John Hartson Biography

John Hartson nationality

is Welsh. He was a product of Luton Town and first started his professional career back in 1992. He worked hard and managed to make a solid reputation for himself as a talented footballer. His style on the field was one of a kind and back in his playing days on the pitch he was a tough opponent to go up against.

He played in the Premier League at clubs like Arsenal, West Ham United, Coventry City, and the Scottish club Celtic. On the international level, the former footballer earned 51 caps while aiming the net for 14 goals. Following Hartson retirement, he decided to pursue his career as a football pundit for S4C, Sky Sports, Premier Sports TV, and BT Sport and also formed a managerial career.

 Details About John Hartson Biography You Probably Didn’t Know 

Back in 2009, John Hartson was diagnosed with testicular cancer which spread to his lungs and brains. He was between life and death, fighting to live. He wrote his story and how he overcomes cancer in a book named Please Don’t Go. This remarkable book is about the five-week period in which John’s life was at stake. Find out all the details about John Hartson biography in the following.

John Hartson Information

Before we get into the details of

John Hartson childhood

and early life we will fill you in with the details of his bio and other information. 

John Hartson Bio

• Full name: John Hartson

• Nickname: Big Bad John (BBJ)

Personal information

• John Hartson date of birth: 5 April 1975 (age 46)

• Zodiac sign: Aries

• Place of birth: Swansea, Wales

• John Hartson religion: Christian

• Father’s name: Cyril Hartson

• Mother’s name: Diana Hartson

• John Hartson nationality: Welsh

• Marital status: married

• Wife’s name: Lowri Hartson (m. 2000–2005), Sarah McManus

• Date of marriage: since 2009

• Children: Joni Hartson, Stephanie Hartson, Paige Faith Hartson, Lena Hartson, Rebecca Hartson

Body measurements

• Height: 1.71 m

• Eye color: Brown-Dark

• Hari color: Blonde

• Football Information

• Position: Striker 

• Debut in profession: Luton Town (1992)                                                            

• Clubs served: Luton Town, Arsenal, West Ham United, Wimbledon, Coventry City, Celtic, West Bromwich Albion, Norwich City

John Hartson Early Life

The former footballer was born on 5 April 1975 in Swansea to Cyril and Diana Hartson. According to

John Hartson date of birth

, his zodiac sign is Aries. He grew up in a big family and was the third child of four kids. He spent his childhood along with elder brother James, elder sister Hayley, and younger sister Victoria. His father Cyril played for the local team Afan Lido back in the days. At the age of six, he joined the Lonlas Boys' Club in Skewen and featured in his first game. As a child, Hartson was very passionate about football and dreamed of one day becoming a professional footballer.

But this wasn’t just a passing fantasy as young Hartson was determined to make a name for himself in the football industry. Later he went on and joined Luton Town's Youth Training Scheme, however, while he was sixteen he was suspended for four months. Hartson was accused of stealing a credit card from the son of a couple with whom he was lodging. At the time Hartson had a gambling issue, and he used the card for it. He was suspended and was sent away to Swansea. After a while, Luton reinstated him and allowed that he pursue his career at the club.

John Hartson Profile

Over the years the footballer came a long way and made a name for himself as a skilled footballer. Based on

John Hartson bio

he played as a striker. We have gathered all the details about his career both in clubs and on the international level. Join us in this journey and find how the footballer set foot on the road to fame in the following.

Early Career 

In 1992, the footballer made a name for himself as a professional player at Luton Town. He debuted for the club as a substitute in a 1-0 League Cup loss to Cambridge United on 24 August 1993. In January 1995, Hartson reached an agreement with Arsenal and signed a contract for £2.5 million. He broke a British record fee for a teenage footballer at the time. Hartson and Chris Kiwomya were George Graham's last signings before he got sacked from the manager’s position in February 1995. Hartson debuted for the gunners back on 14 January 1995 in a 1-1 home draw with Everton.

