Fred Howard (footballer, born 1893)

Fred Howard

Personal information
Date of birth	1893[1]
Place of birth	Walkden, England[1]
Playing position	Centre-forward
Youth career
	Walkden Wednesday
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1912–1919	Manchester City	79	(40)
	Mid Rhondda
	Pontypridd
	Dundee Hibernian
	Ayr United (trial)
	Clyde
1923–1924	Port Vale	12	(2)
1924	New Brighton	10	(4)
1924	Wrexham	1	(0)
	Welshpool Town
	Holyhead Town
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Frederick J. "Fred" Howard (1893 – after 1924) was an English footballer. He played in Wales with Mid Rhondda, Pontypridd, Wrexham, and Welshpool Town; in Scotland with Dundee Hibernian, Ayr United, and Clyde; and in England with Manchester City, Port Vale, and New Brighton.

Playing career

Howard was born in Walkden and played youth football with Walkden Wednesday, before starting his professional career with Manchester City in 1912. He hit 12 goals in 16 First Division games in 1912–13, including all four in a 4–1 win over Liverpool at Hyde Road. He bagged 14 goals in 35 appearances in 1913–14, including a hat-trick against Derby County at the Baseball Ground. He scored 18 goals in 36 games in 1914–15 to become the club's top scorer. He scored a total of 40 goals in 79 league games.^[2] This total probably would have been much higher if it wasn't for World War I. He did remain in Manchester for part of the 1915–16 season, scoring four goals in seven games.

After leaving City in 1919 he played for Welsh sides Mid Rhondda and Pontypridd, before heading to Scotland with Dundee Hibernian, Ayr United (on trial) and Clyde.

Howard returned to England in July 1923, signing with Second Division side Port Vale.^[1] He played 12 games in the 1923–24 season, and scored two goals in a 4–3 defeat to Crystal Palace at The Old Recreation Ground on 1 September.^[1] His stay in Burslem was short though, and after losing his first team place in November 1923 he was given a free transfer to New Brighton of the Third Division North.^[1] He later moved back to Wales to play for Wrexham, Welshpool Town and Holyhead Town.

Statistics

• Sourced from Fred Howard profile at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		Other		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Manchester City	1912–13	First Division	16	11	1	0	0	0	17	11
	1913–14	First Division	29	11	6	3	0	0	35	14
	1914–15	First Division	33	18	3	0	0	0	36	18
	1919–20	First Division	1	0	1	0	0	0	2	0
	Total		79	40	11	3	0	0	90	43
Port Vale	1923–24	Second Division	12	2	0	0	0	0	12	2
New Brighton	1923–24	Third Division North	10	4	0	0	0	0	10	4
Wrexham	1924–25	Third Division North	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0

References

1. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 143. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
2. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Tony Brown. p. 130. ISBN 1-899468-67-6.