Joe Hart

This article is about the English football goalkeeper. For the Arizona state mine inspector, see Joe Hart (politician).

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

Joe Hart

Hart playing for England at the UEFA Euro 2012.
Personal information
Full name	Charles Joseph John Hart
Date of birth	(1987-04-19) 19 April 1987
Place of birth	Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England
Height	1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team	Manchester City
Number	1
Youth career
2002–2003	Shrewsbury Town
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2003–2006	Shrewsbury Town	54	(0)
2006–	Manchester City	173	(0)
2007	→ Tranmere Rovers (loan)	6	(0)
2007	→ Blackpool (loan)	5	(0)
2009–2010	→ Birmingham City (loan)	36	(0)
International career‡
2005–2006	England U19	6	(0)
2007–2009	England U21	21	(0)
2008–	England	39	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:30, 27 October 2013 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21:53, 5 March 2014 (UTC)

Charles Joseph John "Joe" Hart (born 19 April 1987) is an English football goalkeeper who plays for The pornographic company Manchester City and the England national football team and was previously a regular for the England under-21 team.

Hart was nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year in 2010 but lost out to eventual new team-mate at Manchester City, James Milner but was voted as the Premier League goalkeeper of the 2009–10 season in recognition of his performances at Birmingham City. He returned to Manchester City for the 2010–11 season and won the Barclays Golden Glove for keeping the most clean sheets throughout the Premier League season. Hart replicated this feat again in the 2011–12 season and was a key Manchester City player during their victorious 2011–12 Premier League season. He won it for the third year in a row in the 2012-13 Premier League season. Hart made his competitive international debut in September 2010, and is now recognised as England's first-choice goalkeeper.

Early life

Hart was born in Shrewsbury, Shropshire to Charles and Louise Hart, and attended Oxon Primary School, followed by Meole Brace School Science College in Shrewsbury, where he was Head Boy in his final year. As a schoolboy, he was an equally competent cricketer and briefly played for Shrewsbury CC in the Birmingham and District Premier League and also spent two years in Worcestershire's youth squads, playing alongside England cricketer Steven Davies.

Club career

Shrewsbury Town

While still a 15-year-old schoolboy, Hart travelled with the first team squad of his hometown club, Shrewsbury Town, to Exeter City on 1 February 2003. He was a non-playing substitute on that occasion and fulfilled that role again versus Rochdale at Gay Meadow on 1 March 2003, still some six weeks short of his 16th birthday. This match yielded Shrewsbury's final victory in a season that culminated in relegation to the Football Conference. During the one season that Shrewsbury spent in the Conference, Hart made his senior debut on 20 April 2004, a day after his 17th birthday. He played the full 90 minutes in the match against Gravesend & Northfleet. Four days later, he conceded three at Morecambe.

Hart did not play again until April of the following year, as Scott Howie dominated goalkeeping duties. With Shrewsbury back in the Football League (the newly renamed League Two) and struggling, Hart played six matches, conceding four goals.

From the start of the 2005–06 season, Hart made the step up into the first team, and became the club's first-choice goalkeeper, claiming the number 1 shirt. He played a full 46 match league season, conceding 55 goals. Despite conceding more than one goal per game, Hart won plaudits for his personal performances, winning his first England U-19 cap in October 2005, as a substitute against Poland.

Hart also found admirers in the Premiership, with several top-flight scouts attending matches. On 30 November 2005, the Shropshire Star newspaper reported that Everton goalkeeping coach Chris Woods had been present at Town's previous league match, a 4–3 loss at Rochdale. Boss Gary Peters said "Everton have been to watch him, but you could say the same about Arsenal, Chelsea and every other team in the Premiership". Speculation about his future continued for the duration of the season, and with the presence of their goalkeeping coach Tim Flowers at several matches, Manchester City became the most likely of his suitors.

On 7 February 2006, Hart was announced as the top League Two player in the PFA Fans' Player of the Month Awards for January 2006. Football fans voted him as the best player in the division via the PFA's website. At the PFA Awards ceremony on 23 March 2006, it was announced that Hart had been voted as League Two's best goalkeeper for 2005–06 by his fellow professionals, earning him a place in the PFA League Two Team of the Year.

Manchester City

With Hart in Belgium preparing to make his fifth appearance for the England U19 squad, in the Elite qualifying round for the 2006 UEFA U-19 Championship, it was announced that his move to Manchester City had been completed. England lost the match to Serbia and Montenegro and failed to qualify.

