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A first teamer within months of leaving Kibworth School, Howard came from a fine local sporting family. His grandfather Edwin and father Harold had both been County cricketers, and the latter had been a City reserve in 1924, as would be Howard’s brother Bob in the 60’s.
His energic performances at outside right earned him the crowd’s nickname of ‘Puffer’, as well as tow England U.23 caps (the first won while he was a Private in the Royal Liecestershire Regiment) to add to his youth international honours, and Howard was the only county born player in the 1961 FA Cup final team.
He maintained his place as all othrodox speedy winger throughout the 1963 run to Wembley, and drow home the winning goal against Stoke in the 1964 League Cup Final, at a time when he was effectively a prallele schoolteaching career, following a brief stint in the FIFA outlawed National Professional Soccer League in America.
His League days ended with Colin Appleton at Holker Street, and his non-league career with Richie Norman at Burton Albion. Howard nonetheless remained active in local soccer for some years latterly serving as manager of Wigston Town.
FACTFILE:
- Full Name: Howard Riley
- Position: Winger
- Date of Birth: 18.08.1938
- Birthplace: Wigston
- Nation: England
- Caps / Goals: –
- Major League Career:
- 1955-65, Leicester City (193/38)
- 1965-66, Walsall (24/3)
- 1967-68, Barrow (24/6)
- Links
- Category
TCF - FILBERT WAY 
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