Brian Howard (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Brian Richard William Howard (born 23 January 1983) is an English footballer who is contracted to Reading
and is currently on loan to Millwall
in the Football League Championship
as a midfielder
. He is also a former England U20
international.
but did not make a full appearance before he signed for Swindon Town
in 2003, where he made his debut on 9 August 2003 against Sheffield Wednesday
. Wednesday won the game 3–2.
from Swindon Town in the summer of 2005 on a two-year contract. It was discovered that he had a broken metatarsal
on the first day of pre-season training, and he did not make his Barnsley debut until October. After this Howard became an important member of the promotion-winning team alongside Stephen McPhail
in midfield, playing in all three play-off games, including the final against Swansea City
.
He was named Barnsley player of the year for the 2006–07 season.
He was made Club Captain at Oakwell on 8 January 2008 by manager Simon Davey
. He had been acting captain for most of the 2007–08 season due to the absence of Paul Reid from the first XI. Howard responded, "It is a massive honour to be the captain of any club, but to be skipper of a side that is doing so well and consistently in the top half of the Championship
is a huge thing for me. I think the club have really signalled their intent by giving me the armband. Simon [Davey
] has put his faith in me and wants me to be an integral part of the future of this club."
Howard scored a goal in the 90th minute when Barnsley dumped Liverpool
out of the FA Cup
in February 2008. Barnsley then knocked Chelsea out of the FA Cup. At the end of the same season, Howard was named in the Championship Team of the Season for his contributions.
on loan until January 2009, with an option to purchase at that time. He made his debut a couple of days later, appearing as a second half substitute in a 3–0 home victory over Bristol City
.
Howard played regularly in the Blades midfield from that point but had to wait until 9 December before he scored his first goal, netting the winner in a 1–0 away win over Nottingham Forest
. He joined United permanently on 7 January 2009.
on a three-year contract for a fee of £500,000, with James Harper going the other way on loan.
He scored his first goal for Reading against QPR
which Reading lost 4–1.
On 27 November Howard was rushed to hospital with a suspected broken jaw, sustained when he was defending a corner in a defeat to Derby County
. Two days later he underwent surgery to have metal plates inserted in his jaw, and was out for several months. He made his comeback on 2 January 2010 against Liverpool
as a substitute in the FA Cup
. Howard also scored a dramatic equaliser in the FA Cup against West Bromwich Albion
to make it 2–2 in the 90+4th minute. Reading then went on to win with a 25-yard strike from Gylfi Sigurdsson to make Reading reach the quarter finals of the FA Cup in 83 years. The game ended 3–2 to Reading. He was given the captain's armband in the last three games of the 2009–2010 season as Matthew Mills
was banned after being sent off. Mills returned on 24 April 2010 and Howard was dropped as captain. Reading lost 3–0 to Watford
on Mills' return. He was given a straight red card on 18 September 2010 against Middlesbrough
. Reading lost 3–1.
manager George Burley
for their friendly match against Croatia
on 26 March 2008, through his father being from Scotland; however he was deemed ineligible by FIFA
as he had not registered his availability by age 21. Despite subsequently trying to overturn this decision FIFA have refused to allow him to represent Scotland.
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
and is currently on loan to Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
in the Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
. He is also a former England U20
England national under-20 football team
- Round of 16 :-Friendlies:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup running from 29 July to the 20 August 2011.-Recent call-ups:...
international.
Southampton
Howard started his career as a trainee with SouthamptonSouthampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
but did not make a full appearance before he signed for Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
in 2003, where he made his debut on 9 August 2003 against Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
. Wednesday won the game 3–2.