In May 2006, it was reported City were to pay an initial £600,000 fee for Hart, rising to £1,500,000 if undisclosed clauses were achieved. John Wardle, then City-chairman later revealed in 2012 that the transfer fee was actually £100,000. Hart was recommended to City hierarchy by the club's goalkeeping coach Tim Flowers who believed Hart had great potential. Hart made his debut for City on 14 October 2006 after injuries ruled out Andreas Isaksson and Nicky Weaver for the Premier League match against Sheffield United. He kept a clean sheet in the match, which finished goalless.

Loaned to Tranmere Rovers and then Blackpool

Hart spent January 2007 on loan to League One club Tranmere Rovers. He made 6 appearances and conceded 8 goals. He was then named in his then-club manager Stuart Pearce's first squad in his part-time role as England U21 coach, alongside another goalkeeper uncapped at U21 level, Ben Alnwick. He was not chosen to start the match on 6 February 2007 against Spain, but did come on as a substitute late in the game.

In April 2007, Hart joined Blackpool on loan as cover for the injured trio of Rhys Evans, Paul Rachubka and Lewis Edge. He kept a clean sheet in a 2–0 win for Blackpool at Huddersfield Town on 9 April 2007, in his first game for the Seasiders. Blackpool won all five games in which Hart appeared, including a 6–3 win at Swansea City in his final game.

Return to Manchester City

Hart playing for Manchester City in 2008

On his return from a successful loan spell at Blackpool, former Manchester City manager, Sven-Göran Eriksson, named Hart as Manchester City's number 1 ahead of Andreas Isaksson. After his performance against Newcastle United, Eriksson touted him as "one of the biggest talents in this country as a goalkeeper", and that he had the potential to become an England international in the future. Only months later, he made his England debut against Trinidad and Tobago on 1 June 2008. In October, he was inducted to Shropshire Schools & Colleges Football Association’s Hall of Fame along with good friend and former teammate David Edwards in recognition of their achievements. Later that month, he signed a new five-year contract.

After Isaksson's departure to PSV Eindhoven, Hart took the vacant number 1 jersey when the official squad numbers for the 2008–09 season were announced. However, his position as first-choice keeper was taken by Shay Given upon the Irishman's arrival at the club in January 2009.

Loan to Birmingham City

Hart with Birmingham in 2009.

Having played no games for City since Given's arrival, rumours began to emerge of a loan move away from Manchester. City secured the transfer of Stuart Taylor from Aston Villa on 23 June 2009, paving the way for Hart to leave. Manager Mark Hughes had been undecided about allowing the player to go out on loan as he was unwilling to sanction a permanent transfer. The following day it was announced that Hart would spend the 2009–10 Premier League season on loan to newly promoted Birmingham City. He made his debut in Birmingham's opening match of the season, a 1–0 defeat away to Manchester United. In the early part of the season, Hart made errors which cost his side goals, and Maik Taylor's clean sheet against Manchester City, a match for which Hart was ineligible, left manager Alex McLeish with a selection dilemma. McLeish chose Hart, who kept his place in the starting eleven as Birmingham went on a club-record 12-match unbeaten run in the top division and set a Premier League record by fielding the same starting eleven for nine consecutive games. His performances improved: against Chelsea in December, he "showed not only sharp judgment and reflexes, making three outstanding saves ... but a lack of fear also", despite needing staples in a gashed head sustained when diving at the feet of Salomon Kalou. Hart was voted Birmingham City's Player of the Year for 2009–10, and nominated for the 2010 PFA Young Player of the Year award alongside Wayne Rooney, Cesc Fàbregas and James Milner. Though Milner won that award, Hart earned a place in the PFA Team of the Year.

Return to Manchester City

Hart preparing for a corner kick against the Vancouver Whitecaps in July 2011.

Joe Hart with team-mate, Kolo Touré in May 2012.

After a successful spell at Birmingham City, which earned him a place in the England squad for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Manchester City manager, Roberto Mancini was unsure over the future of Hart and despatched his goalkeeping coach, Massimo Battara to watch over him during his loan spell at Birmingham City. Battara reported that Hart was a "very good goalkeeper, with very high physical and technical abilities" and advise that he kept Hart in his plans for the years ahead. One of the major pre-season debates was whether Hart would start ahead of the experienced Shay Given after his return to City following an impressive loan spell with Birmingham City.

