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Mark Howard is desperate to get over the final hurdle in League One this season.
After four-and-a-half years at tomorrow's opponents Sheffield United and three unsuccessful play-off attempts, the 29-year-old keeper has started afresh this summer with Wanderers.
He faces a battle with Ben Amos for the number one spot at the Macron Stadium but hopes a change of scenery can inspire a change in fortune as he bids to reach the Championship, where he previously featured for Cardiff City and Blackpool.
“Part of the reason I joined here was that I have a hunger to go up,” he said. “I never experienced it at Sheffield United even though we came very close.
“This was a great opportunity for me to get back into League One and try to get a club out again.
“That’s a massive desire that I have got – I want to be a part of something, part of a promotion.”
A veteran of four full seasons at Bramall Lane in League One and another under Kenny Jackett at Swansea City earlier in his career, Howard knows the course and distance.
He also knows his manager, Phil Parkinson, having come up against his Bradford City side in a number of cross-Yorkshire derbies in the last few years.
“I’ve played against the gaffer’s teams a number of times and I know the way they set up,” he said. “They have always been difficult to play against.
“It’s good to be a part of that. You can see what goes on behind closed doors. What he was trying to put into practice at Bradford he is now trying to do at Bolton Wanderers.”
Fate has thrown up an early meeting with the Blades for Howard, whose pre-season form has given him a fair chance of starting the season as Wanderers’ first-choice keeper.
The Londoner can think of no better way of starting a new campaign – but in an ideal world he would like to see success for both Wanderers and the Blades next May.
“I’m in the process of moving from Sheffield at the moment and it’s a massive club, I have got a lot of friends there,” he said.
“Their fanbase is huge and they do deserve a bit more than what they have had in the past few years. Hopefully we go up and they closely follow behind us.
“There is no better test on the first day of the season. Luckily it is the first day, so we can see where we are and hopefully there will be something to build on.
“It’ll be a great test against the favourites for the division.”
Howard’s near-misses
2012 – Finished third in League One and beat Stevenage in the play-off semi-finals. Lost to Huddersfield Town on penalties after a 0-0 draw in the final.
2013 – Finished fifth in League One but lost 2-1 on aggregate to Yeovil Town in the play-off semi-final.
2014 – The Blades lost just twice in their last 18 games in League One to finish seventh, seven points behind Peterborough United in the play-off positions.
2015 – Howard helped the Blades to finish fifth but suffered another play-off semi-final defeat. A 2-1 defeat at Bramall Lane was followed by a crazy 5-5 draw at the County Ground.
2016 – Sheffield United struggled to make an impact under Nigel Adkins and finished 11th.
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After four-and-a-half years at tomorrow's opponents Sheffield United and three unsuccessful play-off attempts, the 29-year-old keeper has started afresh this summer with Wanderers.
He faces a battle with Ben Amos for the number one spot at the Macron Stadium but hopes a change of scenery can inspire a change in fortune as he bids to reach the Championship, where he previously featured for Cardiff City and Blackpool.
“Part of the reason I joined here was that I have a hunger to go up,” he said. “I never experienced it at Sheffield United even though we came very close.
“This was a great opportunity for me to get back into League One and try to get a club out again.
“That’s a massive desire that I have got – I want to be a part of something, part of a promotion.”
A veteran of four full seasons at Bramall Lane in League One and another under Kenny Jackett at Swansea City earlier in his career, Howard knows the course and distance.
He also knows his manager, Phil Parkinson, having come up against his Bradford City side in a number of cross-Yorkshire derbies in the last few years.
“I’ve played against the gaffer’s teams a number of times and I know the way they set up,” he said. “They have always been difficult to play against.
“It’s good to be a part of that. You can see what goes on behind closed doors. What he was trying to put into practice at Bradford he is now trying to do at Bolton Wanderers.”
Fate has thrown up an early meeting with the Blades for Howard, whose pre-season form has given him a fair chance of starting the season as Wanderers’ first-choice keeper.
The Londoner can think of no better way of starting a new campaign – but in an ideal world he would like to see success for both Wanderers and the Blades next May.
“I’m in the process of moving from Sheffield at the moment and it’s a massive club, I have got a lot of friends there,” he said.
“Their fanbase is huge and they do deserve a bit more than what they have had in the past few years. Hopefully we go up and they closely follow behind us.
“There is no better test on the first day of the season. Luckily it is the first day, so we can see where we are and hopefully there will be something to build on.
“It’ll be a great test against the favourites for the division.”
Howard’s near-misses
2012 – Finished third in League One and beat Stevenage in the play-off semi-finals. Lost to Huddersfield Town on penalties after a 0-0 draw in the final.
2013 – Finished fifth in League One but lost 2-1 on aggregate to Yeovil Town in the play-off semi-final.
2014 – The Blades lost just twice in their last 18 games in League One to finish seventh, seven points behind Peterborough United in the play-off positions.
2015 – Howard helped the Blades to finish fifth but suffered another play-off semi-final defeat. A 2-1 defeat at Bramall Lane was followed by a crazy 5-5 draw at the County Ground.
2016 – Sheffield United struggled to make an impact under Nigel Adkins and finished 11th.
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