After a week he aimed the net for his first goal in a 1-0 victory at Coventry City. During the 1995 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final against Real Zaragoza he managed to score Arsenal's 75th-minute equalizer but as Nayim took control of the situation and scored a goal, Arsenal lost 2-1. As Dennis Bergkamp signed a contract with Arsenal he was positioned in the upfront to associate with Ian Wright. As a result, Hartson played under the supervision of Graham’s successors Bruce Rioch and Arsene Wenger. Stay tuned for more details about

John Hartson biography

.

West Ham United Top Goal Scorer 

There were speculations that Hartson was going to join

. It turned out to be true as he reached an agreement for the estimated amount of £5 million. At the time this was the highest fee for West Ham United. Hartson made his debut for the side on 15 February 1997 in a 1-0 loss to Derby County. He scored his first goal for the side while aiming the net in a 4-3 victory against Tottenham Hotspur.

Hartson's performance was great and he played a vital role for the team and helped West Ham rise from 18th place when he joined to a final league position for the 1996–97 season of 14th. Hartson made a name for himself as the team’s top goal scorer with 24 goals in all competitions. His goal tally drew football pundits’ attention and he was ahead of the next highest scorer, Eyal Berkovic with nine goals. Hartson also was the second-highest goal scorer behind

in the Premier League in that season.

Hartson Was Fined for Kicking Berkovic in The Face

Back in 1998, Man United Chairman Martin Edwards along with assistant manager Brian Kidd showed interest in signing a contract with the player. But Alex Ferguson didn’t make any move to sign a contract with him. In September 1998, Hartson kicked his teammate Eyal Berkovic in the face, during a training ground incident after the Israeli midfielder punched him in the leg as he attempted to help Berkovic to his feet.

Hartson was fined and later he declared that it was an error of judgment. Berkovic stated about the incident "If my head had been a ball, it would have been in the top corner of the net". Hartson performance didn’t have the same quality as he scored only four goals in twenty matches. In January 1999, he played his last game for the side which was a 1-0 loss in the FA Cup tie against his hometown club, Swansea City. Find out more details about

John Hartson biography

in the following.

Hartson Spells at Wimbledon and Coventry City 

In January 1999, Hartson joined Wimbledon and became the most expensive signing of the club for £7.5 million. At the time Hartson was suffering from an injury however he managed to score enough goals for the side in the

and later in the first division as Wimbledon faced relegation. Hartson was gaining weight and his fitness became an issue.

Wimbledon wanted to transfer him and in February 2001, he joined

on a pay-for-play deal. He debuted for the side on 12 February 2001 in a game over his former club West Ham United. Hartson showed a good performance as he scored six goals in total twelve league matches including two goals in a loss to Man United. But eventually the side faced relegation by the end of the season. Learn more details about John Hartson biography in the following.

Celtic

In August 2001 the footballer made a move to Celtic for £6 million. He debuted for the side in a League game over

. Hartson managed to score a hat trick in a 5-1 thrashing of Dundee United on 20 October 2001. The footballer made a great performance and helped the side to win the Scottish Premier League title. In December 2002, Hartson aimed the net for a goal in a 2-1 victory which was the away leg of their third round UEFA Cup tie against Celta Vigo.

Celtic qualified for the away goals rule. Since 1980 this was the first time the side made it to the European competition. In March 2003, they came across Liverpool during the UEFA Cup in the quarter-final stage which was a 1-1 draw. In the next game at Anfield, he scored a perfect goal from 25 yards as Celtic won 2-0 reaching the semifinals. Hartson made a lot of contributions and played a vital role in getting

to make it through the competition. However, they were ruled out of the tournament as José Mourinho's FC Porto defeated them 3-2.

