Ian Harte

For other people named Ian Hart, see Ian Hart (disambiguation).

Ian Harte

Personal information
Full name	Ian Patrick Harte
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Reading
Number	23
Youth career
	Home Farm
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1996–2004	Leeds United	213	(28)
2004–2007	Levante	66	(10)
2007–2008	Sunderland	8	(0)
2008–2009	Blackpool	4	(0)
2009–2010	Carlisle United	52	(19)
2010–	Reading	58	(11)
International career‡
1996–2007	Republic of Ireland	64	(11)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:06, 11 February 2012 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17:00, 6 June 2011 (UTC)

Ian Patrick Harte (born 31 August 1977) is an Irish international footballer who plays for Reading in the Football League Championship. Best known for his spell at Leeds United and also his ability to score goals from long range, including being a free kick specialist. He earned 64 international caps for his country and scored 11 goals from 1996 up to 2007.

Club career

Leeds United

Born in Drogheda, where he attended St. Olivers Community College winning many sports titles (at both GAA and football) at all levels. Harte started out at St. Kevins FC in Whitehall in Dublin at U/12 where his older brother Michael had played for 3 years already in the DDSL (Dublin and District Schoolboys League). Michael went on to play for Drogheda United in the League of Ireland. Harte joined Leeds United from Home Farm in 1995. He played for Leeds for nine seasons and was an integral part of their team and cult hero alongside his uncle Gary Kelly. When Leeds bought Dominic Matteo it looked as though Harte might become second choice. Matteo though ended up playing at centre half and Harte kept his place on the left. In the 1999–2000 season he helped Leeds reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup, playing twelve games, scoring one goal. He then helped them reach the same stage of the UEFA Champions League in the 2000–01 season, playing 17 games and scoring three goals in the competition.

Harte is also a proficient left-footed free kick and penalty taker, which was demonstrated in the vital league game against Arsenal in the 2002–03 season, where he scored Leeds' second goal from a 25-yard free kick. Leeds went on to win that game 3–2 to avoid relegation from the Premiership.

Harte scored at Highbury for three seasons in a row – 2000–01, 2001–02 and 2002–03. Arguably, Harte's most memorable moment at Leeds was scoring a free kick against Deportivo La Coruña in the Champions League quarter final first leg at Elland Road. Harte's later career at Leeds, was not so successful, as his lack of pace was exposed and his goals started to dry up. He did score a penalty against Portsmouth his last season at the club, but Leeds went on to lose that game and were relegated to the Football League Championship. Harte returned to Elland Road with Reading on 22 April 2011 and played 90 minutes in a 0–0 draw between the two sides. Harte was applauded throughout by the home supporters.

Levante

Despite rumours, earlier in his career, that clubs including Barcelona and Milan were offering as much as £11 million for his services, in the end it was Spanish La Liga club Levante that signed him in 2004, following the financial crisis at Leeds.

Harte scored Levante's first La Liga goal in 41 years in a 1–1 draw with Real Sociedad. Unfortunately, Harte suffered a groin injury in January which sidelined him for most of the remainder of the season. Levante, in their first season in La Liga since 1965, were up to 5th position at one point (when Harte was healthy), but they still suffered relegation on the final day of the 2004–05 La Liga season due to a loss to Villarreal. The following season in the Segunda División was successful for both Harte and Levante as Harte was consistently first choice left back, he scored nine goals in all competitions, and Levante were promoted back to La Liga at their first attempt. However in the following season in La Liga, Harte was injured in August and failed to regain his place in the team once he returned from injury in January. This time though Levante finished in 15th place and were safe from relegation.

Before the start of the 2007–08 La Liga season, Levante coach Abel Resino told Harte that he was not in his plans, and Harte and the club agreed to terminate the remaining 12 months of his contract.

