Farewell to Gary Hart in Sussex

[brakespear]

Can we start a petition to get him up on the legends/special moments (pfft) wall outside the ground? Harty HAS to be there.

There was one on Twitter a while back I seem to remember - although obviously not successful

 

[goldstone]

Good luck, Gary. One of my favourite Albion players. Striker, right wing, right back ... played in each of those positions with equal commitment and no small amount of skill and determination.

I wish we had more players in the current squad that offered the same 100% commitment every game.

 

[Worried Man Blues]

Scored some fantastic goals, great pro, 100% commitment, loyal, absolute legend.

 

[Oscar]

Good luck Cod Eyes.

 

[Mellotron]

Can't say people were quite so charitable towards the end of his career - "... hasn't scored for four years", "... old, slow", "... work rate alone shouldn't get him into the team" etc.

Nothing a bit of perspective couldn't cure though.

You're obviously forgetting the Great Escape season where for about 3 months he morphed into Zola. He was phenomenal with Owusu.

 

[The Large One]

You're obviously forgetting the Great Escape season where for about 3 months he morphed into Zola. He was phenomenal with Owusu.

I'm not forgetting anything.

My post wasn't a comment on his abilities; it was a reflection about some people being indifferent to him at the time.

 

[Mellotron]

I'm not forgetting anything.

My post wasn't a comment on his abilities; it was a reflection about some people being indifferent to him at the time.

I think pretty much everyone acknowledged how superb he was in those final few months.

 

[The Large One]

I think pretty much everyone acknowledged how superb he was in those final few months.

If you're talking about the Owusu/Hart-inspired 'Great Escape', I agree, he was in damn fine form.

However, he did have two more seasons (and a Cup Final) after that with us.

He 'set up' Brighton's last-ever goal at Withdean, dummying the ball to allow Matt Sparrow through to score. It was quite funny to cheer a goal, and then sing Harty's name when it was someone else who scored.

 

[the wanderbus]

my wife, kids and myself were at the Albion programme fair a few years back, whilst I was browsing she was having a drink and trying not to get bored. After a while she came over to me and said "I've just been talking to a really nice bloke who's hurt his leg playing football, silly sod" she then pointed him out , it was Gary Hart.

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

There was one on Twitter a while back I seem to remember - although obviously not successful

Pretty sure the club are revising who is currently there and maybe adding more this Summer.

If so, OGH really must be on there. Such a good guy to talk to and an Albion legend.

 

[hart's shirt]

Right, this is perhaps the last time I'll get to eulogise about the man whom I described on NSC as 'my wearer', so it would seem quite wrong to pass it up.

Having watched the Albion since '78 and seen a number of heroes along the way (Ward, Robinson, Foster, Case, Zamora et al), I can honestly say that no one player stirred my soul quite as much as OGH did.

I chose my username on NSC based on the fact that he put 100% commitment into every single performance. Numbering and size aside, it would have been easy to have worked out which shirt Gary Hart wore during each match. It would have been the one with more sweat on than any other shirt simply because he'd worked harder and run further than any other. That's what fans look for from a player. Win, lose or draw, it's knowing that he's left it all out on the pitch. It was a promise to the fans, an unwritten code of conduct or badge of honour that Harty delivered unfailingly week-in, week-out.

Some great games and goals along the way. The petrol crisis game midweek at Blackpool in 2000? On the stroke of halftime, he sealed the win having beaten 2 players on the way. While Zamora blew defences away, Hart would often provide the ammunition.

So much more than just a 'loyal servant' to the club, Gary Hart remains a real hero in the eyes of the Albion faithful. Despite playing in football's modern age, I always considered him a throwback to a time when the fans could connect and identify with players more easily than they can today.

Every club should have a Gary Hart type of player representing them at some point.

I'm incredibly grateful that I got the chance to see the original.

All heart. Gary Hart. Oh, Gary Hart...

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Right, this is perhaps the last time I'll get to eulogise about the man whom I described on NSC as 'my wearer', so it would seem quite wrong to pass it up.

*sniff*

Excellent post bud.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

You're obviously forgetting the Great Escape season where for about 3 months he morphed into Zola. He was phenomenal with Owusu.

The season before when he was left out and released, there were a lot of deprecating posts especially when Adams brought him back. I even read opinions which were akin to 'He should never have been allowed anywhere nearing the training field in pre-season'
Thank goodness he was back for the Great Escape under Slade.

 

[1234andcounting]

Strangely, and this is not in any way a criticism, I remember him for some very dubious sendings off (one at Gillingham and one at Withdean) as well as the goals.

Can't imagine there is much room for the OGHs of this world of seriously stupid money, state of the art academies, directors of football and so on and I think the game will be the poorer for it. Players who came in to the professional game in their 20s were much less likely to piss it away in any shape.

 

[DumLum]

Albion Legend.

Also the only Albion player I have personally seen myself standing amongst the Away Albion fans when not in the squad, it was at an evening game at Southend.

 

[Hans Kraay]

He has. Last month he told me he was 'moving back home in a couple of weeks.'

Total legend and fitting he scored the first competitive goal at the Amex, ironically against Eastbourne Borough.

Is that Harlow?

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Is that Harlow?

I really can't remember. Sorry. I am not close to Gary, although I knew him as he worked once or twice a week in the school I work at, so we were on friendly terms. He's a great loss for our kids as he is highly regarded and liked by both staff and children. When he started coaching at our school, I was genuinely excited as he was, like for so many others, a hero to me. Even with the glory years of the 70's and early 80's in mind, he is one of my all time favourite players. One Christmas, I sat in a Santa outfit, eating Christmas dinner, by him. I would never have imagined that strange scenario in a million years. Sometimes life can surprise.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

A footballer who hadn't been through Centres of Excellence or An Acadamy since the age of 7 or 8. A footballer who wasn't a pampered superstar, and a footballer who knew what it was like to have a 'real job' and get up at 5.30 in the morning.

Most skilfull, no. Most hardworking, yes. I don't think I ever saw him give less than 100%

Some great goals, assists and some rediculous bookings plus the odd sending off too!

Good Luck OGH, a true Albion great.

 

[Baldseagull]

He was a first class wind up merchant as well and won us numerous free kicks by encouraging the opposition to kick him.

 

[Blue3]

Gary you were a bright light during some very dark days thank you