Full name Robert Gibb Howitt Role Footballer Name Bobby Howitt | Playing position Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland Position Forward | |
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Date of birth (1925-07-15)15 July 1925 Date of death 31 January 2005(2005-01-31) (aged 79) Place of death Carluke, Lanarkshire, Scotland Died January 31, 2005, Carluke, United Kingdom | ||
Robert Gibb "Bobby" Howitt (15 July 1925 – 31 January 2005) was a Scottish footballer who played in the Football League for Sheffield United and Stoke City.
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Career
Howitt started his career in Scotland at Vale of Clyde and Partick Thistle before moving to England with Sheffield United. 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. 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. He made fine start to his Stoke career scoring on his debut against Charlton Athletic in a 2–1 victory. He occupied all forward positions in 1958–59 scoring ten goals. 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.
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.