Sunderland

On 29 August 2007, after a trial period, it was announced that Harte had joined former national team mate Roy Keane at Sunderland. He was initially signed on a one year contract. However, he was subsequently transfer listed in January 2008 by Keane. Harte made his Sunderland debut as a late substitute in the clubs 3–2 defeat away at Arsenal. On 4 June 2008, along with seven other players, he was released by Sunderland after only one year at the club.

During summer 2008 Harte spent time on trial at Wolverhampton Wanderers but rejected their eventual offer of a month-to-month contract and he was without a club for the start of the 2008–09 season. In September 2008 he trained with Sheffield United at the club's Shirecliffe training ground complex. He then played for the Blades reserve team in a 3–0 win against Newcastle United reserves.

On 22 October 2008, it was announced that Harte was on a one-week trial with Norwegian Premier League club Vålerenga hoping to impress manager Martin Andresen. He also spent time on trial at Charlton Athletic.

Blackpool

After spending a few weeks on trial with Championship club Blackpool, Harte signed for them on 11 December 2008 on a month-to-month contract basis. He made his debut for the Seasiders on 29 December 2008 in a 2–2 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Bloomfield Road. Harte had his contract with Blackpool terminated by mutual consent on 2 February 2009.

Harte then agreed a contract with Scottish Premier League club St. Mirren until the end of the 2008–09 season, but then unexpectedly pulled out of the move 24 hours later.

Carlisle United

On 26 March 2009, Harte signed a contract to the end of the season with Carlisle United and made his debut a couple of days later at home to Northampton Town. He won man of the match for his impressive performance but did not play for a month after breaking two fingers during the game. He returned to action on 25 April 2009, scoring a free kick in the 1–1 draw against Cheltenham Town. He also played in the last match of the season, which Carlisle won against Millwall to stay in League 1, at Northampton's expense. Harte signed a two-year contract with Carlisle United on 18 May 2009 keeping him at the club until the summer of 2011. He was in the team which reached the Football League Trophy final at Wembley Stadium in March 2010, though Carlisle lost 4–1 to Southampton. He finished the season as Carlisle's top goalscorer, scoring 18 times from defence.

In May 2010 he was selected in the Football League One PFA Team of the Year for the 2009–10 season.

Harte started the 2010–11 season in good goalscoring form, scoring a penalty in the league opener against Brentford and in Carlisle's first away game, against Plymouth Argyle.

Reading

On 31 August 2010, Harte signed for Championship club Reading on a two-year deal for £100,000. Harte scored on his debut from the penalty spot against Crystal Palace and then in his fourth appearance with a stunning free kick against Barnsley. He has since continued a fine scoring record for a defender, and is helping Reading in their challenge for the play-offs to get into the Premier League. On 9 April, Harte scored the opening goal for 4–3 away win to promotion-chasing Nottingham Forest. In April, he was named in the PFA Championship Team of the Year, following his appearance in the corresponding list for League One a year earlier. Harte has also scored a superb free kick against Middlesbrough in a 5–2 win for Reading, and perhaps his best of the season away to Ipswich Town in a 1–3 win to Reading on 8 March. Harte was named as the n-power championship player of the month in March 2011, a superb achievement for a 33 year-old left back. Harte also can take penalties and he scored from the spot away to Scunthorpe United on 12 April as Shane Long was unavailable, the game finished 2–0 to Reading.