Hartson 100th Goal for Celtic 

Back in March 2004, Hartson sustained an injury in his back and couldn’t feature in the games for the rest of the season. He came back on the pitch during the 2006 World Cup. Celtic managed to win the 2003–04 Scottish Cup and the 2003-04 title while he was gone. On 6 November 2005, Hartson aimed the net for his 100th goal for Celtic over Falkirk. For the 2006 Scottish League Cup Final, he was suspended and couldn’t feature in Celtic’s victory. On 5 April 2006, he scored the only goal over Hearts and secured his team’s title. Hartson also made a lot of controversies and was sent away on many occasions.

During the Old Firm derby, he made a violent move against Celtic teammate Johan Mjallby and Rangers player Fernando Ricksen. Hartson deeply bonded with the club and its fans. He has a tattoo of a large Celtic crest on his arm with the words 'You'll Never Walk Alone' in honor of the song which Celtic supporters sing prior to every big game. After the picture of his tattoo appeared on the internet, Hartson tweeted: “Yes my Celtic tattoo is real I had it done soon as I came out of hospital after the support I was given by the whole Celtic family.”

West Bromwich Albion

On 26 June 2006, Hartson reached an agreement with

and signed a two-year contract with the side. During his debut he grabbed a brace in a 2-0 win over Hull City on 5 August 2006. On 31 August 2007, The Times reported that he had moved to League One club Nottingham Forest on a loan. However later it was revealed that the footballer rejected Forest’s offer and was planning on moving to Swansea City on a loan. But Swansea denied any movement on their website.

In October 2007, Hartson joined Norwich City on a month's loan. On the other hand, newly appointed manager Glenn Roeder decided to let him after only a month. Hartson later rejected an offer from Chester City on loan. In January 2008, Hartson was officially released by West Bromwich Albion, six months before the end of his contract. On 7 February 2008, Hartson hung his boots and declared that he was retiring. He also commented that the major reason behind this decision was his struggle with weight and fitness. Stay tuned for more details about John Hartson biography.

International Career 

Overall Hartson won 51 first-team caps for Wales national team and scored 14 goals for the side. In February 2006, Hartson retired from international duty so he could concentrate on his career at Celtic. However, he later made it official that he would come out of retirement in case he was needed.

Style of Play

The Celtic legend was a tough opponent on the field. His strong form and great goal scoring abilities were one of a kind. Aside from scoring goals himself he also provided chances for his teammates to aim the net. In an interview Hartson recalled: “Eyal is a terrific fella and he made a lot of my goals at West Ham. I get asked about it all the time, even though it happened 12 years ago. But when you do something that thuggish you rightly get a reputation.” Find out more details about

John Hartson biography

in the following.

Reception 

John Hartson became England most expensive teenage footballer in England when the Gunners signed him for £2.5 million from

. Hartson made an impact while he was at Celtic and he was a key role player. In April 2005, he shared the Scottish PFA Players' Player of the Year award with Fernando Ricksen and later in May he was voted for the Scottish Football Writers' Association Player of the Year. On international level he broke a record as he is named the 11th highest scorer of all time for the Welsh. He also is one of only four players who scored a hat trick on the international level along with Craig Davies, Lee Jones, and Ched Evans.

Goal Celebration 

When it comes to celebrating goals, John Hartson runs in joy and holds a finger wag in the air as a sign of victory.

John Hartson Outside Football

In July 2009 the former footballer was diagnosed with testicular cancer which spread to his brain and lungs. He was between life and death but everything turned out well as his treatment was successful and he got recovered. Find out more details about

John Hartson life story

in the following.

John Hartson Personal Life 

They say behind every successful man there is a woman. The same goes for the football legend as well. In 2009 he got married for the second time to the stunning Sarah McManus. The couple support each other in every up and down. Sarah often was in the front row whenever Hartson had a game. Hartson stated about their marriage: “It was just us with my cousin and his new wife.”

He added: “We got married on the same day and we wanted to keep it secret but, in the story of my life, the Sunday Mirror got wind of it. It's not how you want your family to find out. But we had our reasons. The plan is to have a big bash and renew our vows again in July. But because of the baby and all these operations I'm facing we wanted to get married now. Someone got a few quid for stitching us up.”

