Mark had so much success in three years at Wrexham AFC
On his career highlights, Howard told the Salford website: 'Obviously, to be the only goalkeeper - I'm going to say this - the only goalkeeper ever to go back-to-back-to-back, currently!'
Howard, now 38, joined Wrexham in 2022 and he would go on to make 50 league appearances for the club, the majority of them during the record-breaking National League-winning campaign during his first year at the club.
During that season, Howard made 39 appearances in all competitions and he stepped into the breach once more the following season after the retirement of former England international Ben Foster.
Injuries to Arthur Okonkwo and Callum Burton over the last two seasons have handed Howard a chance between the posts and he turned out 21 times in all competitions.
Reflecting on the journey from the National League to the Championship, Howard added: 'Obviously, it's a huge achievement. Obviously, my role changed slightly each year, but it was also about making sure that the club did well.
'So, obviously, that's a huge achievement.'
Another Phil Parkinson achievement is another highlight for Howard. He played under Parkinson at Bolton Wanderers when the club secured promotion from League One in 2016-17.
'The Bolton one was against all odds,' added Howard. 'It was almost with the financial implications of the club and where it had been was a difficult one, but a thoroughly enjoyable one and then I had a good spell at Sheffield United and, obviously, playing at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final is one of the highlights I think.
'Any child watching any level of football will always watch... an FA Cup game and think 'oh, that's the dream to get to Wembley'.'
Although now in his late-30s, there is no sign Howard's ready to slow down just yet.
'I think I've been a professional now for 20 years, so I've done something okay along the way and I've played a lot of games,' said Howard.
'Been on the bench for a lot of games. So, at the age I am now, I understand how my role will work as well.
'People will look at it and go 'yes, he's 38, he should be retiring soon'. But, I think I've been injured for three days in the last five years.
'My body's telling me to crack on and I still absolutely love kicking a ball and diving around like an idiot!'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
10 minutes ago
- BBC News
Blackett-Taylor confident he can 'get going' for Derby
Winger Corey Blackett-Taylor says the struggles he has endured at Derby County have not robbed him of any 27-year-old has scored just one goal in 25 appearances - of which only 10 have been starts - for the East Midlands club since arriving from Charlton Athletic in January scored more goals and played more league matches in his final six months with Charlton than he has managed since joining Derby 18 months he initially arrived on loan from the Addicks when the Rams were chasing promotion from League One, he came with huge he insists he is still determined to live up to them."Personally, I'm fine with pressure like that," he told BBC Radio Derby."I feel that I've been unfortunate with injuries and I've not been able to fully get going. That has really been on my mind, but I'm definitely confident that it can happen." Blackett-Taylor failed to establish himself in Paul Warne's side after they were promoted to the Championship last season, and a hamstring injury in January meant he did not feature for John Eustace after he took the helm as head coach with 14 matches player describes what he has been through with Derby as "tough not only on my body, but mentally as well".Eustace says Blackett-Taylor has "looked exciting" since returning fully fit for pre-season says proving himself to Eustace after starting life under the head coach on the injury list is a "challenge" he relishes."I always knew that once I got back fit, I'd back myself to show the manager what I'm about to try get back into the team," he said."When he came in last year, he knew that I was injured and he came and spoke to me straightaway and told me that he will do everything he can for me and that he would be patient." Blackett-Taylor has been quick to make an impression now that he is available to play for has scored three goals in as many pre-season friendlies to date, and says he is glad to be "fit and firing" and able to show what he is capable of again."With qualities I have, when I'm playing well, the team plays well," he said."I know that's the kind of role I can have in the team and how important I can be when I'm firing and playing well. That is something I want to do this season."