Harte was part of a defence that shut out his old team Leeds United at Elland Road. Alex McCarthy, the Reading goalkeeper was named man of the match because he kept the score at 0–0, the game finished 0–0 between Leeds and Reading, Harte helped to keep a clean sheet. Harte played in a 3–2 defeat to Sheffield United at the Madejski Stadium on 25 April 2011, the game also involved a tribute for former Reading and Sheffield United player Chris Armstrong. Harte showed he still has quality at the age of 33 in a solid defensive performance at Elland Road. Harte, though was part of a Reading team that lost at home 3–2 to Sheffield United on the 25 April 2011, the loss at the Madejski Stadium was the first for Reading since the 4 February 2011 to QPR. Harte is in the PFA team of the year for the second year running, after scoring 10 goals and keeping 14 clean sheets in a Reading shirt. Harte was named in the PFA Team of the year mainly for his set piece ability, he has scored 6 free kicks this season, as well as being second in line to take penalties after Shane Long, scoring three this season. Harte has been taking corners for Reading this season, but Jobi McAnuff, Brian Howard and himself share corners duties between them. Harte also has shown an aerial ability this season in his time at Reading, with great power and accuracy in all of his headers. On 25 April 2011 Harte came out of the tunnel with his two daughters at the Madejski Stadium.

International career

Harte has played for the Republic of Ireland on 65 occasions, scoring eleven goals. He was handed his international debut in 1996 against Croatia having made just four appearances for Leeds and earned a regular starting berth for the 1998 World Cup qualifying campaign.

However, as his club career flourished post 1998, Harte found himself out of the reckoning at international level though he returned for the 2002 World Cup qualifiers and was the only player to play every minute as Ireland managed to reach the finals. Harte also notched up four goals during the campaign, from left back, including a penalty against Iran in the play-off, though he struggled at the World Cup because of a toe injury and the emergence of John O'Shea restricted his appearances under Brian Kerr.

He was recalled to the team for the home match against Israel on 4 June 2005 and the away game in the Faroe Islands four days later. Harte scored in both games, which marked his return to the Irish senior football set-up.

In May 2011 Harte harshly criticized the national team's management when it emerged they didn't even realize he was Irish and available to play for the national side, despite being in fine form for his club.

Career statistics

As of match played 16:58, 30 May 2011

Template:Football player statistics 1 Template:Football player statistics 2 |- |1995–96||rowspan="9"|Leeds United||rowspan="9"|Premier League||4||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||4||0 |- |1996–97||14||2||1||0||2||1||colspan="2"|–||17||3 |- |1997–98||12||0||3||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||15||0 |- |1998–99||35||4||5||2||1||0||3||0||44||6 |- |1999–2000||33||6||3||1||1||0||12||1||49||8 |- |2000–01||29||7||1||0||1||0||17||4||48||11 |- |2001–02||36||5||1||0||2||0||8||1||47||6 |- |2002–03||27||3||3||0||1||0||5||0||36||3 |- |2003–04||23||1||1||0||2||1||colspan="2"|–||26||2 Template:Football player statistics 2 |- |2004–05||rowspan="3"|Levante||La Liga||24||1||||||||||||||24||1 |- |2005–06||Segunda División||36||9||||||||||||||36||9 |- |2006–07||La Liga||6||0||||||||||||||6||0 Template:Football player statistics 2 |- |2007–08||Sunderland||Premier League||8||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||8||0 |- |2008–09||Blackpool||Championship||4||0||1||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||5||0 |- |2008–09||rowspan="3"|Carlisle United||rowspan="3"|League One||3||1||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||3||1 |- |2009–10||45||16||4||1||3||1||colspan="2"|–||52||18 |- |2010–11||4||2||0||0||1||0||colspan="2"|–||5||2 |- |2010–11||Reading||Championship||30||10||4||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||34||10 Template:Football player statistics 3297||49||23||4||14||3||45||6||380||62 Template:Football player statistics 466||10||||||||||||||66||10 Template:Football player statistics 5363||59||23||4||14||3||45||6||446||72 Template:Football player statistics end

Template:Football player national team statistics |- |1996||7||2 |- |1997||9||0 |- |1998||2||0 |- |1999||3||0 |- |2000||5||1 |- |2001||10||4 |- |2002||11||2 |- |2003||7||0 |- |2004||2||1 |- |2005||4||2 |- |2006||2||0 |- |2007||1||0 |- !Total||63||12 |}

External links

• Carlisle United profile
• Ian Harte at Soccerbase