Paul Hart (born 4 May 1953) is an English football manager and former football defender. 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 is currently the manager of Queens Park Rangers.
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.
Managerial career
Chesterfield
After the spell at Notts County, Hart was appointed manager of Chesterfield in 1988. Hart spent three years at the Saltergate helm, reaching the playoffs before a fall-out with the chairman and Hart's sacking in 1991, when they were in the Fourth Division.
Leeds United
Hart then moved into youth coaching firstly at Forest 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.
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, now at Leeds (who was initially blooded in an injury crisis), Jermaine Jenas (now at Spurs and a full England international), Keith Foy (now at Sligo Rovers), Chris Doig, now at Northampton, David Freeman, Kevin Dawson, Gareth Williams (a full Scotland international), Richard Cooper and Gareth Edds (all teenagers) were blooded, with a further line of players including Barry Roche (who saved a penalty on his debut as a last minute sub v Crystal Palace), Andy Reid (who scored on debut as an 18-year-old v Sheffield United and is now a full Republic of Ireland international), Brian Cash, Eugen Bopp, John Thompson (another full Ireland international) and most notably the highly-sought-after and highly-rated central defender 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]
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 was sacked a year later having failing to mount a serious promotion challenge.[5] Promotion was achieved the following year under Hart's successor Andy Ritchie.
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]
Portsmouth
On 19 March 2007, Hart was appointed Director of Youth Operations at Portsmouth. He took over as caretaker manager following the sacking of Tony Adams on 9 February 2009.[8] Shortly afterwards, Brian Kidd was named as Hart's assistant manager.[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, which Portsmouth executive chairman Peter Storrie announced 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," Storrie said.[11] He was appointed as permanent manager on a two-year contract on 21 July 2009.[12] In the 2009–10 season, Hart guided Portsmouth to the worst start by a Premier League team after losing their first seven league games. This 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]
Queens Park Rangers
On 17 December 2009 Hart was appointed as the new manager of Queens Park Rangers following the exit of Jim Magilton the previous day. Mick Harford, previously manager of Luton, was announced as his assistant.[14]
Statistics
- As of 24 November 2009.
Manager
| Team |
Nation |
From |
To |
Matches |
Won |
Drawn |
Lost |
Win % |
| Chesterfield |
 England |
2 November 1988 |
1 January 1991 |
&0000000000000111.000000111 |
&0000000000000038.00000038 |
&0000000000000030.00000030 |
&0000000000000043.00000043 |
&0000000000000034.23000034.23 |
| Nottingham Forest |
England |
12 July 2001 |
7 February 2004 |
&0000000000000134.000000134 |
&0000000000000042.00000042 |
&0000000000000044.00000044 |
&0000000000000048.00000048 |
&0000000000000031.34000031.34 |
| Barnsley |
England |
4 March 2004 |
4 March 2005 |
&0000000000000051.00000051 |
&0000000000000014.00000014 |
&0000000000000019.00000019 |
&0000000000000018.00000018 |
&0000000000000027.45000027.45 |
| Rushden & Diamonds[15] |
England |
23 May 2006 |
16 October 2006 |
&0000000000000016.00000016 |
&0000000000000004.0000004 |
&0000000000000004.0000004 |
&0000000000000008.0000008 |
&0000000000000025.00000025.00 |
| Portsmouth |
England |
9 February 2009 |
24 November 2009 |
&0000000000000030.00000030 |
&0000000000000009.0000009 |
&0000000000000006.0000006 |
&0000000000000015.00000015 |
&0000000000000030.00000030.00 |
| QPR |
England |
17 December 2009 |
|
&0000000000000001.0000001 |
&-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1.0000000 |
&0000000000000001.0000001 |
&-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1.0000000 |
&-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1.0000000.00 |
| Total |
&0000000000000342.000000342 |
&0000000000000107.000000107 |
&0000000000000103.000000103 |
&0000000000000132.000000132 |
&0000000000000031.29000031.29 |
References
- General
- Calley, Roy (1992). Blackpool: A Complete Record 1887-1992. Breedon Books Sport. ISBN 1-873626-07-X.
- Specific
External links
