May 1993 || [[Vilnius]], [[Lithuania]] || {{fb|LIT}} || 1–0 || 1–0 || [[1994 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| 3 || 20 April 1994 || [[Belfast]], Northern Ireland || {{fb|LIE}} || 4–0 || 4–1 || [[1994 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| 4 || 29 March 1995 || [[Dublin]], Ireland || {{fb|IRL}} || 1–0 || 1–1 || [[UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying]]
|-
| 5 || 26 April 1995 || [[Riga]], [[Latvia]] || {{fb|LAT}} || 1–0 || 1–0 || [[UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying]]
|-
| 6 || 25 May 1995 || [[Edmonton]], Canada || {{fb|CHI}} || 1–0 || 1–2 || [[Friendly match]]
|-
| 7 || 7 June 1995 || [[Belfast]], Northern Ireland || {{fb|LAT}} || 1–0 || 1–2 || [[UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying]]
|-
| 8 || 15 November 1995 || [[Belfast]], Northern Ireland || {{fb|AUT}} || 2–0 || 5–3 || [[UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying]]
|-
| 9 || 14 December 1996 || [[Belfast]], Northern Ireland || {{fb|ALB}} || 1–0 || 2–0 || [[1998 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| 10 || 14 December 1996 || [[Belfast]], Northern Ireland || {{fb|ALB}} || 2–0 || 2–0 || [[1998 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| 11 || 2 April 1997 || [[Kyiv]], [[Ukraine]] || {{fb|UKR}} || 1–0 || 1–2 || [[1998 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| 12 || 18 November 1998 || [[Belfast]], Northern Ireland || {{fb|MDA}} || 1–1 || 2–2 || [[UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying]]
|}

==Managerial statistics==
{{Updated|9 May 2010}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Managers: Iain Dowie|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/managers/manager.sd?manager_id=1350|publisher=Soccerbase|access-date=3 January 2018}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center"
|-
!Team!!class="unsortable"|Nation!!From!!|To!!Matches!!Won!!Drawn!!Lost!!Win %
|-
|align=left|[[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]] (caretaker)
|{{ENG}}
|align=left|{{dts|28 September 1998}}
|align=left|{{dts|16 October 1998}}
{{WDL|2|1|0|1}}
|-
|align=left|[[Oldham Athletic A.F.C.|Oldham Athletic]]
|{{ENG}}
|align=left|{{dts|31 May 2002}}
|align=left|{{dts|19 December 2003}}
{{WDL|82|31|28|23}}
|-
|align=left|[[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]]
|{{ENG}}
|align=left|{{dts|22 December 2003}}
|align=left|{{dts|22 May 2006}}
{{WDL|123|50|29|44}}
|-
|align=left|[[Charlton Athletic F.C.|Charlton Athletic]]
|{{ENG}}
|align=left|{{dts|30 May 2006}}
|align=left|{{dts|13 November 2006}}
{{WDL|15|4|3|8}}
|-
|align=left|[[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]]
|{{ENG}}
|align=left|{{dts|19 February 2007}}
|align=left|{{dts|11 February 2008}}
{{WDL|49|20|8|21}}
|-
|align=left|[[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]]
|{{ENG}}
|align=left|{{dts|14 May 2008}}
|align=left|{{dts|24 October 2008}}
{{WDL|15|8|3|4}}
|-
|align=left|[[Hull City A.F.C.|Hull City]]
|{{ENG}}
|align=left|{{dts|17 March 2010}}
|align=left|{{dts|9 May 2010}}
{{WDL|9|1|3|5}}
|-
!colspan="4"|Total
{{WDLtot|295|115|74|106}}
|}

==Honours==
===As a player===
;Southampton
*[[Full Members Cup]] finalist: [[1992 Full Members' Cup Final|1992]]<ref>{{cite book| title=In That Number – A post-war chronicle of Southampton FC |last= Holley |first= Duncan |author2=Chalk, Gary | publisher=Hagiology Publishing | year=2003 | isbn=0-9534474-3-X|page=301}}</ref>

===As a manager===
==== Individual ====
* [[Football League First Division Manager of the Month]]: Winner (January 2004<ref>{{cite news |title = Manager of the Month: January 2004 |url = http://www.leaguemanagers.com/awards/mom.html?month=1&year=2004&x=23&y=4 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20130127153801/http://www.leaguemanagers.com/awards/mom.html?month=1&year=2004&x=23&y=4 |url-status = dead |archive-date = 27 January 2013 |publisher  = League Managers Association |access-date = 5 July 2009}}</ref>)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Soccerbase}}
*{{soccerbase (manager)|1350|Iain Dowie}}
*[https://nifootball.blogspot.com/2006/10/iain-dowie.html Northern Ireland profile]

{{Navboxes
| title = Managerial positions
| list1 = 
{{Queens Park Rangers F.C. managers}}
{{Oldham Athletic A.F.C. managers}}
{{Crystal Palace F.C. managers}}
{{Charlton Athletic F.C. managers}}
{{Coventry City F.C. managers}}
{{Hull City A.F.C. managers}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dowie, Iain}}
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Footballers from Hatfield, Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:English people of Northern Ireland descent]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:Men's association footballers from Northern Ireland]]
[[Category:Northern Ireland men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:Hendon F.C. players]]
[[Category:Luton Town F.C. players]]
[[Category:Fulham F.C. players]]
[[Category:West Ham United F.C. players]]
[[Category:Southampton F.C. players]]
[[Category:Crystal Palace F.C. players]]
[[Category:Queens Park Rangers F.C. players]]
[[Category:Premier League players]]
[[Category:English Football League players]]
[[Category:English football managers]]
[[Category:Association football managers from Northern Ireland]]
[[Category:Oldham Athletic A.F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Crystal Palace F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Charlton Athletic F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Coventry City F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Hull City A.F.C. managers]]
[[Category:English Football League managers]]
[[Category:Premier League managers]]
[[Category:Newcastle United F.C. non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Cheshunt F.C. players]]
[[Category:English football commentators]]
[[Category:English football coaches]]
[[Category:Dowie–Easton family]]