Stewart Downing

“I always remember a physio at Boro telling me ‘with the knee injury you’ve had, you probably won’t get beyond 30, 31,” says Stewart Downing.

On Saturday, the 35-year-old played his 32nd game of the season for Blackburn Rovers and was many people’s man-of-the-match in a 2-0 win over Charlton. This is the midfielder’s 19th season in professional football and he’s been a pivotal player for an unfancied side that’s now on the fringes of the play-offs.

Speaking on the Training Ground Guru podcast, Downing said careful management of his training and playing schedules by manager Tony Mowbray and his staff had been key.