| Michael Hart | |
| Birth Date: | 10 February 1980 |
| Birth Place: | Bellshill, Scotland |
| Position: | Right back |
| Years1: | 1997–2001 |
| Caps1: | 16 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Clubs1: | Aberdeen |
| Years2: | 2000 |
| Caps2: | 3 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Clubs2: | → Livingston (loan) |
| Years3: | 2000–2001 |
| Caps3: | 22 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Clubs3: | → Livingston (loan) |
| Years4: | 2001–2003 |
| Caps4: | 32 |
| Goals4: | 0 |
| Clubs4: | Livingston |
| Years5: | 2003–2008 |
| Caps5: | 107 |
| Goals5: | 0 |
| Clubs5: | Aberdeen |
| Years6: | 2008–2010 |
| Caps6: | 19 |
| Goals6: | 0 |
| Clubs6: | Preston North End |
| Years7: | 2010–2012 |
| Caps7: | 24 |
| Goals7: | 0 |
| Clubs7: | Hibernian |
| Years8: | 2012 |
| Caps8: | 0 |
| Goals8: | 0 |
| Clubs8: | St Johnstone |
| Years9: | 2012 |
| Caps9: | 9 |
| Goals9: | 0 |
| Clubs9: | Airdrie United |
| Years10: | 2013 |
| Caps10: | 15 |
| Goals10: | 0 |
| Clubs10: | Huntly |
| Totalcaps: | 247 |
| Totalgoals: | 0 |
Michael Hart (born 10 February 1980) is a Scottish retired footballer who played as a right back for Aberdeen, Livingston, Preston North End, Hibernian, St Johnstone, Airdrie United and Huntly.
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]
| 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 | |||