Brian Howard (footballer)

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Brian Howard
Personal information
Full name Brian Richard William Brotherton Howard[1]
Date of birth 23 January 1984 (1984-01-23) (age 28)
Place of birth Winchester, England
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current club Reading
Number 20
Youth career
1999–2001 Southampton
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2001–2003 Southampton 0 (0)
2003–2005 Swindon Town 70 (9)
2005–2008 Barnsley 121 (27)
2008–2009 Sheffield United 30 (2)
2009– Reading 67 (3)
2011 → Millwall (loan) 10 (0)
National team‡
2003 England U20 7 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:07, 26 November 2011 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 13:01, 9 February 2008 (UTC)

Brian Richard William Brotherton Howard (born 23 January 1984) 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.

Contents

[edit] Club career

[edit] Southampton

Howard started his career as a trainee with Southampton 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.

[edit] Barnsley

He signed for Barnsley 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."[2]

Howard scored a goal in the 90th minute when Barnsley dumped Liverpool out of the FA Cup in February 2008.[3] 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.

[edit] Sheffield United

On 2 October 2008, Howard joined Sheffield United on loan until January 2009, with an option to purchase at that time.[4] He made his debut a couple of days later, appearing as a second half substitute in a 3–0 home victory over Bristol City.[5]

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.[6] He joined United permanently on 7 January 2009.[7]

[edit] Reading

On 2 September 2009 Howard signed for Reading on a three-year contract for a fee of £500,000, with James Harper going the other way on loan.[8][9]

He scored his first goal for Reading against QPR which Reading lost 4–1.[10] 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.

[edit] Millwall loan

On 26th September 2011, Howard signed for Championship side Millwall on a three-month emergency loan deal.

[edit] International career

Howard was called up by Scotland national football team 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.[11]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2009). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2009–10. Mainstream Publishing. p. 198. ISBN 9781845964740. 
  2. ^ "A very proud moment". Barnsley F.C.. 9 January 2008. http://www.barnsleyfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10309~1210400,00.html. Retrieved 10 January 2008. 
  3. ^ "Liverpool 1–2 Barnsley". BBC Sport. 16 February 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/7224063.stm. Retrieved 16 February 2008. 
  4. ^ "Blades sign Howard from Barnsley". BBC Sport. 2 October 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sheff_utd/7640074.stm. Retrieved 3 October 2008. 
  5. ^ "Taste of things to come". Sheffield United F.C.. 6 October 2008. http://www.sufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/PlayerFeatures/0,,10418~1414049,00.html. Retrieved 10 December 2008. 
  6. ^ "Nottm Forest 0–1 Sheff Utd". BBC Sport. 9 December 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/7763313.stm. Retrieved 10 December 2008. 
  7. ^ "Blades complete Howard transfer". BBC Sport. 7 January 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sheff_utd/7816545.stm. Retrieved 7 January 2009. 
  8. ^ "Harper & Howard swap". BBC Sport. 2 September 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sheff_utd/8233734.stm. Retrieved 2 September 2009. 
  9. ^ "Howard signs for Royals". Reading F.C.. 3 September 2009. http://www.readingfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1784707,00.html. Retrieved 3 September 2009. 
  10. ^ http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=268253&cc=5901
  11. ^ "Och aye the no, for Sheffield United ace". Daily Star. 12 December 2008. http://www.thestar.co.uk/blades/Och-aye-the-no-for.4789988.jp. Retrieved 13 December 2008. 

[edit] External links
Millwall F.C. – current squad
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