Lee Howey

Football player infobox
playername = Lee Howey


fullname = Lee Howey
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1969|4|1
cityofbirth = Sunderland
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Retired
clubnumber =
position = Defender, Forward
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1992-1993
1993-1997
1997-1998
1998-2001
2001-2002
2002
clubs = Bishop Auckland
Sunderland
1996/1997
Ipswich (loan)
Burnley


Northampton
Forest Green
Nuneaton Total
caps(goals) = 015 0(5) 081 (11)
035 0(3)
056 0(6)
017 0(2)
017 0(0)
221 (27)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
pcupdate = 12/10/2006
ntupdate =

Lee Howey (born April 1, 1969 in Sunderland) is a former English football player, and the older brother of former Newcastle United and England defender Steve Howey.

Starting out as a youngster at local club Bishop Auckland, Howey moved to hometown side Sunderland in March 1993, making his debut for the club on the final day of the 1992/93 season against Portsmouth at Roker Park. The following two seasons saw Howey in and out of the squad, making 38 league and cup appearances during the two years, mostly from the substitutes bench. It wasn't until the arrival of manager Peter Reid that Howey began to see regular first team action, playing 30 times during the clubs Championship winning season, including 18 starts. However, Sunderland struggled to cope with life in the Premiership, and Howey was allowed to leave the club following the clubs relegation back to Football League First Division on the final day of the season. Howey made just 13 appearances that season. Howey also had a short spell with Ipswich Town in 1997.

It was Burnley who splashed out £200,000 for the Wearsider, however, Howey's career at the Lancashire club wasn't a success, and he eventually moved on to Northampton in February 1999 after a four month loan period. Howey moved again two years later, completing a free transfer to Conference side Forest Green in 2001, before finishing his career at Nuneaton Borough later in the season.

Although primarily a central defender, Howey played up front a number of times during his career, and is considered to be comfortable in either role.

Although not particularly blessed with great skills or talent, Howey remains somewhat of a cult hero at hometown club Sunderland, partly because of his love for the club, and also because his better known brother Steve was well-liked at bitter rivals Newcastle, despite being a Sunderland fan as a boy. Indeed, Sunderland fans were known to chant "Lee Howey, Lee Howey, Lee Howey, Your brother is a cunt." This can still be heard on occasions today, and remains a popular song in the Wearside repertoire.