Jonny Howson

Jonathan Mark Howson (born 21 May 1988) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for and captains Middlesbrough in the EFL Championship.

With Leeds trailing in tie after a 2–1 defeat in the first leg at Elland Road, Howson struck twice – the second a last minute winner – in a 2–0 victory at Brunton Park to send the club to their first Wembley final since 1996.

Leeds lost the final 1–0 against Doncaster Rovers, with the goal coming from Howson's failure to mark goalscorer James Hayter.

Nevertheless, Howson was voted Leeds' Players' Young Player and Fans' Young Player of the Year at the club's end of season awards and he was also rewarded for his form with new three-year contract, extending by a further year if Leeds win promotion to The Championship.

The following season saw high hopes for Howson but he ultimately struggled to find his form.

Fabian Delph superseded him as the club's hot young prospect and the team's indifferent form put added further pressure on the young midfielder.

Howson remained a regular under McAllister for the first half of the season but the Scot's underwhelming tenure was eventually ended in December after five straight defeat in the league and cup.

Blackpool manager Simon Grayson succeeded McAllister and Howson was mostly restricted to substitute appearances for his first ten games.

He eventually returned to the side in February, scoring both goals in Leeds' 2–0 victory over Cheltenham Town.

He gradually re-established himself as a first team regular with Fabian Delph being moved out to a wide left midfield position.

Howson finished the season in a permanent central midfield place alongside Neil Kilkenny and started in both of the club's two unsuccessful play-off semi-finals against Millwall.

At the beginning of Leeds' third campaign in League One, Howson was appointed the new Leeds vice-captain and due to the absence of club captain Richard Naylor, took the captaincy for the start of the season.

Howson started the season well, creating a solid central midfield partnership with Michael Doyle and leading the team to nine straight wins in all competitions but he lost the armband when club captain Richard Naylor made his return from injury against Carlisle United in late September.

Leeds topped the league for much of the first half of the season after an excellent star; losing only once in the league between August and January, running Premier League giants Liverpool close in a 0–1 defeat in the League Cup and reaching the third round of the FA Cup and regional final of the Football League Trophy by the start of the new year.

Howson started his professional career at Leeds United, where he made 225 appearances following his debut in September 2006.

Howson came through the Leeds United Academy along with James Milner, Danny Rose and Aaron Lennon and was a regular in the Leeds reserve team pre-2006, scoring a number of goals at that level.

On 22 August 2006, Howson was given a squad number (33) and place on the bench for the first team against Chester City in the Football League Cup, although he did not play.

On 18 September 2006 Howson signed a three-year deal with the club.

Howson made his debut for the Leeds first team against Barnet in the League Cup on 20 September 2006.

The manager who gave Howson his debut, Kevin Blackwell, was sacked immediately after the game.

New manager Dennis Wise handed Howson his league debut in December in the scoreless draw against Hull City.

Howson was awarded the Man of the Match award on his league debut.

Howson and Leeds were relegated from The Championship at the end of the 2006–07 season and dropped to the English 3rd tier for the first time in Leeds' history.

Howson scored his first professional goal in February 2007 against Norwich City.

Despite dropping a division, Howson remained on the fringes of the first team for the club's first ever third-tier campaign in 2007–08.

He made his first league start of the season on 8 September.

The managerial appointment of Gary McAllister saw a greater emphasis placed on the club's younger players including Howson who became a regular towards the end of the season.

Howson grew into his role and became more influential by the game, eventually captaining the side away to Millwall and becoming the club's youngest captain since Billy Bremner in doing so.

After United narrowly missed out on an automatic promotion place, their play-off campaign would set the stage for one of Howson's finest games in a Leeds shirt.

Leeds began 2010 away to arch-rivals and Champions of England Manchester United in the FA Cup.

Howson provided a fifty-yard assist for Jermaine Beckford early in the first half as the League One club caused one of the competition's greatest ever upsets and Leeds' first victory at Old Trafford in nearly thirty years in a 1–0 victory.

It was the first time that the Reds had been eliminated from this stage of the competition under Alex Ferguson.

Leeds faced Tottenham Hotspur in the next round three weeks later when Howson again provided a long-range pass for Beckford who won a last-minute penalty.

With United trailing 2–1, Beckford grabbed the equaliser from the spot to bring Spurs back to Elland Road.

Unfortunately, Tottenham won the replay 3–1 and Leeds also missed out on another Wembley appearance after losing on penalties to Carlisle United after drawing 4–4 on aggregate in the Football League Trophy regional final.

Howson scored his fourth goal of the season in the West Yorkshire derby against Huddersfield Town, with the game finishing 2–2.

After beginning the year eight points clear with a game in hand at the top of the table, Leeds' league form started to falter.

He moved to Norwich City in 2012 before his most recent transfer to Middlesbrough in 2017.

He also formerly represented England U21s.

Howson was born in Morley, West Yorkshire and attended Bruntcliffe School.