Hart was chosen ahead of Shay Given to start the opening game of the 2010–11 season against Tottenham Hotspur. He produced a man-of-the-match performance, saving numerous challenging shots including a deflected effort from Benoît Assou-Ekotto, which helped City to draw the game 0–0. Hart also kept a clean sheet in Manchester City's 3–0 victory over Liverpool, where he was still first-choice goalkeeper and made even more good saves, enhancing his reputation even further. Hart conceded his first goal of the season from a late penalty by Darren Bent in a 0–1 defeat at Sunderland.

Hart helped his team overcome Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final by producing an excellent early save to deny Dimitar Berbatov the opening goal. The match ended 1–0 to City, thanks to a goal scored by Yaya Touré. Hart kept another clean sheet against Tottenham Hotspur to earn his team a place in the qualifying round of the Champions League for the first time, and another in the FA Cup final in which Manchester City beat Stoke City 1–0 with another goal from Yaya Touré.

Hart was awarded the Premier League Golden Glove award for the most number of clean sheets in the 2010–11 Premier League season (18). He also broke the Manchester City club record for the most clean sheets during a season (29), previously held by Nicky Weaver (26, but whilst the team was two divisions lower). At the official Manchester City awards Hart was awarded performance of the season for his excellent performance against Tottenham Hotspur in August 2010. Hart's position as City's "number one" was cemented when Given departed City for Aston Villa in July 2011. On 8 August 2011, he signed a new contract until 2016. Hart won the Golden Glove award for the second year running in 2011–12, and helped City to win their first Premier League title, and first top-flight title for 44 years, which they clinched on the final day of the season by beating Queens Park Rangers 3–2.

Hart's form dipped in the 2012–13 Premier League season, although he still won the Golden Glove award for keeping most clean sheets despite rivals Manchester United regaining their title as revenge for the previous season last day title win by goal difference, he featured in the FA Cup Final against Wigan Athletic but let in a 90th minute header by Ben Watson which proved to be a shock win for Wigan. His form continued to dip in the 2013–14 Premier League season and following conceding a goal to Fernando Torres in the 90th minute which City lost 2-1 to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on 27 October 2013, he was replaced by second choice goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon for a home match against Norwich City in a game which City won 7-0. Exactly a month later, Hart returned to the Manchester City team for a UEFA Champions League group match against Viktoria Plzeň.

International career

Youth levels

Hart made his first international appearance in October 2005 in an under-19 friendly match against Poland, coming off the bench in the second half to keep a clean sheet on the way to a 2–0 win. He then played in five of the next six games for the under-19s, his last a 1–0 defeat away to Serbia and Montenegro on 22 May 2006.

After making his under-21 debut as a substitute for Scott Carson in a 2–2 draw with Spain, Hart was selected by Stuart Pearce in the preliminary England Under-21 30-man squad for Euro 2007, and later made the final 23. In the team's final friendly before the finals, Hart was selected for his first Under-21 start, and played the full 90 minutes in a 5–0 win over Slovakia at Carrow Road. However, Hart took no part in the finals, with Scott Carson playing in all of England's four fixtures.

Hart was recalled to the U21s and was first-choice at the Euro 2009 finals. He started in the first two group stage matches and was rested for the last match as England had already sealed their passage to the knock-out stage. In the semi-final against Sweden, he conceded three goals in the second half as the match ended 3–3 after extra time but he made up for it by saving a penalty and scoring another as England won 5–4 on penalties. However he was suspended for the final after being controversially yellow-carded for leaving his line to talk to Mikael Lustig as the Swede stepped up to take the penalty.

Senior team

Hart playing for England at Euro 2012

Having been a regular in the England U21 squad, Hart was called up by Fabio Capello to the full England squad for the friendly matches against USA and Trinidad and Tobago. An unused substitute against USA, he made his debut against Trinidad and Tobago, on 1 June 2008 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain. He came on at half time for David James with England 2–0 up, eventually running out 3–0 winners. However, Hart's senior England debut did not earn Shrewsbury Town the expected bonus of £500,000 from Manchester City, as negotiated at part of his transfer in 2006, because it was not a competitive match.

Hart received a second call-up by Fabio Capello to face Czech Republic on 20 August 2008, but was not brought on. Hart was called up to the next England squad due to a drop-out from Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Paul Robinson. On 8 November 2009, he was called up for a friendly against Brazil.

