#MetroMonday is a weekly blast from 20 seasons of soccer past.
February 2nd, 1998: Tim Howard joins MetroStars
#MetroMonday makes its return today as we mark the 17-year anniversary of Tim Howard joining the MetroStars via assignment from Major League Soccer, on this day in 1998.
Jersey-born and bred, Howard was a standout soccer and basketball star at Montclair Kimberley Academy and North Brunswick High School before being signed by the USISL’s North Jersey Imperials as an 18-year-old in 1997.
The following season he signed a Project-40 contract with MLS (a precursor to Generation adidas) and was assigned to his hometown club where he would back up legendary U.S. goalkeeper Tony Meola (1998) as well as MLS veteran Mike Ammann (1999-2000) before grabbing the starting job the following season.
Howard’s first season as starter put American soccer on notice as he became the league’s youngest Goalkeeper of the Year at the age of 22 and helped the MetroStars back to the playoffs for a third straight season before being eliminated by the LA Galaxy during extra time of the series’ third game.
The season did propel him towards his first U.S. Men’s National Team cap the following March in the lead up to the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Though he didn’t make the final squad that year, he was one of two reserve goalkeepers that would have been called in had the likes of Brad Friedel, Kasey Keller or Meola been injured.
While the MetroStars missed the playoffs in 2002, Howard continued to shine for the club as rumors about a potential transfer to Manchester United began late in the year. Continuing to earn national team caps during the first half of the season with the MetroStars, the rumors intensified and finally manifested themselves when Howard was sold to the English giants for $4 million.
Under a much bigger microscope, Howard had mixed performances with United but did win The FA Cup (2003-04), League Cup (2005-06) and the Charity Shield (2003) and in turn, made his first U.S. World Cup roster, backing up Kasey Keller in 2006. Following the tournament, Howard went on loan Everton where he eventually signed permanently and has been ever since.
Howard has racked up 371 competitive appearances for the Toffees, scored a goal and started for the U.S. at the last two World Cups in South Africa and Brazil, where his performance against Belgium wrote his name into the history books. Howard’s eight World Cup appearances are the most of any U.S. goalkeeper, as are his 104 total international caps.
Currently on international sabbatical and nursing a calf injury with Everton, send Tim Howard your well-wishes for his time with the MetroStars today.
