OTD: LEE HOWEY DEBUT

On this day in 1993 former Sunderland defender/forward Lee Howey, made his debut as a late sub in a 4-1 win against Portsmouth...

Both Howey brothers grew up in Sunderland with their dad, Norman, a massive Sunderland fan who regularly took the lads to Roker Park. Lee joined Terry Butcher’s Sunderland side in 1993 after impressing with Bishop Auckland. A physically imposing target man, Howey had been an Ipswich Town youngster but never got a game. Even though we bought him from Bishop Auckland, a £6,000 fee was paid to Belgian side Hemptinee who still held his registration papers at the time when Howey was combining playing for Bishop and working as a clerk for BT!

It was Butcher who brought him to Sunderland out of non-league football. He remembered Lee from their time back at Ipswich seven years prior, after Lee had left due to a bad knee injury.

His first senior game came at home in May, with the Lads battering Pompey. Two goals came from Don Goodman, with Martin Gray and Gordon Armstrong getting one each. Portsmouth received two red cards which made our job a little bit easier! Howey was introduced as a last-minute sub for Shaun Cunnington.

Whilst Lee had became an apprentice at Ipswich Town, had a brief spell in Belgium, and suffered a potentially career-ending knee injury, his brother decided to sign as a schoolboy for Newcastle... despite supposed interest from Lawrie McMenemy’s Sunderland. Apparently there's a song about him.

Back on Wearside though, Lee was largely limited to substitute appearances over the next two seasons, making 38 altogether in the league and cup. This was largely because of the one-substitute rule. His versatility meant that he could play up front or at the back. So if we were chasing an equaliser, we could bring him on. Likewise, if we wanted to see out a win then Mick Buxton would bring on Lee as a centre half.

Things changed when Peter Reid came in, and Lee began to start more regularly. Despite not featuring at first, Howey was given a chance in the 1995 pre-season and never looked back. Reidy dragged the team from relegation candidates to champions of the First Division within twelve months.

Howey played over 30 games that season, and contributed with a huge goal at Fratton Park, which salvaged a 2-2 draw and kick-started a great run of 18 games unbeaten towards the end of the season.

However, the Premier League was a step too far for Sunderland and Howey alike. The Lads were relegated, and Lee made just twelve league appearances. He was sold to Burnley at the end of the season, where he would score on his debut - his only goal during his time at Turf Moor.

Howey would go on to wind down his career in the lower leagues, playing for the likes of Northampton Town, Forest Green Rovers and finally Nuneaton Borough. After retirement, he wrote an honest and humorous autobiography, named ‘Massively Violent and Decidedly Average’.

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