Present on the first day against Tranmere at Prenton Park and stepping ever closer to a conclusion which could conceivably occur at Wembley, Howson has been exposed to football's entire emotional range in the space of eight months.

Leeds United's season began in a fashion which was worthy of national acclaim before giving way to a period of listless results, the fall-out from which touched every one of their players.

Howson was a fresh-faced midfielder when he made his league debut at the end of 2006 and rightly immune from criticism, but though two months short of his 20th birthday, his prominence in United's first team since August has required the development of thick and resilient skin.

A second season, like a second album, is always open to less-forgiving scrutiny.

When abuse rained down on Gary McAllister's squad after their defeat to Cheltenham Town last month, Howson was willing to take his share of the blame for a collective performance about which their manager was scathing.

It mattered less to Howson that the crowd had complained bitterly about McAllister's decision to substitute him in the second half and more that the fear that United were losing their nerve seemed to be spreading amongst their supporters.

But the reassurance provided by United's faultless victory over Walsall last Saturday caused a palpable mood swing in a direction which Howson believes is pointing Leeds towards League One's play-offs.

His season and that of his club still has time for one more defiant effort.

"I think most people had written us off," Howson said. "It wasn't just the other teams in the league.

"Some of our fans maybe thought we were dropping off and that we weren't going to make the play-offs. A little bit of criticism came at us.

"The lads knew that after the good start we had we wouldn't be able to keep it up all season.

"There was going to be a stage when the results didn't go for us and it's been disappointing to drop points to teams that we should be getting three against – at home to the likes of Cheltenham.

"It's been a learning curve for me and results like that make you realise that you can't take anything for granted. But we proved against Walsall that we won't let our heads drop.

"I think the momentum is with us. We did have a blip, but that was always going to happen at some stage of the season.

"We're performing well again and teams will be worrying about us again."

It has surprised Howson to discover that Brighton – tomorrow's visitors to Elland Road – are one of the clubs with a vested interest in United's league position with eight games of the season remaining.