After a 10-year career with Everton, American legend Tim Howard said a final goodbye to play in the English Premier League and the club he has grown to love so much. It just so happened that his teammates would help him go out in style, as Everton won 3-0 over Norwich City and sent the goalkeeper out with one last clean sheet to his name.
Before the match, Howard tweeted out his heartfelt thoughts on his time in Liverpool, playing for the blue side of the city.
EVERTON, you have become a part of my soul. You'll forever be in my heart. COYB!!!
Your #24,
Tim Howard pic.twitter.com/THEWMlQZxs
— Tim Howard (@TimHowardGK) May 15, 2016
To be fair, Howard has rarely had an easier time in net than what took place in his final appearance, as relegated Norwich put up little offensive challenge and the Toffees put a ton of offensive pressure on the visitors from the go.
Besides making 414 total appearances for Everton, Howard will leave the club with an EPL record of 352 appearances in the blue. He also leaves the club having amassed 115 clean sheets for the club.
Howard’s 132 total EPL clean sheets puts him eighth on the all-time list, tying fellow American Brad Friedel, who did it for four clubs (Liverpool (6), Blackburn Rovers (77), Aston Villa (35), Tottenham Hotspur (14)).
Howard isn’t just an Everton legend, but he is also a pioneer for American players in the world’s most lucrative league. He broke the barriers to the American player being a star in the EPL and his status needed no other talk than what took place following the end of the match.
His teammates greeted him with an honor guard as he made a return to the pitch for a last farewell to the fans, and then the club greeted him with the stars-and-stripes as he came out to a curtain call again.
While other American players may be more famous than him today, few have ever meant so much to a single club.
[ESPNFC]