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
SFA draft in pilots to speak to referees in bid to improve VAR use
The country's leading match officials were shown clips of pilots communicating with each other in 'life or death situations' at a gathering at the national performance centre outside Edinburgh on Sunday. Howard Webb, the head of refereeing at PGMOL in England, turned to pilots and air traffic controllers two seasons ago following a number of high-profile VAR controversies in Premier League games and enjoyed positive results from doing so. Collum felt the presentation at Oriam at the weekend was an invaluable exercise and is optimistic that Scottish referees, who have been working with SFA VAR manager and former FA Cup final referee Martin Atkinson since last October, will be more effective during the 2025/26 campaign. Read more: 'We have had aviation experts in, pilots,' he said. 'They showed us good examples of critical situations, of life and death situations. People think football is life and death, but it is not quite the same. But it is an intense environment and we wanted to know how people communicate there. 'Sometimes the VARs are speaking and they are not really asking the right open question. They could be leading the AVAR. But the pilot is not asking the co-pilot questions that he is just going to agree with. You actually see some examples where they physically sit back. There was lots about communication. 'Another key thing was that nobody in a cockpit uses the words 'I think'. It needs to be concrete, it needs to be, 'Here is what it is actually showing, here is what the outcome is'. Rather than saying it is something that I am thinking, we need it to be more factual.' Collum continued, 'In England, there was a couple of high-profile decisions which there was a negative reaction to. There was a lot of debate about the communication after a Spurs game against Liverpool. England were the first to say, 'We need to have a real serious think about what is being said in the room'. 'It can't just be a run-of-the-mill conversation, we need to be able to use the right phrases, we need to have the right processes'. What we are finding through aviation, is that you need robust processes. We definitely think that in England you can see evidence of that. (Image: Paul Devlin - SNS Group) 'In the short time that Martin has been in position, we are already seeing better evidence of that. If you had gone into the VAR room before Martin came in and talked about communication, it would have been really busy with people talking, saying too much. 'Now, if you go in you would think, 'Something is not working right here because I am not hearing anything'. But it is about speaking when you need to speak so that it is relevant. We also know that talking, talking, talking can make people tired. So we don't want our VARs and AVARs being tired.' Collum revealed that the country's Class 1 referees were played footage of pilots communicating with each other after a plane engine had caught fire in mid-air during the get-together at Hampden. 'We saw examples of that yesterday,' he said. 'Nobody can deny that the pilots adrenalin is pumping and they are fearing, they're frightened, they're worried. 'It is about keeping calm because you have got a process and you know to follow that process. We want the same. When there are critical, difficult decisions for the VAR to make they have a process there.' Read more: Collum continued, 'The pilots also analysed a lot of our clips and said from a technical point of view they didn't know what the right or the wrong decision was. But what they did say was, 'Could there have been less talk? Could there have been a different approach? Could there have been a more open-ended question to the AVAR?' 'They see a lot of similarities between what is happening in the VAR room and the cockpit. Again it is not life and death, but in football, maybe even in the west of Scotland, it is up there.' Asked if he had any intention of tapping into any other industries going forward in an attempt to improve the use of VAR and the standard of officiating in Scotland, Collum said, 'Martin has come from a police background. We don't want to go way out there and way wide, but any industry that can help us we would be keen to use it. I think a few guys were put off flying yesterday, but it was a good exercise.' Former FIFA Elite Referee Collum replaced Crawford Allan as the head of refereeing at the SFA last year and has had to contend with criticism from clubs, managers, players and supporters about mistakes which his officials have made in big matches during his first year in his new role. However, he stressed that he and his staff at the governing body are working tirelessly to get major calls right and insisted he had positive relationships with numerous major stakeholders throughout the Scottish game. (Image: Rob Casey - SNS Group) 'I deal with the technical people at clubs, the playing staff,' he said. 'I am building my relationships with the players and I think we need even more contact with them. 'We are working hand in hand with the PFA for the time ever in Scotland. We had a meeting with the PFA Scotland chairman Michael Devlin yesterday. 'We've got nothing to hide. We want to show people what we are about and the coaching we are delivering. I've always said to any club they can pick up the phone any time or come here and watch any clip with us and we'll talk them through it. I don't control what the clubs decide to do. 'But on my part the door is always open. I welcome them coming and engaging with us. I would prefer that than anything that goes public, but at the end of the day I don't control the clubs or what actions they take. But I am confident I have built up good relations with every club and every coach in the country. 'We can learn from each other. I don't want anyone thinking that the only time managers will engage with me is after bad decisions. I have very good relationships where I feel we are learning from what they are saying to us as well, including the players. I know I have played my part with the door being wide open.'
Leader Live
2 hours ago
- Leader Live
Windass looks forward to Hardie reunion at Wrexham AFC
Windass, who has signed a three-year deal with the Reds, was alongside another Wrexham player during the part of his career when he was with Scottish giants Rangers. Windass told the club's YouTube channel: 'Ryan Hardie was in the Rangers youth team when I was playing there. 'So, he came up through the youths and, obviously, I've been in the changing room with him before and, yeah, he's a nice guy. So, I'm looking forward to seeing him again.' Windass was at Ibrox between 2016 and 2018, scoring 13 league goals in 55 appearances. During the 2017-18 campaign, he finished as the club's joint-top scorer with 18 goals in all competitions. Hardie, who signed for Wrexham from Plymouth Argyle earlier this summer, was with Rangers between 2014 and 2019, making 13 league appearances during his time there. Windass and Hardie are two of six new additions Reds' boss Phil Parkinson has secured this summer. Other new signings are Welsh international goalkeeper Danny Ward, New Zealander Liberato Cacace, from Empoli, former Bolton Wanderers captain George Thomason and midfielder Lewis O'Brien, who arrived for an undisclosed fee from Nottingham Forest last week. Windass - the son of former Hull City striker Dean - was a free agent after his contract at troubled Championship rivals Sheffield Wednesday was terminated by mutual consent. On his targets with Wrexham, Windass added: 'First and foremost, get in the team. Get the respect of my team-mates straight away. 'Be professional, be someone to look up to and then, obviously, in terms of the team, get as high up the league as possible and carry on the success that the club has been having.' On his message to the fans, Windass said: 'Just, obviously, I've seen loads of comments already off, obviously, the rumours and stuff like that, and just thank-you for all the messages and I can't wait to wear the badge.' The Reds are preparing for a first campaign in the second tier for more than four decades and they begin the season away to Southampton, relegated from the Premier League, on Saturday, August 9.
