Russell Michael Howarth (born 27 March 1982) is an English former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He played in the Football League for York City, Tranmere Rovers and Bradford City.

Howarth started his career in the youth system of hometown club York City in 1996 while a schoolboy, before becoming a trainee in 1998. He made his first-team debut aged 17, playing in the first six matches of the 1999–2000 season. During this run in the team, he signed a professional contract with the club. However, he was unable to play regularly for York because of the form of Bobby Mimms and Alan Fettis. After having trials with Premier League and First Division clubs, Howarth left York in November 2002 to sign for Tranmere Rovers for a five-figure fee. Here, he again played sporadically, only having runs in the team when first-choice goalkeeper John Achterberg was unavailable. After being released by Tranmere in 2005, Howarth signed for Bradford City. However, he was unable to dislodge Donovan Ricketts in goal and was released in 2007. He retired from football and started working as a paramedic.

While at York, Howarth played for England at a number of youth levels. He was capped twice at under-16 level in 1999, while still a trainee at York. He competed with Chelsea's Rhys Evans for a starting place in the under-18 team, playing for them in 2001 UEFA European Under-18 Championship qualifying. After making four under-18 appearances from 2000 to 2001, he progressed to the under-20 team, competing with Evans, Stephen Bywater and Boaz Myhill for a place in the team. He was capped four times for the team from 2001 to 2002 before being given a late call-up to the under-21 squad for the 2002 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. He was still included in under-21 squads after moving to Tranmere, but failed to be capped at that level.

Howarth was born in York to Michael and Lyn Howarth (née Hammond). He was baptised in Riccall, North Yorkshire and attended Barlby High School. As a youth, he played as a goalkeeper for Olympia Station FC, before representing York and District Schools aged 12. In one season, however, he played as a left winger and scored 29 goals. He soon returned to playing in goal and impressed Huntington School teacher Alan Whitehead, a former York City player, who ran the York and District team.

Howarth started his career with hometown club York City in their youth system, joining in 1996 on schoolboy terms. In the summer of 1998, he signed a three-year academy scholarship at York and became a first-year trainee. During May 1999, he played for York in the Candia-66 International Under-20s Tournament, a youth tournament hosted in Europe. York won the tournament after defeating Trenkvin Slowakigie in the final, in which Howarth saved two penalty kicks in the 4–2 penalty shoot-out victory. Aged 17, he made his first-team debut for Third Division York in a 1–0 victory at home to Swansea City in the opening match of the 1999–2000 season on 7 August 1999. He started the season as York's first-choice goalkeeper ahead of the experienced Bobby Mimms, keeping clean sheets in the first three matches. On 26 August 1999, two days after making his fifth successive appearance, Howarth signed a three-year professional contract with York. However, after conceding 11 goals in three matches, and having played in York's first six matches of the season, manager Neil Thompson dropped him for the more experienced Mimms. York's management team insisted Howarth's exclusion was to safeguard him, and was not based on merit. His next appearance came as a 72nd-minute substitute in York's 2–0 defeat away to Plymouth Argyle on 19 February 2000, following an injury to Mimms. Howarth was favoured over Mimms for the following match, a 0–0 draw at home to Exeter City on 26 February 2000. However, following the signing of Northern Ireland international Alan Fettis, Howarth was once again restricted to the substitutes' bench. His first season in senior football finished with eight appearances.

In May 2000, Howarth played for Premier League club Leeds United in a seven-a-side tournament in Singapore, because their own goalkeepers were unavailable. He also represented York in the Candia-66 International Under-20s Tournament for a second successive summer, although he only played one match as he was being rested after playing for Leeds. His first appearance of 2000–01 came 22 August 2000, in York's 5–1 defeat at home to Stoke City in the League Cup first round first leg. During the match, he fumbled a Graham Fenton cross, and Stoke opened the scoring from the error. He garnered praise from York's part-time goalkeeping coach and former Everton player Neville Southall, who Howarth held as a boyhood hero, saying: "Russ can be as good as he wants to be. He works hard and has a great attitude when a lot of youngsters today at big clubs don't have such a good attitude. He will succeed. Even if it is in three, five or even ten years, he will succeed." With Fettis rested, Howarth made his second appearance of the season on 9 January 2001, starting in a 4–0 defeat at home to Darlington in the Football League Trophy Northern Section first round. Despite conceding four goals, he was the only player to escape criticism from manager Terry Dolan, who said: "He was let down by everyone else around him. He had no protection whatsoever. His kicking was excellent and he did everything else he had to do without a problem." Due to the good form of Fettis, Howarth finished the season with only two appearances.

Howarth made his first appearance of 2001–02 in the 2–0 defeat away to Notts County on 16 October 2001 in the Football League Trophy Northern Section first round. Having made a number of fine saves, he was named man of the match, and Dolan remarked that: "he is playing as well as I have seen him and he is putting real pressure on Alan Fettis." Despite not featuring regularly for York, he spent four days on trial with Premier League club Sunderland, training with the team for three days and playing 45 minutes of a practice match against Huddersfield Town. Howarth then spent a brief period on trial with Wolverhampton Wanderers (Wolves) of the First Division in January 2002. He played for the reserve team against Huddersfield and reportedly impressed manager Dave Jones. Howarth made his first league appearance for York in over two years as a 65th-minute substitute for an injured Fettis a 3–0 home win over Bristol Rovers on 17 April 2002. Two days later, he was offered a new contract by York. With Fettis still injured for the following match, Howarth started for the first time since February 2000 in a 1–0 defeat away to Scunthorpe United on 20 April 2002, York's final match of the season. He finished the season with three appearances.

Larger clubs became interested in buying him during the summer of 2002 and he decided to consider his options before deciding on his future. He trialled with Everton in May 2002, and played in a friendly against Falkirk in the Alex Scott Memorial Trophy, keeping a clean sheet. He revealed he was interested in a move to Everton, and due to Fettis' good form for York, he decided to pursue a move. After his contract expired on 30 June 2002, Howarth joined Wolves for a second trial in July for a two-week period. After playing in Wolves' opening pre-season friendly against Morecambe, he was invited to join them for their pre-season tour of Portugal. Despite being out of contract at York, the club was entitled a fee as he was under 24 years of age, but a bid of £60,000 from Wolves was rejected. He was recalled by York to take part in a pre-season friendly against Sunderland, although he refused to participate. Howarth told Dolan he did not want to play for the club, as any potential injury could have ended his proposed transfer. His proposed move to Wolves continued until August 2002, and late that month he trained with Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. He played in a practice match for Tottenham, but after they failed to follow up their interest in him Wolves made a bid to sign him on loan, which York rejected. After Marlon Beresford left York, and Howarth's proposed moves elsewhere fell through, he re-signed for the club in September 2002 on a week-to-week contract. Despite this, he spent two days on trial with Premier League club Newcastle United in late September 2002. Howarth's first appearance of 2002–03 came in a 4–3 away defeat to Lincoln City on 22 October 2002 in the Football League Trophy Northern Section first round, after Fettis was rested due to injury.