Dowling joined the Bristol City academy when he was 8 and progressed through the ranks, signing his first professional contract in October 2015 just a few weeks after his 17th birthday.

Dowling was drafted into the Bristol City first team at the end of the 2015/16 season, where he made two appearances as a sub and was an unused substitute twice.

In August 2016, Dowling arrived at Weston on a two-month loan, making 9 appearances during his first spell.

Having spent the rest of the 2016/17 season at Ashton Gate, the young midfielder moved to National League side Torquay United in August 2017 on an initial month’s loan, before extending that loan and seeing out the 2017/18 season at Plainmoor.

During his spell with Torquay, Dowling made 22 appearances and scored 2 goals as well as assisting once, while being an unused sub three times.

In July 2018, he was moved out of Ashton Gate temporarily again, this time to National League side Eastleigh until January but his spell with the Spitfires was cut short, having made 3 appearances and been an unused sub once.

In December 2018, he joined the Seagulls for a second spell on loan for a month and made 3 appearances before injury cut his loan period short and he returned to Ashton Gate for the rest of 2019 before leaving upon the expiration of his contract in the summer.

(Photo: Will T.Photography)