Paul Hart (born 4 May 1953) is an English football manager and former football defender, who is currently Academy Director at Charlton Athletic. The son of Johnny Hart, a football inside forward and manager, Hart had five-year spells with both Blackpool and Leeds United, while also playing for Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday amongst others. He began his management career with Chesterfield, before managing Nottingham Forest, Barnsley, and Rushden & Diamonds. He was manager of Premier League side Portsmouth from February to November 2009, and managed Queens Park Rangers for five games until leaving the club in January 2010, joining Crystal Palace two months later.
[edit] Playing career
He made his Blackpool debut on 22 October 1973, two months after signing for the Seasiders, and only made two more appearances that season. Eventually, though, he established himself as a regular first-teamer and, in 1976–77, when he scored six goals as Blackpool challenged for promotion, he was ever-present.
In March 1978, after making 143 league appearances, scoring fifteen goals in the process, Hart left relegation-bound Blackpool for Leeds United for £300,000, as a replacement for Gordon McQueen. Hart spent five years at Elland Road, playing 191 games.
In 1983 Hart signed for Nottingham Forest to replace Willie Young, where he played 87 games and scored three goals. Hart actually scored in the controversial 1983–84 UEFA Cup semi-final against Anderlecht, but the goal was wrongly ruled out for no apparent reason and Anderlecht subsequently admitted having bribed the official.[1] A year later Hart was sold to Sheffield Wednesday in May 1985.
Hart had further spells at Birmingham City (breaking his leg in his only game for them) and Notts County (as player-coach) before retiring from playing in 1988, having made 567 league appearances.
[edit] Managerial and coaching career
[edit] Chesterfield
After the spell at Notts County, Hart was appointed manager of Chesterfield in 1988. Hart spent three years at the Saltergate helm, beginning with relegation from the Third Division and later reaching the playoffs in the Fourth Division before a fall-out with the chairman and Hart's sacking in 1991.
[edit] Leeds United
Hart then moved into youth coaching firstly at Nottingham Forest, and then subsequently took charge of Leeds United's fledgling academy. Hart's proteges won the FA Youth Cup in 1993 and 1997 and formed the backbone of the Leeds side that reached the Champions League semi-finals in 2000–01.
[edit] Nottingham Forest
Hart then returned to take charge of Nottingham Forest's academy after a high-profile fall-out with Leeds manager George Graham over the promise of Jonathan Woodgate. Forest's Under-19 side became immensely successful winning the Under-19 title in 1999–2000. As the first team were faltering, and the club spiralling further into debt, players such as David Prutton, Jermaine Jenas, Keith Foy, Chris Doig, David Freeman, Kevin Dawson, Gareth Williams, Richard Cooper and Gareth Edds were blooded, with a further line of players including Barry Roche, Andy Reid, Brian Cash, Eugen Bopp, John Thompson and Michael Dawson following subsequently.
In the summer of 2001 Hart was appointed manager of Forest, succeeding David Platt, who had left to take charge of the England Under-21 side.[2] Platt's expensive tenure had left the club in crippling debt, and Hart had to cope with loss of several experienced and key players, notably Andy Johnson, Alan Rogers and Stern John (and at one point put the whole squad up for sale). Hart's pioneering "diamond formation" was heavily behind this early success.[citation needed] With the financial problems alleviated somewhat, and having the benefit of a settled side, Forest reached the 1st Division play-off semi finals in season 2002–03, losing in extra-time to Sheffield United. Unfortunately, wage demands and poor decisions meant several key players were lost in the summer of 2003, and not replaced. Forest started the subsequent season well, but a run of two wins in Hart's last 22 games, including two months without even a goal (and 14 games without a win) at the end of his tenure. Hart was sacked on 7 February 2004, following a 1–0 defeat at home to Coventry City.[3]
[edit] Barnsley
Less than a month after being forced out of the City Ground, Hart accepted the offer of the manager's job at Division Two side Barnsley,[4] but left the club a year later having failing to mount a serious promotion challenge.[5] Promotion was achieved the following year under Hart's successor Andy Ritchie.