Hartson 20 Years of Addiction to Gambling 

Hartson also revealed his 20 years of addiction to gambling. He stated: “I hit rock bottom seven years ago. I let my gambling get out of control and it really, really got a grip of me. I’d just come out of hospital a few years earlier and was gambling heavily. Then Sarah packed her bags. She said she thought the world of me and loved me but couldn’t hang around anymore and watch me go through what I was going through.

Sarah said she was going up to her parents because she could no longer live like this. That was maybe the 20th warning I got. But the moment when I saw her bags were packed and her flights were booked, that was my rock bottom. I’ve heard it said since that a lot of people need to hit rock bottom to come out of it.” Stay tuned for more details about John Hartson biography.

Family Children and Relationships 

Hartson along with his wife Sarah is blessed with five children, Joni, Stephanie, Paige, Lena, and Rebecca. Hartson stated: “I come from a wonderful family. My parents have been married for 30 years. I have a brother in the police force, a sister who is a hairdresser, and another who is a solicitor's secretary. I've now got a fantastic wife with three children of my own – and a fourth due in early March. I've got a big heart.”

Philanthropy

John Hartson religion

is Christian. The footballer founded the John Hartson Foundation to increase awareness of the illness and provide financial resources to support the people who are struggling with cancer. Upon the subject, he stated: “It’s not so much about raising money, it’s about the message. It’s about awareness. It’s going early, when you feel a lump, or when you’ve got any things that you are not sure of, you've got to go and get checked.”

Legal Issues

Back in his days on the field Hartson was controversial footballer and was banned numerous times.

John Hartson Career Statistics 

John Hartson earned a lot of experience at different clubs. He made a solid reputation for himself as a talented goal scorer. We have gathered all the information regarding his career statistics such as the number of appearances and the goals he has scored both at different clubs and on the international level. Stay tuned and find out all the details in the following.

Club 

In 1992 the footballer went on and signed a contract with Luton Town however he didn’t make any appearances. Then he signed a contract with the Premier League Club Arsenal. He remained at the club for three seasons and overall, he made 71 appearances while aiming the net for 17 goals. For the 1996-97 season Hartson reached an agreement with West Ham United. He remained at the club for three seasons and overall featured in 73 games while aiming the net for 33 goals. For the 1998-99 season Hartson joined Wimbledon for three seasons while making 57 appearances and scoring 21 goals for the side.

Then he went on and got on board with Coventry City for only one season while featuring in 16 games and scoring six goals. For the 2001-02 season, he joined Celtic and made an impact at the club as a top goal scorer. Hartson stayed at the Scottish Premier League for five seasons. Overall he made 201 appearances and scored 109 goals. In 2006 he had a season-long spell at West Bromwich Albion while making 24 appearances and scoring six goals. His last stop was at

which was another season-long spell. Hartson made only four appearances for the side.

International

On international level the footballer made 51 appearances while scoring 14 goals.

Managerial 

Following Hartson retirement he had the opportunity to feature as Gordon Wylde manager, however he rejected the offer and declared: “The timing is just not right for me at the moment.” Later he decided to pursue his career as football pundit for S4C, Sky Sports, Premier Sports TV, and BT Sport and also formed a managerial career.

John Hartson Honors

Over the years Hartson has earned a great reputation as a top goals scorer and Celtic hero. He brought honor both on club and international level. Find out all the details in the following.

Arsenal

UEFA Cup Winners' Cup runner-up: 1994–95

Celtic

Scottish Premier League: 2001–02, 2003–04, 2005–06

Individual

• Scottish Premier League: 2001–02, 2003–04, 2005–06

• Scottish Cup: 2003–04, 2004–05

• Scottish League Cup: 2005–06

PFA Scotland Players' Player of the Year: 2005

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