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Former Premier League boss who coined term iconic term faces going BANKRUPT
Oct 13 2025 10:39 · By Daniel Orme/Football Writer
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Premier League cult hero Iain Dowie is facing a High Court hearing amid a potential threat of bankruptcy. The former Crystal Palace and Charlton Athletic boss has been hit with a HMRC petition with a hearing due at court.
The 60-year-old - who coined the term ‘bouncebackability’ during his time in the dugout - racked up a huge legal bill in 2007. As per The Sun , a court ruledhe deceived Palace into waving a compensation clause that was worth around £1million when he left Selhurst Park for Charlton.
His contract with the Eagles contained the clause should he depart for a fellow club. And a source speaking to the Sun speculated that could be the reason behind his financial issues.
Dowie has been out of work in a football sense since 2010 following a spell with Hull City . Dowie has also had spells with Oldham Athletic, Coventry City and Queens Park Rangers.
Since his last spell in management, Dowie has worked as a sales manager and featured on Sky Sports as a pundit. He has also acted as a mortgage advisor at law firm Alexander Grace Law.
The former forward also revealed last year that he was lucky to be alive having suffered a cardiac arrest during a gym class. He said: "I went to a spin class and don't remember too much more. I had a big cardiac arrest, unfortunately.
"Lots of people looked after me and did some great things in the gym, then the ambulance looked after me and I ended up in hospital for a good few days.
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"I've been brilliant since and the heart is in good shape. I've got a little thing, an ICD [implantable cardioverter defibrillator] fitted that I hope will keep me going for another 20 years.
"It was probably more terrifying for my wife watching, but my view is I'm one of those lads who looks forward and I've been very, very lucky. I was in the right place to have it and perhaps it just wasn't my time."
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.