David Howell (footballer)

David Howell
Personal information
Full name David Christopher Howell[1]
Date of birth (1958-10-10) 10 October 1958 (age 66)
Place of birth Hammersmith, England
Position(s) Centre back
Youth career
1978 Fulham
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Hillingdon Borough
Hounslow Town
Harrow Borough
1984–1990 Enfield 201 (23)
1990–1993 Barnet 78 (4)
1993–1994 Southend United 6 (0)
1994 Birmingham City 2 (0)
1995 Stevenage Borough 1 (0)
International career
1986–1990 England semi-pro 14 (2)
Managerial career
2003–2011 Harrow Borough
2011–2012 St Albans City
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

David Howell (born 10 October 1958) is an English former footballer who played as a central defender. He played non-league football for many years, becoming the first black captain of the England Semi-Professional Team, until making his Football League debut with Barnet at the age of 32. He later spent several years as manager of Harrow Borough.

Playing career

Howell started his professional career with Fulham in 1978, but failed to reach the first team.[2] He then moved on to various non-league clubs, including Harrow Borough (whom he helped win the 1984 Isthmian League Premier Division Championship), Hounslow Town, Hillingdon Borough and Enfield. He was also a Semi-pro international, achieving the honour of being the first black England Semi-Professional Team captain.[3][4]

In July 1990 Howell joined Conference club Barnet for £10,000. He made his debut as a substitute on 18 August 1990 at Macclesfield Town,[5] and scored a headed goal on the final day of the 1990-91 season to help Barnet win the title and thereby gain promotion to the Football League Fourth Division.

In 1991-92 he made 34 appearances, scoring 3 goals as Barnet reached 7th place, but failed to gain promotion via the play-offs losing to Blackpool. However David was voted Player of the Year by the Barnet Football Club Supporters Association.[6] In the following season (1992-93) he made a further 23 appearances as Barnet finished 3rd in the renamed Barclays League Division 3, thereby gaining promotion to Division 2.

In July 1993 he joined Division 1 team Southend United for whom he made 6 appearances. There, Dave became the oldest player ever at the time to sign a full professional playing contract for the first time superseding Tony Book of Manchester City. At the end of the 1993–94 season he was released and in October 1994 (now aged 36) he joined Birmingham City on a non-contract basis, playing twice for them in division 2.

Howell then played for Stevenage Borough before retiring as a player.

Managerial career

Whilst at Barnet, Southend United and Birmingham City, Howell worked with Barry Fry and Edwin Stein as part of the management team. He later returned to Harrow Borough as assistant manager to Stein. In November 2003 he took over as caretaker manager to take the position permanently in the following February. In June 2011 he left Harrow Borough after leading them to their best season, in recent times, to become manager of the recently relegated St Albans City, who would be playing in the Southern Football League in the 2011–12 season. Howell was sacked as St Albans City manager in November 2012.[7]

Honours

Enfield

Barnet

References

  1. ^ "Player search: Howell, DC (Dave)". English National Football Archive (ENFA). Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  2. ^ a b Reckless (September 2006). "David Howell Interview". Barnet Football Club Supporters Association. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
  3. ^ "Match Results The C Team The National Game XI The Semi-Professional Team". England Football Online. Chris Goodwin & Glen Isherwood. 2 September 2024. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  4. ^ Pike, Keith (15 April 1993). "Stein takes lead in black revolution". The Times. p. 46. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  5. ^ "The Reckless Guide to Barnet FC: DAVID HOWELL".
  6. ^ "Players of the Year". Archived from the original on 23 February 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  7. ^ "St Albans City sack boss Howell". The Herts Advertiser 24. 26 November 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2012.