STEVE HOWARD FACTFILE

Born: Durham, 1976 (Age 39) 1995-2001 A former Sunderland trainee, Howard Hartlepool made his debut for Third Division

in 1995 and went on to score 35 goals his four seasons in 164 games during

at the Vic. He then moved to Northampton £120,000 record signing in as the club’s

1999, scoring 19 goals in 85 matches winning promotion to the Second and

Division in 2000. Howard was signed by Luton for £ Northampton, 25,000 in March 2001 and, as at

suffered relegation to the Third Division of games. However, after just a handful

the rest of his five seasons at Kenilworth proved hugely successful, with Road

promotion and the Golden Boot in 02, a League One title and place 2001

in the PFA team of the year in 2005 a grand total of 103 goals in 228 games. and Signed by Derby for £1m in 2006, season, Howard enjoyed a spectacular first

netting 19 goals and winning the club’s Rams won promotion player of the year as the

to the Premier League. He made 20 appearances, scoring once top-flight

against Manchester United, but was Leicester for £1.5m in January sold

2008. to 2008-13 Relegated from the Championship 15 shortly after joining, Howard scored

goals in 50 matches and won another Foxes won player of the year award as the

the League One title in 2008-09. A seasons, he regular for the next three

scored 32 goals in 169 matches before in July 2012, aged rejoining Hartlepool

36. He scored three times in 43 matches loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday and had a

before retiring in November 2013.