Wikipedia

Bobby Howitt

Robert Gibb Howitt (15 July 1925 – 31 January 2005) was a Scottish footballer who played in the Football League for Sheffield United and Stoke City.[1]

Bobby Howitt
Personal information
Full name Robert Gibb Howitt[1]
Date of birth (1925-07-15)15 July 1925[1]
Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland[1]
Date of death 31 January 2005(2005-01-31) (aged 79)
Place of death Carluke, Scotland
Position(s) Inside forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Vale of Clyde
1948–1955 Partick Thistle 110 (35)
1955–1958 Sheffield United 89 (30)
1958–1963 Stoke City 133 (14)
Total 332 (79)
International career
1953 Scottish Football League XI[2] 1 (0)
Managerial career
1965–1972 Motherwell
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

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Howitt started his career in Scotland at Vale of Clyde and Partick Thistle before moving to England with Sheffield United.[1] He made a decent start to English football scoring 14 goals in 44 appearances in 1955–56 as the "Blades" suffered relegation from the First Division.[1] He hit 13 the following season as Sheffield United finished in 6th position in the second tier. He then only scored four in 22 matches in 1957–58 and at the end of the season he signed for league rivals Stoke City.[1] He made fine start to his Stoke career scoring on his debut against Charlton Athletic in a 2–1 victory.[1] He occupied all forward positions in 1958–59 scoring ten goals.[1] New manager Tony Waddington began to use Howitt in a left half position in 1960–61 which saw his goalscoring suffer as a result. However, he began consistent playing in 45 matches in 1961–62 but he often came in for criticism from supporters due to his lack of skill. He played 11 matches in 1962–63 as Stoke won the Second Division and at the end of the season he left to return to Scotland.[1]

He went on to coach at Greenock Morton and was appointed manager of Motherwell in 1965. He spent seven year as manager at Fir Park guiding the "Wells" to the Scottish League Division Two title in 1968–69.

Career statistics

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Source:[3]

Club Season Division League FA Cup League Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sheffield United 1955–56 First Division 40 14 4 0 – 44 14
1956–57 Second Division 27 13 0 0 – 27 13
1957–58 Second Division 22 4 2 1 – 24 5
Total 89 30 6 1 0 0 95 31
Stoke City 1958–59 Second Division 27 10 2 1 – 29 11
1959–60 Second Division 21 4 2 1 – 23 5
1960–61 Second Division 35 0 6 0 1 0 42 0
1961–62 Second Division 40 0 3 0 2 0 45 0
1962–63 Second Division 10 0 0 0 1 0 11 0
Total 133 14 13 2 4 0 150 16
Career Total 222 45 19 3 4 0 245 48

Honours

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Stoke City

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
  2. ^ "Bobby Howitt". Londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  3. ^ Bobby Howitt at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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  • Bobby Howitt at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database
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