192 James Hart

Biography

James Hart was born in the Bridgeton district of Glasgow and came into football via the Scottish junior league scene. After joining Vale of Clyde in March 1925 he scored 18 goals in four months, form that attracted attention on the banks of the Humber. Hart signed for Hull City in June 1925 but it wasn’t until a season later that he was briefly given his first team chance in two September 1926 fixtures. Starting at inside right rather than his usual centre forward position, Hart evidently didn’t impress and was returned to the City Reserves. He left the club in March 1927.

Hart then embarked on a eight year odyssey that saw him score goals at an incredible rate for many of his clubs. He joined Welsh League side Flint Town and in the first four months of the 1927/28 season he struck a remarkable 46 goals, earning a return to the Football League with Division Three North side Bradford Park Avenue. Hart made only eight starts for a Bradford side that won the League title in May 1928, but scored nine goals in those appearances including a January 1928 hattrick against Rochdale. James made four starts in the early weeks of the 1928/29 season, scoring once, but by December 1928 he was on the move back to Division Three North when he joined Crewe Alexandra. He scored in each of his first five starts for Crewe then hit a hattrick against Ashington in January 1929, and finished the season with 13 goals in 19 starts. Despite this fine form Hart returned to North Wales and joined Connah’s Quay & Shotton in July 1929, scoring 78 goals in his first season. With a record like that Football League teams were again watching Hart and in July 1930 he signed for Second Division side Charlton Athletic. As with his time at Hull and Bradford, Hart struggled to establish himself at the higher level and after one goal in five starts for the Addicks he joined Cheshire County League Chester in February 1931, assisting them to a second place finish that was enough to achieve election to the Football League.

In June 1931 Hart decided to return to Scotland and signed for East Stirlingshire. His 33 goals for The Shire helped the club lift the Scottish Second Division title, but at the end of the season he elected to stay in the Second Division and signed for Hibernian. Hart scored 13 goals in 13 starts for the Hibees including hattricks against Montrose and St Bernard’s. In July 1933 he joined Irish League side Portadown, where he finished the 1933/34 season as top scorer. Returning to Scotland in August 1934, Hart spent a season with Dundee United – scoring 6 goals in 10 starts – before ending his career in the latter months of 1935 at Cowdenbeath. Our analysis of genealogy resources suggests that James died in Glasgow in June 1967.

Details

Nationality: Scotland
Date/Place of Birth: 2 January 1903, Glasgow
Hull City First Game: 20 September 1926, Reading H (Division Two), 23 years, 261 days old
Hull City Final Game: 25 September 1926, Port Vale H (Division Two), 23 years, 266 days old

Clubs

Parkhead Juniors, Vale of Clyde (1925), Hull City (1925-1927), Flint Town (1927), Bradford Park Avenue (1927-1928), Crewe Alexandra (1928-1929), Connah’s Quay & Shotton (1929-1930), Charlton Athletic (1930-1931), Chester (1931), East Stirlingshire (1931-1932), Hibernian (1932-1933), Portadown (1933-1934), Dundee United (1934-1935), Cowdenbeath (1935)

Hull City Record

Career: 2 apps, 0 goals

James Hart
SeasonLGE
App
LGE
Gls
FAC
App
FAC
Gls
FLC
App
FLC
Gls
EUR
App
EUR
Gls
OTH
App
OTH
Gls
1925/26----------
1926/2720--------

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