Downes made his debut for the Seasiders six games into their 1925–26 league season, a single-goal defeat to Darlington at Bloomfield Road on 14 September 1925.
[3] Frank Buckley, who signed Downes, was replaced as Blackpool manager by Sydney Beaumont prior to the 1927–28 term, but he was still kept in favour, making nineteen appearances in the league and scoring four goals.
He also scored thirteen goals, his highest season-total for the club, including a hat-trick in a 7–1 victory at home to Bristol City on 26 October 1929.
Blackpool also made it to the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time in four seasons, but Downes missed out on the match.
He helped Burnley to the semi-final of the FA Cup in the 1934–35 season,[8] and played a total of 61 league games before he left to join Oldham Athletic.