Former Blues midfielder Flynn Downes has spoken about his final couple of months at Portman Road, confirming that he told manager Paul Cook that he wanted to move on, which he says was probably why he was made to train with the U23s in pre-season.

Downes, 22, joined Swansea last week for a fee understood to be in excess of £1 million, signing a four-year deal, and made his debut for the Championship side in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Sheffield United, playing the full 90 minutes. He says he was delighted to get back to first-team action.

“Playing out there tonight was the most enjoyable game I’ve ever played in. So, I’m looking forward to being here,” he told Wales Online.

“Before Thursday, I hadn’t moved for about a week. It’s been quite hectic, but that’s football and when you’re called upon you’ve got to be ready. I didn’t feel 100 per cent tonight [against Sheffield United], but I’ll get there.”

Downes has previously said how much he admired new Swans manager Russell Martin’s approach to football at the MK Dons and compared it with the way the Blues played the game for much of last season.

“You get a lot of the ball and as a player that’s what you want,” Downes said regarding Martin’s style of football.

“You want the ball and to be able to do things. When you haven’t got the ball, you’re sprinting about, you’re blowing, it’s horrible.

“We are not just keeping the ball for the sake of it. We are keeping the ball to move the opponent.

“At Ipswich, sometimes we used to move the ball but it was so slow, so there was no purpose in it. This has got purpose and it’s a pleasure.”

The former England U19 and U20 international made a transfer request in the summer of 2020 following two offers from Premier League Crystal Palace which the Blues rebuffed. Downes confirmed he reiterated that desire to move on at the end of last season.

He also revealed that it was U23s manager Kieron Dyer who informed him he would be training with his squad rather than the first team in pre-season.

"Honestly, I wish I could tell you,” Downes reflected when quizzed on what happened in the latter days of his time with Town, a club he joined aged seven.

“I literally found out a few days before I went back, from Kieron Dyer who said I was going to be with the U23s. I was like, 'Oh, okay. That says a lot’.

“I spoke to the gaffer at Ipswich last year and we came to an agreement that I wanted to leave. I think that had a part to play in it. That’s fair enough. It is what it is. I wish I’d had a better pre-season but there you are.

“I’m buzzing to be here. Being with the U23s has made me appreciate this even more. I can’t wait to get going.”

Photo: Matchday Images

blueboy1981 added 15:44 - Aug 17 Shows no respect for the Club that has been his mentor, at cost, for many years. Proves what an ungrateful spoilt Child he is / was. Good Riddance Downes - you've burnt the Footbridge to a cinder.
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Monkey_Blue added 17:36 - Aug 17 So all of you slagging him off think Harry Kane is a terrible professional/pro?. I never saw Flynn going through the motions. We've all worked somewhere where we decided we wanted to move on. I resigned once because of how I saw a junior colleague treated. I still gave it my all until I left. Footballer players are not fans. I'm sure many love their club or supported them but it's a career and if it's not right you look to move jobs. Surely better he was honest with cook than pretend? Still pretty poor given he was straight with cook that he didn't have the decency to tell him he was with the U23s. Seems he NEVER told him even after.

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BeattiesBackPocket added 17:42 - Aug 17 Monkeyblue not sure where you've been but Kane came back late from the euros and both parties said he came back when agreed so this completely different we've invested a lot of money in his career since the age of 7 and whilst I don't blame someone for wanting to move clubs to better themselves it's now the way he's going about it. Just move on like most players do don't start saying ‘WE agreed' when it was his choice to WANT to move and a new manager doesn't then want to play him. The difference is night and day Nuno may not want to play him for all we know but he has to as he's their biggest asset by far Downes wasn't our so not required to play.

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chopra777 added 17:44 - Aug 17 Over rated player and naive to his potential. Got too big for his boots when Crystal wanted his services. He let Town down in the last two seasons as did the P45 mob. We have a very good squad just add gel.
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istanblue added 18:26 - Aug 17 Was previously dubious about letting Downes go. Not now. Good riddance.
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Ebantiass added 19:04 - Aug 17 Seems Cook did the right thing. Cant commit to the club 100% then get the F out. Was gutted he was frozen out by Cook ,but with more info coming to light Im glad to see the back of him. Still wish him well for his future but good riddance.
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