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Joe Hart (born April 19, 1987 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire) is an English Football (soccer) goalkeeper with Premiership club , following a move from League Two club Shrewsbury Town on May 222006. He also plays for the England Under-19 team.

Shrewsbury Town

Hart made his debut for his hometown club on April 202004, a day after turning seventeen. He played 90 minutes in the Conference match against Gravesend & Northfleet. Four days later he conceded four at Morecambe.

Hart didn't play again until April of the following year. With Shrewsbury back in the Football League (the newly-renamed League Two) and struggling, Hart played six matches and conceded 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 No. 1 shirt. He played a full 46 match league season, conceding 55 goals. Despite these unimpressive statistics, 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 November 302005, 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. Shrews 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 February 72006, 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 website givemefootball.co.uk.

At the PFA Awards ceremony on March 232006, it was announced that Hart had been voted by his fellow professionals as League Two's best goalkeeper for 2005-06, earning him a place in the PFA League Two Team of the Year.

Manchester City

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

City paid an initial £600,000 for the player, but depending on appearances, the fee could rise to a total of £1,500,000.

Hart debuted for City on 14 October2006 after injuries ruled out Andreas Isaksson and Nicky Weaver. He kept a clean sheet in the match, a 0-0 draw against Sheffield United in the FA Premier League.

References

External links

• Player Profile at skysports.com
• Profile at 4thegame.com

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