Howie, who was on loan to City in 1998 but did not get a first team start, dithered to allow Paul Chow to head past after only twenty one seconds for the fastest ever goal at the new Wembley Stadium.
Wroxham from the Eastern Counties League, were level in the 12th minute, when the opposing keeper, who received ironic applause from the Whitley Bay support in a disappointing crowd of 8,290 every time he caught a ball, allowed a shot to bounce off his feet and fall for Paul Cook to score.
Just over three minutes later, The Seahorses were back in front when a cross came to the left hand side of the six yard box and defender Andy Eastaugh stuck out a leg and deflected it past the badly place Howie who has also played for Motherwell, Norwich, Reading and latterly Kings Lynn.
There were no more goals until fifty three seconds in the second half when Whitley Bay's Lee Kerr went on a mazy run before curling high into the net from twenty yards.
In the 59th minute, Howie was picking the ball out of the net for a fourth time. Faced with a defence in front of him who could not clear the ball, Howie made a cracking save diving to his left and then he dived again to parry another shot, only for Adam Johnson to get to the loose ball and blast into the net.
Whitley Bay kept up the pressure and in the 88th minute, Paul Robinson hit the fifth after getting into the area before drilling a low shot into the bottom corner.
Three minutes of time were added on and in the second minute of time added on by referee Anthony Taylor, Josh Gilies was allowed to carve his way through and slip the ball past Howie before rushing over to celebrate with the jubilant Geordies who cheered massively when they picked up the Vase for the second year in succession.