 Howard withBrøndby IF in May 2007 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1986-01-29)29 January 1986 (age 40) | ||
| Place of birth | Salford, England | ||
| Position | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Oklahoma City Energy (assistant coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Barr Hill Lads Club | |||
| ?–2004 | Manchester United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2004–2006 | Manchester United | 0 | (0) |
| 2006–2008 | Brøndby | 67 | (1) |
| 2009–2012 | AGF | 51 | (2) |
| 2014 | Oklahoma City Energy | 19 | (1) |
| Total | 137 | (4) | |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Mark James Howard (born 29 January 1986) is an Englishfootball coach and former player. He works as an assistant coach for American clubOklahoma City Energy,[1] for whom he played for a season before retiring from playing.
Born inSalford,Greater Manchester, Howard attended Hope High School, Salford, with fellowManchester United playersPhil Bardsley andMark Redshaw. Howard began his career playing for theBarr Hill Lads Club in Salford. He signed for Manchester United as a junior player, and played a number of years in the youth and reserve teams of the club. Having failed to make an impact in thefirst team, Howard was amongst seven United players given afree transfer at the end of the2005–06 season.[2]
Howard moved toDanish Superliga runners-upBrøndby IF, that had recently hired Manchester United reserve team coachRené Meulensteen as manager. Howard participated in training sessions and played afriendly match against German team1. FC Nürnberg, before signing a three-year contract with Brøndby on 28 July 2006.[3] He made his senior debut for Brøndby in August 2006, and played 13 of 18 league games as Brøndby finished in seventh place after the first half of the2006–07 Superliga season.
When Meulensteen left the club in January 2007, new managerTom Køhlert brought in Danish defenderMikkel Bischoff in contention for Howard's place in the central defence. When Bischoff suffered an injury, Howard proved himself once again and continued in the starting 11 for the rest of the season. He was also a part of the Brøndby team which won the2006–07 Royal League cup on 15 March 2007. In the final match of the cup, Howard received apenalty kick, whichMartin Ericsson converted to a goal, securing Brøndby a 1–0 win overF.C. Copenhagen.
Having secured his place in the starting eleven during the first half of the2007–08 season, Howard was awarded the player of the year in Brøndby on 1 December 2007. On 10 December 2008, he signed a three-and-a-half-year contract withAGF.
Howard signed with theOklahoma City Energy on 11 March 2014 for an undisclosed amount until the end of the year. On 29 June 2014, he scored his first goal in America and was named in the team of the week for his performances[4]