 He joined Coventry City on loan in January 1998 and finally left Motherwell to join Reading for a fee of £30,000 on transfer deadline day in March 1998.Reading were relegated at the end of the season, but Howie remained with them until being released at the end of the 2000–2001 season.In July 2001 he joined Bristol Rovers and was their player of the year the following season.