Brian Howard

[Who Moved The Goalposts?]

Interesting article about Brian Howard in the Football League Paper - I had no idea he'd signed for CSKA Sofia. He was treated quite badly by the sound of it, and is now back in the UK at Brum.

Not our best player by a long shot but never as bad as many made him out to be.

http://www.theleaguepaper.com/football-league-championship/949/life-of-brian-is-happier-at-home/

[Big Foot]

One of my most hated ever players to wear the shirt

[Who Moved The Goalposts?]

One of my most hated ever players to wear the shirt

Can't help but think there must be many more ahead of him. I think he had the skill, just lacked the application.

[YateleyRoyal]

One of my most hated ever players to wear the shirt

Can't help but think there must be many more ahead of him. I think he had the skill, just lacked the application.

And that is why people would hate him.

[handbags_harris]

One of my most hated ever players to wear the shirt

That wouldn't have anything to do with his Southampton and Swindon background would it, as opposed to his ability on the field...? Because ability wise, he wasn't that bad. Players like Robert Codner, Jimmy Crawford and Andy McLaren were significantly worse. Howard had the ability to control a number of games when he played, and did so successfully. Doncaster away Feb 2010, Ipswich away Mar 2011, Barnsley away Mar 2011 spring to mind, and he turned the game in our favour when coming off the bench on a number of occasions. Doncaster home Oct 2010, Hull away Dec 2010, just five games in 60-odd appearances for us and many more besides that he played decent. He's a Championship midfielder, no more no less, but to hate him? That's some statement...

[Badger Finger]

*Tips hat*

[genome]

Dat goal against West brom tho

[Big Foot]

One of my most hated ever players to wear the shirt

That wouldn't have anything to do with his Southampton and Swindon background would it, as opposed to his ability on the field...?

Doesn't do him any favours

One of my most hated ever players to wear the shirt

That wouldn't have anything to do with his Southampton and Swindon background would it, as opposed to his ability on the field...? Because ability wise, he wasn't that bad. Players like Robert Codner, Jimmy Crawford and Andy McLaren were significantly worse. Howard had the ability to control a number of games when he played, and did so successfully. Doncaster away Feb 2010, Ipswich away Mar 2011, Barnsley away Mar 2011 spring to mind, and he turned the game in our favour when coming off the bench on a number of occasions. Doncaster home Oct 2010, Hull away Dec 2010, just five games in 60-odd appearances for us and many more besides that he played decent. He's a Championship midfielder, no more no less, but to hate him? That's some statement...

M8 m8 m8 save yourself the effort - I accept that a 1 in 12 ratio for decent games is to be expected from a player at this level


My ever lasting memory of Brian Howard will be a home game, not sure which one, potentially the 3-3 draw with Norwich in Nov 2010 where he put in one of the most terrible performances I've ever seen which included receiving the ball from a throw-in within our half and putting an attempting pass back to the thrower out for a throw in to the oppo. At which point, rather than hold his hands up and admit he'd mucked up, he had a go at the thrower and threw a paddy.

File along Danny Guthrie in the "Midfielder with an over inflated opinion of himself who I wouldn't piss on if they were on fire" category

[Agent Balti]

One of my most hated ever players to wear the shirt

This. In my Top Five, easily.

[Who Moved The Goalposts?]

One of my most hated ever players to wear the shirt

Can't help but think there must be many more ahead of him. I think he had the skill, just lacked the application.

And that is why people would hate him.

I understand why that would make him a target for criticism, but hate? Really? Is there any perspective on here? <rhetorical question so no reply required>

[St. Brynjar]

I didn't hate him, I just felt sorry for him. Awful player.

[winchester_royal]

I didn't hate him, I just felt sorry for him. Awful player.

Deary me, aren't you meant to be an Oxbridge applicant?

Perfectly acceptable footballer who was part of out best BMcD team (that one with Tabby and him in the middle with Sig playing in front - nnnnggggrrrrrr) and to me recollection always gave his all despite not being the most athletic. Admittedly suffers from having one of those faces you just want to slap, but there have been plenty worse footballers (and plenty better) at Reading.

[handbags_harris]

One of my most hated ever players to wear the shirt

That wouldn't have anything to do with his Southampton and Swindon background would it, as opposed to his ability on the field...?

Doesn't do him any favours

One of my most hated ever players to wear the shirt

That wouldn't have anything to do with his Southampton and Swindon background would it, as opposed to his ability on the field...? Because ability wise, he wasn't that bad. Players like Robert Codner, Jimmy Crawford and Andy McLaren were significantly worse. Howard had the ability to control a number of games when he played, and did so successfully. Doncaster away Feb 2010, Ipswich away Mar 2011, Barnsley away Mar 2011 spring to mind, and he turned the game in our favour when coming off the bench on a number of occasions. Doncaster home Oct 2010, Hull away Dec 2010, just five games in 60-odd appearances for us and many more besides that he played decent. He's a Championship midfielder, no more no less, but to hate him? That's some statement...

