After leaving the College, Howell joined the Wanderers and helped them retain the FA Cup which they had won the previous year. Under the competition rules, Wanderers were given a "bye" to the final, where they met Oxford University at Lillie Bridge on 29 March 1873. In the early stages of the final, Oxford "made the running... with Howell and Thompson performing admirably in the Wanderers defence to keep the University students at bay". Despite the students' efforts, Wanderers won the game 2–0, and thus retained the trophy. This was Howell's first match for the Wanderers; he is, thus, one of the few players to have made his debut in an FA Cup Final.