However on March 8^th Stuart was to suffer his worst injury as a pro, he hobbled off after 77 minutes of the much needed home win over Plymouth Argyle and a day or two later, after the swelling had subsided, it was confirmed that he'd broken a bone in his ankle. That win left us in 16^th place in the table but within a month we were in 20^th and relegation was a real possibility but far from stay at home with his pot on, Stuart was there, at every game, cheering on his team-mates right through to the successful escape confirmed at Blackpool.

A good pre-season saw Stuart getting closer to a return but a niggling knee injury kept him from returning to the fold until mid September when he was a non playing sub at Brighton four days before his return to action in the disaster at Grimsby Town. Clearly not match fit, the defender sat out the Brentford game before returning to the bench and then the starting eleven at Stockport, where he made 90 minutes in the 0-0 draw.

Primarily a left sided central defender, Stuart has also played at left back and in midfield, both central and wide, he was a vital member of our side in the Autumn of last year when we kept 8 consecutive Saltergate clean sheets.

Stuart's first Spireites goal came in the penultimate match of 2001-02 in the 3-1 defeat at Bournemouth, though our escape from the drop was confirmed that day, he slotted home from close range after Mark Allott's ball in after 85 minutes. That particular minute proved popular for the Chorley lad, his second goal, the only strike in a game against Tranmere which saw us move up to 7^th spot in November last year, also came on 85, it was also from close range and off his thigh, Stuart finishing off a Rob Edwards effort. His last goal, as early as the 74^th minute, came in the Christmas home fixture with Cheltenham last year. Having been 2-0 down, Shayne Bradley pulled one back but Stuart's long range header (it was 6 yards out, easily his longest range goal) after Steve Payne had headed forwards grabbed the vital point.

His career began with Blackburn Rovers, he turned professional when Brian Kidd was manager and at a time when the Club had over 50 players on the books, so chances were always going to be limited but he performed well in the Academy and Reserves and in the Spring of 2001 Stuart expanded his experience by joining Sydney based side Northern Spirit on loan. He was accompanied to Australia by Rovers colleague Ben Burgess, now at Hull City, after a loan spell with Brentford and a £400,000 transfer to Stockport.

Spirit struggled, Howson played in just two wins in 14 games, both away from their North Sydney Oval ground, 2-1 at Football Kingz and 4-2 at Newcastle United. He managed one goal in Oz, in a 4-1 defeat at home to Melbourne Knights though he did register an own goal in a defeat against Adelaide Force.

Dave Rushbury spotted Stuart playing for Rovers reserves and brought him to Chesterfield, his debut at Swindon being one of the most assured League bows I've ever seen, despite a 2-1 defeat. He prevented Grazioli and Hewlett from scoring what seemed certain goals as he lined up alongside the experienced Payne and Ian Breckin, but he never looked like a player on his senior debut in the UK.

Still only 22, Stuart will be hoping that this season's stop-start nature will give him more opportunity to impress manager Roy McFarland, his contract is up at the season's end, though Alan O'Hare's outstanding form as the left-footed defender has meant that he's going to be difficult to overtake in the pecking order and with Steve Blatherwick and Kevin Dawson both fit again plus Ian Evatt's emergence at the back, competition is tough in defence. However Stuart's footballing abilities will surely see him through after what's been a frustrating year, in his 60 odd first team appearances for The Spireites, we've seen enough to know he'll bounce back.

PHIL TOOLEY