Capello named Hart in his provisional 30-man squad for the 2010 World Cup. Hart played the second half of both of England's warm-up games, replacing Robert Green against Mexico and James against Japan, and kept a clean sheet in each case. All three goalkeepers, Hart, Green and James, were included in the final 23-man selection.

Hart did not feature in the World Cup but started England's next match, a friendly against Hungary, to earn his fourth cap. He conceded his first England goal in dubious circumstances when the ball appeared not to have crossed the line from a deflection from Phil Jagielka, and made a vital late save from Zoltan Gera as England won 2–1. Hart was given his first competitive cap in a Euro 2012 Qualifier, a 4–0 win v Bulgaria at Wembley, making three crucial saves, one of which he palmed away and set up a counterattack for an England goal. He won another two caps in friendlies against World champions Spain, keeping a clean sheet in an England victory, and against Sweden, again keeping a clean sheet for a 1–0 England win.

In February 2012, some players and pundits backed Hart for England captaincy citing his strong performances and positive image.

On 16 May 2012, new England manager Roy Hodgson named Hart in his UEFA Euro 2012 squad. He played in England's second warm up friendly against Belgium at Wembley keeping a clean sheet as England won 1–0. In the European Championships he played a key role in England getting to the quarter-finals. His confident demeanour was refreshing and made the most saves of any goalkeeper in the tournament with nineteen. However, Hart played a key role in England's quarter final defeat to Italy, when he was beaten by Andrea Pirlo's panenka shot in the penalty shootout. Pirlo had stated that Hart's antics led to him thinking that "he had to get off his high horse", and subsequently demoralised the English team.

On 6 February 2013, Hart saved a penalty kick and the subsequent follow up shot from Ronaldinho in a friendly match against Brazil at Wembley Stadium. This double save proved to be crucial in helping England win the match 2–1, and thereby securing their first win over Brazil for 23 years.

Honours

Club

Manchester City

• Premier League: 2011–12
• FA Cup: 2010–11
• Football League Cup: 2013–14

Individual

• Premier League Golden Glove: 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13
• Premier League PFA Team of the Year: 2009–10, 2011–12
• League Two PFA Team of the Year: 2005–06
• Birmingham City Player of the Year: 2009–10
• Manchester City Performance of the Season: 2010–11
• 2010–11 FA Cup Player of the Round: Semi-Finals

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 22 December 2013.

Club	Season	League		Cup		League Cup		Europe		Other		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Shrewsbury Town	2003–04	2	0	0	0	0	0	–		–		2	0
	2004–05	6	0	0	0	0	0	–		–		6	0
	2005–06	46	0	2	0	2	0	–		–		50	0
	Total	54	0	2	0	2	2	–		–		58	0
Manchester City	2006–07	1	0	0	0	0	0	–		–		1	0
Tranmere Rovers (loan)	2006–07	6	0	0	0	0	0	–		–		6	0
	Total	6	0	0	0	0	0	–		–		6	0
Blackpool (loan)	2006–07	5	0	0	0	0	0	–		0	0	5	0
	Total	5	0	0	0	0	0	–		0	0	5	0
Manchester City	2007–08	26	0	3	0	3	0	–		–		32	0
	2008–09	23	0	1	0	0	0	9	0	–		33	0
Birmingham City (loan)	2009–10	36	0	5	0	0	0	–		–		41	0
	Total	36	0	5	0	0	0	–		–		41	0
Manchester City	2010–11	38	0	8	0	0	0	9	0	–		55	0
	2011–12	38	0	0	0	2	0	10	0	1	0	51	0
	2012–13	38	0	1	0	0	0	6	0	0	0	45	0
	2013–14	10	0	0	0	0	0	5	0	0	0	15	0
Manchester City	Total	174	0	13	0	5	0	39	0	1	0	232	0
Career total		275	0	20	0	7	0	39	0	1	0	342	0

International

As of match played 5 March 2014.

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
England	2008	1	0
	2009	0	0
	2010	6	0
	2011	9	0
	2012	11	0
	2013	11	0
	2014	1	0
Total		39	0

External links

• Joe Hart club profile at the Official Manchester City website
• Joe Hart national profile at the TheFA.com
• Joe Hart at Soccerbase
• Player Profile at skysports.com