Raby Howell
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| Raby Howell | ||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rabbi Howell | |
| Date of birth | October 12, 1869 | |
| Place of birth | Wincobank, Sheffield, England | |
| Date of death | 1937 | |
| Place of death | Yorkshire, England | |
| Playing position | Half-Back | |
| Youth clubs | ||
| Ecclesfield | ||
| Senior clubs1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 1888-1890 1890-1898 1898-1901 1901-1903 |
Rotherham Swifts Sheffield United Liverpool Preston North End |
59 (0) |
| National team | ||
| 1895-1899 | England | 2 (1) |
|
1 Senior club appearances and goals |
||
Rabbi (Raby) Howell (born. October 12, 1869 in Wincobank, Sheffield - died. 1937) was a nineteenth century professional footballer who played for Sheffield United and Liverpool, and won two England caps. He was notable as the first Romani to play for England.
Contents |
[edit] Playing career
Howell was born in a Romani caravan in Wincobank, Sheffield, and became a highly skilled player despite his small size (5 feet 5 inches or 1.65 metres), playing as a nippy half-back or inside right. He began his career with the Sheffield club Ecclesfield and also played for Rotherham Swifts before signing, with three other Swifts players, for Second Division Sheffield United in 1890. He won promotion with the Blades, and, in 1897-98, a Championship medal. He played for 5 years with United, making 155 appearances for the club with 6 goals.
In April 1898 Howell was transferred to Liverpool FC for a fee of £200, making his debut for the club in a game against Aston Villa. He played 68 times for Liverpool, scoring no goals. Three years later the player moved on to Preston North End, where his career was ended by broken leg in 1903.
"Rab Howell," observed the player's Sheffield United team-mate Ernest Needham,
- "a gypsy by birth, perhaps owes some of his inexhaustible vitality to his lucky parentage. Certain it is that no man is more untiring. In his right-hand position this light-weight player (9st.12lbs or 57.3kg.) always excels. He rejoices at meeting the best of forward wings, and should the outside man indulge in dribbling he sticks to him like a leech. Many duels have I seen between him and [Fred] Spiksley [of Sheffield Wednesday], and generally Howell has come off best. Unfortunately he is a little too fond of keeping the ball too long, and loses many opportunities."
Howell scored once for the national team on his debut in the 9-0 rout of Ireland in April 1895, and also played in the win against Scotland four years later.
[edit] Honours
- Football League Division One (Level 1)
[edit] References
- Needham, Ernest (2003 reprint of 1901 original). Association Football. Cleethorpes: Soccer Books. ISBN 1-86223-083-8