Barnsley
He signed for BarnsleyBarnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
from Swindon Town in the summer of 2005 on a two-year contract. It was discovered that he had a broken metatarsal
Metatarsus
The metatarsus or metatarsal bones are a group of five long bones in the foot located between the tarsal bones of the hind- and mid-foot and the phalanges of the toes. Lacking individual names, the metatarsal bones are numbered from the medial side : the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth...
on the first day of pre-season training, and he did not make his Barnsley debut until October. After this Howard became an important member of the promotion-winning team alongside Stephen McPhail
Stephen McPhail
Stephen John Paul McPhail is an Irish footballer who plays for Cardiff City. He has won 10 caps for his country, the Republic of Ireland, and scored one goal...
in midfield, playing in all three play-off games, including the final against Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
.
He was named Barnsley player of the year for the 2006–07 season.
He was made Club Captain at Oakwell on 8 January 2008 by manager Simon Davey
Simon Davey
Simon Davey is a Welsh former footballer and football manager. He played for Swansea City, Carlisle United and Preston North End and had a short loan spell with Darlington, making a total of 271 appearances in the Football League...
. He had been acting captain for most of the 2007–08 season due to the absence of Paul Reid from the first XI. Howard responded, "It is a massive honour to be the captain of any club, but to be skipper of a side that is doing so well and consistently in the top half of the Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
is a huge thing for me. I think the club have really signalled their intent by giving me the armband. Simon [Davey
Simon Davey
Simon Davey is a Welsh former footballer and football manager. He played for Swansea City, Carlisle United and Preston North End and had a short loan spell with Darlington, making a total of 271 appearances in the Football League...
] has put his faith in me and wants me to be an integral part of the future of this club."
Howard scored a goal in the 90th minute when Barnsley dumped Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
out of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
in February 2008. Barnsley then knocked Chelsea out of the FA Cup. At the end of the same season, Howard was named in the Championship Team of the Season for his contributions.
Sheffield United
On 2 October 2008, Howard joined Sheffield UnitedSheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
on loan until January 2009, with an option to purchase at that time. He made his debut a couple of days later, appearing as a second half substitute in a 3–0 home victory over Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
.
Howard played regularly in the Blades midfield from that point but had to wait until 9 December before he scored his first goal, netting the winner in a 1–0 away win over Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
. He joined United permanently on 7 January 2009.
Reading
On 2 September 2009 Howard signed for ReadingReading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
on a three-year contract for a fee of £500,000, with James Harper going the other way on loan.
He scored his first goal for Reading against QPR
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
which Reading lost 4–1.
On 27 November Howard was rushed to hospital with a suspected broken jaw, sustained when he was defending a corner in a defeat to Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
. Two days later he underwent surgery to have metal plates inserted in his jaw, and was out for several months. He made his comeback on 2 January 2010 against Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
as a substitute in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
. Howard also scored a dramatic equaliser in the FA Cup against West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
to make it 2–2 in the 90+4th minute. Reading then went on to win with a 25-yard strike from Gylfi Sigurdsson to make Reading reach the quarter finals of the FA Cup in 83 years. The game ended 3–2 to Reading. He was given the captain's armband in the last three games of the 2009–2010 season as Matthew Mills
Matthew Mills
Matthew Claude "Matt" Mills is an English footballer who currently plays for and is the current captain of Leicester City in the Npower Championship.-Southampton and Manchester City:...
was banned after being sent off. Mills returned on 24 April 2010 and Howard was dropped as captain. Reading lost 3–0 to Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
on Mills' return. He was given a straight red card on 18 September 2010 against Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
. Reading lost 3–1.
Millwall loan
On 26th September 2011, Howard signed for Championship side Millwall on a three-month emergency loan deal.International career
Howard was called up by Scotland national football teamScotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
manager George Burley
George Burley
George Elder Burley is a Scottish football manager and former player and manager, formerly the manager of Crystal Palace Football Club. Burley had a professional career spanning 21 years as a player making 628 appearances and earning 11 Scotland caps...
for their friendly match against Croatia
Croatia national football team
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
on 26 March 2008, through his father being from Scotland; however he was deemed ineligible by FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
as he had not registered his availability by age 21. Despite subsequently trying to overturn this decision FIFA have refused to allow him to represent Scotland.
External links
- Brian Howard profile at barnsleyfc.co.uk