At the start of his career Dowd combined amateur football playing for ICI Blackley with a job as a plumber.
On 10 January 1958 he signed for Manchester City as an amateur, and turned professional two years later.
In December 1961 he made his debut in a 4–1 defeat to Blackburn Rovers, deputising for the injured Bert Trautmann.
During Manchester City's championship winning 1967–68 season, Dowd lost his first team place through injury to Ken Mulhearn, and made only seven first team appearances therefore missing out on a League Championship Medal under the rules then in place.
In the 1969–70 season, Dowd lost his first team place again, this time to Joe Corrigan and so the spent two months on loan at Stoke City being used as cover for Gordon Banks, making three appearances for the "Potters".