The Stoke-on-Trent official took charge of one Blues league game last season, that being in the 2-1 home defeat to Charlton Athletic on 3rd November last year. French striker and Blues goalscorer that night Christophe Dugarry was our only player to be shown a yellow card in that match.
Mr Dowd took charge of two games involving Manchester City last season. In the first of these, their 2-2 draw with Fulham in September last year, City had five players booked - Shaun Wright-Phillips, Nicolas Anelka, Joey Barton, David Sommell and Sun Jihai.
The other Man City game Mr Dowd refereed was in their 1-0 away defeat to Chelsea in October 2003. No City players were booked during that game.
In total then Mr Dowd officiated in 26 games during season 2003-04, handing out a total of 104 yellow cards and 6 reds.
Mr G Brittain and Mr R Lewis will be Dowd's assistants with the 4th official named as Mark Clattenburg.
