http://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/article/20130215-howardsigns-656736.aspx Midfielder signs until the season's end. City have completed the signing of Brian Howard until the end of the season. The 30-year-old has been training for the past ten days and joins on a free transfer, having been released by Portsmouth at the end of January. Head coach Sean O’Driscoll told bcfc.co.uk: “He’s got npower Championship experience and is technically very good. “Brian was available and financially fits into the model going forwards. His personality will add something positive to the group.” Winchester-born Howard began his professional career at Swindon Town in 2003, having been released by Southampton’s Academy. With the Wiltshire club he scored ten times in 83 outings. His impressive form caught the eye of Barnsley, where he enjoyed huge success in a three-year spell. He was a key part of the Tykes’ play-off winning team in 2005/06, achieving promotion to the Championship and was named the club’s Player of the Year the following season. In 2008, then-boss Simon Davey made him club captain. His last-minute strike notably knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup at Anfield in February 2008, and in the same cup run Chelsea were beaten at Oakwell en route to the semi-finals. After being named in the Championship team of the season, Sheffield United came calling for his services and Howard actually made his debut against City in a 3-0 home win at Bramall Lane. Reading was his next career destination a year later, heading to the Madejski Stadium for £500,000 with James Harper going the other way on loan. After two seasons of regular football – including a brief spell as Royals skipper – he moved to Millwall on loan in 2011 to boost his match fitness. On the eve of the current campaign the midfielder joined cash-strapped Portsmouth in League One and captained the team. However, their financial troubles caught up with them and Howard was released with a number of other players in January. Now Howard – who was denied permission to play internationally for Scotland in 2008 – is ready to play Championship football once more. The midfielder has been handed squad number 11, vacated by Martyn Woolford, and goes into the squad for tomorrow's match at Cardiff City
I think we had to sign him, because of injuries and that he cost nothing.. but i'm not sure how good he is.
I'm not either Lan, Quite a few say he's good and SOD says he's creative and perhaps he's that player we've needed since Hartley
It's another case of wait and see, sounds good enough to me but as we all know, we've been there before, we have got to trust SOD on this one. Could turn out to be a cracker, I hope so...
Looks as if you have picked up a really good midfielder for an area that needs experience and creativity will definantely assist your strikers. Probably not match fit yet but give him a few games. COR View attachment 21522
I remember watching him a few years ago and back then he seemed to have a real eye for passing. He always seemed to be in the right positions and his ability to set other players up was great. He's been with us for ten days, so I reckon he's worked a fair bit on his fitness. He won't be 100% by any means, but I reckon he'll be as good as we've got at the moment and good enough to play most of the match against Cardiff. To be honest I'd be shocked if we beat them in both fixtures this season. Either way, it'd be a good match for Howard to experience.
I'm really not sure if Howard can cut it at this level anymore, his heyday was a good 6 years ago and in football that is a long time. I think even SOD recognises this is a gamble as he as good as said signing a player he has not seen play is not his normal way of doing business. Pretty sure if DM had signed this guy there would be uproar on here. It will be up to SOD to get the best out of him, and so far he appears to have achieved it with some other previous under performers this season, so here's hoping
I think we have to trust the management team because none of us have seen him play as of yet and no had DM still been here then I would have said we need to trust his judgement, however for DM to have still been at the Gate the results would have to have been better and we wouldn't be having this discussion.
The Swindon fans seem to rate him. I don't know any Sheffield United fans and I haven't seen my Barnsley fan mate to ask but I would assume they rate him. It's just a Pompey friend of mine who said he was shocking - but that could be as a result of the hopeless position that unfortunate club finds itself in at the moment. It's bound to affect players morale. We will have to wait and see.
