Mark Howard is once again playing regular football for Wrexham in the 2024/25 season thanks to the club’s injury woes.
Wrexham have had their fair share of goalkeeper issues in the last several years, with Rob Lainton in particular suffering badly.
Those problems have once again reared their ugly head in the 2024/25 campaign, with the club’s first and second choice options now out of action.
Number one shot-stopper Arthur Okonkwo broke his wrist in November and has been sidelined since.
Callum Burton stepped up in his absence but suffered an injury blow of his own in the 1-0 win over Barnsley.
Burton could be out for the season now after recently undergoing surgery, with Wrexham signing Brad Foster on a free transfer to provide some much-needed backup.
Foster performed well on his debut in the EFL Trophy but Mark Howard has been the man between the sticks in League One.
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Mark Howard praises Wrexham centre-back Lewis Brunt
The 38-year-old played 67 minutes and kept a clean sheet in the win over Barnsley after replacing Burton.
He has since started Wrexham’s last three league matches, managing one shutout and conceding three goals.
Despite the club’s backline looking slightly shakier since Howard’s return, the veteran keeper has been full of praise for Wrexham’s defence and Lewis Brunt in particular.
As per Leader Live, Howard spoke about what a ‘pleasure’ it is to play behind the Red Dragons’ back-five while signaling out Brunt for individual praise.
He said: “When you’re out of the team it’s about sticking together and making the most of training.
“It’s like being at home and I’ve played with Eoghan O’Connell, Max Cleworth and Ryan Barnett quite a lot over the last few years.
“Lewis Brunt has come in with a really high-performance level, it’s a pleasure to play behind them and try to help them as well.”
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Mark Howard explains changing Wrexham role
Howard arrived at Wrexham on a free transfer from Carlisle United in the summer of 2022.
He has played 52 games in all competitions and was previously a regular starter in the National League.
But with Wrexham now playing two tiers higher and Howard toward the end of his career, the Englishman has, in the same interview, been discussing how his role has changed in the team.
He said: “We’ve got such a great goalkeeping unit with Arthur and Callum and over this season, I have really enjoyed pushing them two.
“My role has changed to a bit more of a mentorship one. I try to practice a lot of what I preach to those.
“I’ll be the first one out on the training pitch to show them the right way to do things.
“I love working with them and it’s never nice to get your opportunity through injury, but these things happen.”