 Howard chose to turn down Chelsea's offer, preferring the prospect of playing regularly in a lower division, and signed a one-year deal with Division Two (third-tier) club Swindon Town.Howard made his Football League debut on 9 August in a 3–2 home defeat against Sheffield Wednesday, and scored his first Swindon goal on 1 October, an 89th-minute equaliser against Luton Town.In his first season, Howard scored four goals from 41 appearances in all competitions as Swindon lost to Brighton & Hove Albion in the play-off semifinals.