[edit] Rushden & Diamonds
In May 2006, Hart took over as manager of Rushden & Diamonds, following the departure of Barry Hunter.[6] After an average start to the season, Diamonds embarked on an eight match winless run, leading to Hart leaving the club in October by mutual consent.[7]
[edit] Portsmouth
On 19 March 2007, Hart was appointed Director of Youth Operations at Portsmouth. He was asked to take over as caretaker manager,initially for one game only following the sacking of Tony Adams on 9 February 2009.[8] Shortly afterwards, Hart brought Brian Kidd in as his assistant.[9] He won his first game in charge 2–0 at home to Manchester City on 14 February 2009.[10] Hart continued as caretaker manager until the end of the 2008–09 season, Portsmouth executive chairman Peter Storrie announcing in March 2009, after a close 1–0 defeat to Chelsea, "(Alexandre Gaydamak) and I have been delighted with how the team have fared. They both have so much experience in the game and they have the respect of the players. We will review the managerial situation again at the end of the season."[11]
Hart was appointed as permanent manager on a two-year contract on 21 July 2009.[12] In the 2009–10 season. However,Portsmouth, a club in turmoil and on the brink of administration, had the worst ever start by a Premier League team, losing their first seven league games. This run was finally ended on 3 October when Portsmouth recorded a 1–0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux. On 24 November, with only two Premier League wins in 13 games and three points adrift at the bottom of the table, Hart was sacked. He declined the offer of an alternative role as technical director responsible for players aged 18–21, and left the club.[13]
[edit] Queens Park Rangers
On 17 December 2009 Hart was appointed manager of Queens Park Rangers following the exit of Jim Magilton the previous day. Mick Harford, previously manager of Luton Town, was announced as his assistant.[14] Less than a month later, on 15 January 2010, only five games into his QPR career, Hart left the club.[15] Hart's spell at Queens Park Rangers was nothing short of disastrous, enjoying a solitary win against Bristol City, but coming under fire for his often misguided tactics and player selections. He was replaced as manager by his assistant Mick Harford, much to the delight of the QPR support.
[edit] Crystal Palace
On 2 March 2010 Hart was appointed manager of Crystal Palace with Dougie Freedman as Assistant Manager and John Pemberton as First Team Coach, after Neil Warnock left the club to take over at Queens Park Rangers taking Mick Jones and Keith Curle along with him.[16] The Eagles were in administration, and Hart's task was to keep them in The Championship. This was achieved on Hart's final day in the job. A 2–2 draw at Sheffield Wednesday saw the hosts relegated instead, after which Hart left the club.[17]
It was announced on 10 June 2010 that Hart was on the shortlist to become the successor to Phil Brown at the recently relegated Hull City. The job however was given to Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson.[18]
[edit] Swindon Town
He was appointed manager of Swindon Town on 3 March 2011, his new club in the League One relegation zone. He appointed former Notts County boss Ian McParland as his assistant.[19] On 28 April, Hart was sacked after failing to lead Swindon out of the relegation zone. He only won one game in charge, away to Brentford.
[edit] Statistics
[edit] Manager
- As of 23 April 2011[20]
| Team |
Nation |
From |
To |
Matches |
Won |
Drawn |
Lost |
Win % |
| Chesterfield |
 England |
2 November 1988 |
1 January 1991 |
&10000000000000111000000111 |
&1000000000000003800000038 |
&1000000000000003000000030 |
&1000000000000004300000043 |
&1000000000000003422999934.23 |
| Nottingham Forest |
England |
12 July 2001 |
7 February 2004 |
&10000000000000134000000134 |
&1000000000000004200000042 |
&1000000000000004400000044 |
&1000000000000004800000048 |
&1000000000000003133999931.34 |
| Barnsley |
England |
4 March 2004 |
4 March 2005 |
&1000000000000005100000051 |
&1000000000000001400000014 |
&1000000000000001900000019 |
&1000000000000001800000018 |
&1000000000000002744999927.45 |
| Rushden & Diamonds[21] |
England |
23 May 2006 |
16 October 2006 |
&1000000000000001600000016 |
&100000000000000040000004 |
&100000000000000040000004 |
&100000000000000080000008 |
&1000000000000002500000025.00 |
| Portsmouth |
England |
9 February 2009 |
24 November 2009 |
&1000000000000003000000030 |
&100000000000000090000009 |
&100000000000000060000006 |
&1000000000000001500000015 |
&1000000000000003000000030.00 |
| Queens Park Rangers |
England |
17 December 2009 |
15 January 2010 |
&100000000000000050000005 |
&100000000000000010000001 |
&100000000000000020000002 |
&100000000000000020000002 |
&1000000000000002000000020.00 |
| Crystal Palace |
England |
2 March 2010 |
2 May 2010 |
&1000000000000001400000014 |
&100000000000000030000003 |
&100000000000000060000006 |
&100000000000000050000005 |
&1000000000000002142999921.43 |
| Swindon Town |
England |
3 March 2011 |
28 April 2011 |
&1000000000000001100000011 |
&100000000000000010000001 |
&100000000000000040000004 |
&100000000000000060000006 |
&0&100000000000000090899999.09 |
| Total |
&10000000000000372000000372 |
&10000000000000112000000112 |
&10000000000000115000000115 |
&10000000000000145000000145 |
&1000000000000003010999930.11 |
[edit] References
- General
- Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887–1992. Breedon Books Sport. ISBN 1-873626-07-X.
- Specific
[edit] External links
| Persondata |
| Name |
Hart, Paul |
| Alternative names |
|
| Short description |
|
| Date of birth |
4 May 1953 |
| Place of birth |
Golborne, Lancashire, England |
| Date of death |
|
| Place of death |
|
England