M8 m8 m8 save yourself the effort - I accept that a 1 in 12 ratio for decent games is to be expected from a player at this level


My ever lasting memory of Brian Howard will be a home game, not sure which one, potentially the 3-3 draw with Norwich in Nov 2010 where he put in one of the most terrible performances I've ever seen which included receiving the ball from a throw-in within our half and putting an attempting pass back to the thrower out for a throw in to the oppo. At which point, rather than hold his hands up and admit he'd mucked up, he had a go at the thrower and threw a paddy.

File along Danny Guthrie in the "Midfielder with an over inflated opinion of himself who I wouldn't piss on if they were on fire" category

What I meant to say was they were just five games off the top of my head I could think of. It's just I didn't say that...I thought he was adequate, in particular that midfield trio of him and Tabb with Siggy playing between them and Longy or Church up front, that was one of the most dynamic and well balanced midfields I can remember. No surprise that those few months at the end of 09/10 we absolutely smashed teams and he was a critical part of the team that went on that run. Fair enough on your opinion which I don't concur with, but you seem to dismiss completely the impact he had on a team that, at one point that season, was completely in the shitter in December 09.

[P!ssed Off]

I hate that we swapped Harper for Howard.
Though at the time Howard looked a decent player.

[Mike Hunt]

Hate is such a strong word, one that is thrown around way too easily. Not just here, but life in general.

Didn't mind him, although as W_R said, he did have a face you wanted to smack. I will always remember his goal v WBA, only for it to be beaten by the glorious wonder strike by Gylfi a few minutes later.

[Agent Balti]

Never understood his 'washing his face' goal celebration either. Uber-irritating.

[genome]

Never understood his 'washing his face' goal celebration either. Uber-irritating.

He should use a more sensitive face wash then.

[St. Brynjar]

I didn't hate him, I just felt sorry for him. Awful player.

Deary me, aren't you meant to be an Oxbridge applicant?

Perfectly acceptable footballer who was part of out best BMcD team (that one with Tabby and him in the middle with Sig playing in front - nnnnggggrrrrrr) and to me recollection always gave his all despite not being the most athletic. Admittedly suffers from having one of those faces you just want to slap, but there have been plenty worse footballers (and plenty better) at Reading.

Gonna have to call you out on the best McD team - the other two got to the play-off final and won the league.

To the best of my recollection he was such a passive presence in midfield, and his passing was sloppy as anything. Basically every current sensationalised review of Guthrie now was applicable to him then. I liked him and can't fault his effort but he was one of those player who, in a similar vein to Church, never seemed to come good.

Oh and being at Oxbridge doesn't mean anything I say about a player I saw 4/5 years ago (or even today for that matter) is valid!

[winchester_royal]

I didn't hate him, I just felt sorry for him. Awful player.

Deary me, aren't you meant to be an Oxbridge applicant?

Perfectly acceptable footballer who was part of out best BMcD team (that one with Tabby and him in the middle with Sig playing in front - nnnnggggrrrrrr) and to me recollection always gave his all despite not being the most athletic. Admittedly suffers from having one of those faces you just want to slap, but there have been plenty worse footballers (and plenty better) at Reading.

Gonna have to call you out on the best McD team - the other two got to the play-off final and won the league.

To the best of my recollection he was such a passive presence in midfield, and his passing was sloppy as anything. Basically every current sensationalised review of Guthrie now was applicable to him then. I liked him and can't fault his effort but he was one of those player who, in a similar vein to Church, never seemed to come good.

Oh and being at Oxbridge doesn't mean anything I say about a player I saw 4/5 years ago (or even today for that matter) is valid!

Haha, fair enough.

I'm not motivated enough to go and do the math, but I'm fairly sure our form under BMc in the second half of 09/10 was as good as any period following that (15 in 17 run excepted) and the football we were playing with that front 4 of Sig, Long, Jobi, and Kebe far eclipsing anything we saw after, even if we found more success through functionality later on during his reign.

Howard had his faults by all means, and never put a consistent run of excellent form together, but 'awful' is very very harsh.

[leon]

Hate is such a strong word, one that is thrown around way too easily. Not just here, but life in general.

Didn't mind him, although as W_R said, he did have a face you wanted to smack. I will always remember his goal v WBA, only for it to be beaten by the glorious wonder strike by Gylfi a few minutes later.

Thanks for that Ghandi