Paul Hart has left his role as Luton Town’s Academy director, with the youth set-up’s head of coaching Paul Benson taking temporary charge while a replacement is found.
It is understood that the 69-year-old has retired after a distinguished 53-year career of playing, coaching and managing, in which he has been renowned for his work with the academies at Nottingham Forest, Leeds United, Portsmouth and Charlton.
Hart initially joined the club as former manager Nathan Jones’ assistant in May 2016 and returned in 2020 before switching in April 2022 to lead the club’s youth operations.
Jones said at the time, adding: “He has been amazing for the football club and the environment and the culture we try to attain, but what he excels in, what he’s really been groundbreaking in is youth development.
“The sides he created at Leeds United, at Nottingham Forest, and then at Charlton, where I had the pleasure of working with him, when he changed my football life, he changed my life in terms of seeing things in certain ways.
“Once I knew the club wanted to make a change then I approached Harty and then I went to the club and said ‘I would like this’ and they were in agreement and if I could persuade him, or we could persuade him as a club to take that role, then it would be a coup.
“We’ve managed to do that, and it’s a wonderful, wonderful coup. He’s experienced, he’s an innovative thinker in terms of what he does and he develops footballers, develops human beings. It’s as big a signing as this club have had for a long, long time.”
Also speaking back in April, Hatters chief executive Gary Sweet said of Hart’s academy role: “He has played and managed at the top level, and you only have to look at the careers that some of his former proteges have gone on to have to know that his experience and knowledge will only be beneficial to developing our stars of the future.”
Indeed, under Hart’s guidance Leeds won the FA Youth Cup in 1993 and 1997 with players such as Harry Kewell, Jonathan Woodgate, Ian Harte, Alan Smith, Gary Kelly and Paul Robinson, all of whom progressed to United’s first team which reached the Champions League semi-finals in 2001.
He then steered Forest’s academy to the Under-19 title in 1999/2000, a team which had the likes of Jermaine Jenas, Michael Dawson David Prutton and Andy Reid through the ranks.
And in his nine month spell as the head of Luton’s academy, Hart has this season overseen a successful Under-18s side led by former Luton midfielder Alan McCormack, which this week won the EFL Youth Alliance South-East Division and last night celebrated the title with a thumping 7-0 win over Southend United. They have also progressed to the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup where they’ll face Preston North End at Kenilworth Road on February 6.
Announcing Hart’s departure as Luton’s Academy director, a statement from the club today said: ‘After six years across two spells with both the First Team and the Academy, having respectfully served a period of notice, we can confirm that Paul Hart has left his role as Academy Director at Luton Town.
‘Paul brought with him a wealth of knowledge and experience to Luton Town, and he has been a key figure in the growth of the Club and Academy since he first joined as Nathan Jones’ assistant in 2016, and then returned in June 2020 after spells at Notts County and Stoke City.
‘Paul Benson will be taking charge of the Academy on an interim basis while a new Academy Director is recruited.
‘Everyone at Kenilworth Road would like to thank Paul for his hard work, effort and dedication to Luton Town Football Club, and wish him and his family the very best for the future.’
