Michael Hart (footballer)
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 10 February 1980 | ||
Place of birth | Bellshill, Scotland | ||
Position(s) | Right back | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1997–2001 | Aberdeen | 16 | (0) |
2000 | → Livingston (loan) | 3 | (0) |
2000–2001 | → Livingston (loan) | 22 | (0) |
2001–2003 | Livingston | 32 | (0) |
2003–2008 | Aberdeen | 107 | (0) |
2008–2010 | Preston North End | 19 | (0) |
2010–2012 | Hibernian | 24 | (0) |
2012 | St Johnstone | 0 | (0) |
2012 | Airdrie United | 9 | (0) |
2013 | Huntly | 15 | (0) |
Total | 247 | (0) | |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:30, 12 July 2020 (UTC) |
Michael Hart (born 10 February 1980) is a retired Scottish footballer who played as a right back for Aberdeen, Livingston, Preston North End, Hibernian, St Johnstone, Airdrie United and Huntly.
Career
Hart came through the ranks at Aberdeen and made his debut in a 1–1 draw with Dunfermline Athletic in 1998. He made a total of 19 first team appearances before moving on to Livingston on loan in 2000. His move to Livingston was made permanent in July 2001[1] and he helped them to a third-place finish in their first season in the SPL, which gave them qualification for the 2002–03 UEFA Cup.
Hart returned to Aberdeen in February 2003[2] and, after a shaky start, established himself as a fleet-footed, quick tackling right back. He missed most of the 2005–06 season due to a knee injury, featuring in only four matches. He came back into the team for the 2006–07 season and featured in almost every game, helping the club to a third-place finish in the league. In July 2007, Hart was involved in a car crash whilst on tour with Aberdeen in Egypt, along with team-mate Jamie Smith. Neither player was seriously hurt.
In January 2008, Hart signed a pre-contract agreement with Preston North End and was expected to move to Deepdale at the end of the season. However, on 31 January, Preston had an offer thought to be £100,000 accepted for the right-back.[3] Hart then suffered from a succession of injuries, making only 25 appearances for Preston in over two years with the club.[4] Preston manager Darren Ferguson listed Hart for transfer in May 2010.[4]
Hart returned to Scotland in July 2010, with Hibernian, after his contract with Preston was cancelled.[5] Hart's preferred position of right back had been a significant problem for Hibs during the previous season.[4] He had been a target for Hibs manager John Hughes, who had been unable to sign him previously for "different reasons".[4] Shortly after signing, Hart scored his first goal for 12 years and his first ever in club football, in a friendly against ADO Den Haag.[6]
Hart suffered a serious groin injury in a friendly match against Sunderland in August 2011.[7][8] He made a handful of appearances for Hibs in the 2011–12 season, before he was released from his contract by mutual consent on 31 January 2012.[9]
Hart then signed for St Johnstone on a short-term contract until the end of the 2011–12 season.[10] He joined Airdrie United in July 2012, but left in November the same year to pursue a full-time career outwith football.[11][12]
Huntly signed Hart on 20 February 2013. But on 20 September 2013 Hart retired from football.[13]
Career statistics
Club
Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Aberdeen | 1996–97 | Scottish Premier Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 |
1997–98 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | ||
1998–99 | SPL | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 14 | 0 | |
1999–00 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 5 | 0 | ||
2000–01 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | ||
Total | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 19 | 0 | ||
Livingston (loan) | 1999–00 | Scottish First Division | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 0 |
2000–01 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 2 | 0 | 24 | 0 | ||
Livingston | 2001–02 | SPL | 21 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 25 | 0 |
2002–03 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 13 | 0 | ||
Total | 57 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 65 | 0 | ||
Aberdeen | 2002–03 | SPL | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 9 | 0 |
2003–04 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 14 | 0 | ||
2004–05 | 32 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 37 | 0 | ||
2005–06 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 4 | 0 | ||
2006–07 | 34 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 36 | 0 | ||
2007–08 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | - | - | 26 | 0 | ||
Total | 107 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | - | - | 126 | 0 | ||
Preston North End | 2007–08 | Championship | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 0 |
2008–09 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 8 | 0 | ||
2009–10 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 15 | 0 | ||
Total | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 25 | 0 | ||
Hibernian | 2010–11 | SPL | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 22 | 0 |
2011–12 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 7 | 0 | ||
Total | 24 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 29 | 0 | ||
Airdrie United | 2012–13 | Scottish First Division | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
Total | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 0 | ||
Career total | 232 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 277 | 0 |
References
- ^ "Livingston make 17 signings". BBC Sport. 4 July 2001.
- ^ "Bank books stay closed". BBC Sport. 1 February 2003.
- ^ "Dons' Hart completes Preston move". BBC Sport. 31 January 2008. Retrieved 31 January 2008.
- ^ a b c d "I didn't need to be sold on move to Hibs, says new boy Michael Hart". Daily Record. 8 July 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
- ^ "Hibernian sign Michael Hart from Preston". BBC Sport. 8 July 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
- ^ "Hart Targeting More Goals". Hibernian F.C. 22 July 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
- ^ "Squad Injury Update". Hibernian F.C. 6 August 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
- ^ Hardie, David (20 August 2011). "Injury leaves Hibs' Hart to mull quitting". Edinburgh Evening News. Johnston Press. Retrieved 20 August 2011.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Akpo Sodje and Michael Hart leave Hibernian". BBC Sport. 31 January 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
- ^ "St Johnstone sign Michael Hart as Carl Finnigan joins Dundee". BBC Sport. 21 February 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
- ^ "SIGNING NEWS". airdriefc.com. Airdrie United FC. 27 July 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
- ^ Paterson, Colin (26 July 2012). "Airdrie United plan to strengthen squad". Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
- ^ http://www.ngrfoundation.co.uk/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28131&Itemid=1 [dead link]
- ^ "Aberdeen Football Club Heritage Trust – Player Profile". afcheritage.org. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
- ^ "Michael Hart | Football Stats | Huntly | Season 2000/2001 | Soccer Base". Soccerbase. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
External links
- Michael Hart player profile at pnefc.net
- Michael Hart at Soccerbase
- 1980 births
- Living people
- Footballers from Bellshill
- Scottish men's footballers
- Men's association football defenders
- Aberdeen F.C. players
- Livingston F.C. players
- Preston North End F.C. players
- Hibernian F.C. players
- Scottish Premier League players
- Scottish Football League players
- English Football League players
- People educated at Holy Cross High School, Hamilton
- St Johnstone F.C. players
- Airdrieonians F.C. players
- Huntly F.C. players
- Highland Football League players