Since Leeds United’s fall from grace many players have come and gone, but there will always be one that hurt me the most, the sale of Jonny Howson. Born in Leeds and schooled in Morley, Howson started his professional career with Leeds United on 1st July 2005, signing a new three year deal with the club in 2006, pledging his future to the team he has supported since he was a boy. Dennis Wise handed Howson his league debut against Hull City on the 23rd December 2006 in a 0-0 draw when he was awarded the "Man of the Match" award and won the plaudits of Wise and vice-captain, Shaun Derry. Howson scored his first professional goal on 3rd February 2007 against Norwich City.
He was named United’s ‘Young Player of the Year’ in 2007-08 and wrote himself into Leeds folklore when he scored both goals at Carlisle in the League One Play-off Semi-Final second leg, which saw Leeds overturn a 2-1 home defeat to secure a place in the Wembley Play-off Final. He was appointed vice-Captain in August 2009 and, due to the absence of Captain Richard Naylor, led the team to a flying start playing a large part in United's eventual promotion to the Championship. He played in all forty-six Championship fixtures in 2010-11, scoring eleven goals in all competitions. Apart from missing the home game with Hull City due to suspension he had featured in all of Leeds games in the 2011-12 season, until he picked up a knee injury in the 2-0 win over Millwall on 3rd December 2011.
Howson had been involved in negotiations with the club for the renewal. However it still came as a surprise and a disappointment to supporters of the club when they discovered that on 24th January 2012 Norwich City completed the signing of Howson, Captain of Leeds United, for an undisclosed fee. The fans saw this as one more player of undoubted talent, Leeds born and bred and nurtured in the club's Academy, cashed in to leave a hole in the club's promotion ambitions. Howson, for me, symbolised the future of the club, a local lad and boyhood fan of the club who would lead us on to glory. But it was not to be.
But it is clear that Leeds United still hold a special place in Jonny Howson’s heart. Following Leeds United’s victory against Middlesbrough on Wednesday night the TV cameras picked up Howson and goal scorer Mateusz Klich embracing with Howson passing some words to the Polish midfielder. Leeds fan @MaherLUFC took to Witter to ask Klich “Co Ci powiedzial Howson?”, “what did Howson tell you?” in English. The midfielder responded; “Get it done!” So come on lads, get it done for Jonny Howson!