Rob Edwards has hailed the impact that recently retired academy director Paul Hart has made on Luton Town’s youngsters as the Under-18s prepare for tonight’s FA Youth Cup fifth-round clash at home to Preston North End.
The 69-year-old last week left the Hatters, having switched from first-team duties in April to head up the youth ranks, a role Hart became synonymous with during a 53-year career of playing, coaching and managing.
And the FA Youth Cup was a competition Leeds won twice under him in the 90s, featuring players with players such as Harry Kewell, Jonathan Woodgate, Ian Harte, Alan Smith, Gary Kelly and Paul Robinson that went on to fire United’s first-team to the Champions League semi-finals in 2001.
Town aren’t quite at that level yet, but they’ve been making strides and before Hart’s departure was confirmed, the U18s clinched the EFL Youth Alliance South-East Division title last week as a fitting final achievement for one of the finest developers of youth talent in the country.
First-team boss Edwards, who will also lead his men out in FA Cup fourth-round replay action at Grimsby tomorrow night, said of Hart: “He obviously had a big impact in the time that he worked here. From me and everyone at the club, it’s obviously a big, big thank you for the hard work that he put in.
“It was only very brief that we worked together, but he was very supportive. He had a wealth of experience, not just in first-team football, but development football as well.
“He’s helped bring through some real top players over the years. I think we’ve all learned a lot from him and will carry on the good work that he’s put in place.”
Tonight, the U18s host Preston at Kenilworth Road, having despatched Birmingham and QPR in previous rounds, while gearing up for the clash by marking their newly-won league crown with a 7-0 thumping of Southend United last week.
On their run in the FA Youth Cup, Edwards said: “They’ve done great and it was brilliant to see everyone, a big crowd there in the last game and hopefully they get a big one tonight.
“We wish them well. They’ve been absolutely terrific. I’ve loved watched them play. It brings a smile to my face every time I watch them play.
“They’re effort and their quality has been really good. If anyone can get down and support them and get behind them, they’ll enjoy a really good game because there’s some really good players on show.”
Though Hart had not been in charge of the academy for a year before his retirement, the success of the U18s this season, under the leadership of former Town midfielder Alan McCormack, highlights some of the building blocks he’s put in place to help improve the club’s youth ranks.
Edwards said: “From the stuff that I’ve seen, just tactically on the pitch and some of the standards and behaviours around the club, the respect that the lads show – we’ve got a lot of good lads anyway and they would’ve been doing that before he came in – but there’s very high standards in the academy at the moment. It’s very well run.
“He definitely had an impact and some of the things he put in place we’ll continue to do because why would you not learn from someone with his knowledge and experience?
“I just want to reiterate it, thank you very much for all the work he did. I know it was a short period of time but it made a real impact.”
Head of academy coaching, Paul Benson, has been placed in interim charge of the youth set-up, until a permanent successor can be found for Hart.
Asked if he’ll be involved in the team picking his replacement, Edwards said: “It’s something that I could be involved in. It’s not something I’ll have final say on at all, I don’t think it should be, but I want to work closely with that person. It would be nice to be involved in that process.”
The FA Youth Cup match will, which kicks off at 7pm, will be streamed live on iFollow Hatters.
