Paul Hart

Hart came through the juniors at Stockport County, turned professional in 1970, and made his Football League debut as a 17-year-old, on 9 October in a 4–3 win against Lincoln City in the Fourth Division. He had a run of games at the end of that season, and was a first-team regular for the next two seasons, before signing for Second Division club Blackpool in June 1973 for a fee of "about £25,000". He made his Blackpool debut on 22 October 1973, 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 ruled out for no apparent reason and Anderlecht subsequently admitted having bribed the official. 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.

Chesterfield

After the spell at Notts County, Hart was appointed manager of Chesterfield in 1988. Joining the club when they were firmly rooted to the bottom of the Third Division, he reorganised and revitalised the playing side of the club with assistant Chris McMenemy. Thanks especially to a number of notable number of home wins in the first three months of 1989 and a surprising 3–1 win at second place Sheffield United in early January, the team climbed out of the bottom four. However, this proved to be only a temporary abatement of the club's problems at that time. Despite bringing great performances from striker Dave Waller, who equalled the club's record for goals in consecutive games – eight – Chesterfield were relegated in the penultimate game. The following season saw Chesterfield reach the play-off final at Wembley after spending almost the entire season in the top seven, underlying Hart's ability and promise as a young manager. The team was defeated 0–1 by Cambridge United for whom Dion Dublin scored the winning goal. In February 1990, he gave 19-year-old Sean Dyche his Football League debut. Given no funds for squad improvement for the 1990–91 season, results and form were extremely indifferent. He was sacked on New Year's Day, 1991.

Leeds United

Hart then moved into youth coaching firstly at Nottingham Forest, and then subsequently took charge of Leeds United's fledgling academy. Hart's proteges won the FA Youth Cup in 1993 and 1997 and formed…