his extra-marital affair: he set up another family in Lancashire after he left for Liverpool. Such a scandal in Victorian times would have been hushed up. Liverpool and Preston North End In April 1898 Howell was transferred to Liverpool for a fee of £200, making his debut for the club in a game against Aston Villa. He played 68 times for Liverpool, scoring no goals. Three years later he moved on to Preston North End, where his career was ended by broken leg in 1903. International career Howell scored once for the national team, on his debut in a 9–0 rout of Ireland in April 1895. His second and last appearance came in a win against Scotland four years later. International goals Honours Sheffield United Football League champions: 1897–98 Personal life It seems likely that Howell was born, and lived as a child, in a Romani encampment in Sheffield. His father's profession is listed on his birth certificate as a "besom-maker." By the time of the 1871 census, however, the family were living in a house in Stocks Hill in Ecclesfield. Some of the misinformation about Rab comes from people believing an interview he gave to a match day programme in 1897 where he says amongst other things, spinning people along, that he lived in a caravan: which he clearly did not as census returns show. Death After giving up football, Howell worked as a general labourer and night watchman, retiring . By late 1936 he was in poor health and almost blind, but maintained a keen interest in football and had sports news read to him by members of his family. He died on 21 July 1937 at his home in Preston, aged 69. Howell was buried in an unmarked grave at Preston Old Cemetery, however in 2015 a headstone was unveiled during a ceremony following a campaign to raise money. References External links 'Rab' Howell's Liverpool FC player profile Profile at LFCHistory.net 1869 births 1937 deaths Footballers from Sheffield English Romani people Romani footballers England international footballers English footballers Association football defenders Ecclesfield F.C. players Rotherham Swifts F.C. players Sheffield United F.C. players Liverpool F.C. players Preston North End F.C. players English Football League players Midland Football League players Northern Football League players