John Hartson

John Hartson (born 5 April 1975) is a Welsh former professional footballer, coach and sports television pundit for S4C, Sky Sports, Premier Sports TV and BT Sport.

As a player he was a striker, notably for Scottish club Celtic where his time with the Hoops saw three Scottish Premier League titles.

Hartson also played in the Premier League with Arsenal, West Ham United, Wimbledon, Coventry City and West Bromwich Albion, and in the Football League for Luton Town and Norwich City.

Hartson earned 51 international caps for Wales, scoring 14 goals.

He later held the position of head coach for Wales's strikers.

John Hartson was born on 5 April 1975 in Swansea, the third of four children to Cyril and Diana Hartson.

Cyril had played football for local team Afan Lido.

Hartson grew up in Talycoppa, Swansea, alongside his elder brother James, elder sister Hayley and younger sister Victoria.

As a youngster Hartson represented Lonlas Boys' Club in Skewen, playing his first match aged six.

He joined Luton Town's Youth Training Scheme at the age of sixteen but was suspended four months later for stealing a bank card from the son of a couple with whom he was lodging.

He used the card to withdraw £50 in order to fund his gambling addiction.

Hartson was suspended and sent home to Swansea but was reinstated by Luton shortly afterwards and allowed to resume his apprenticeship.

Hartson turned professional in 1992 and made his Luton Town first team debut as a substitute in a 1–0 League Cup defeat to Cambridge United on 24 August 1993.

In January 1995, at 19, he joined Arsenal for £2.5 million, a British record fee for a teenage player at the time.

Along with Chris Kiwomya, Hartson was one of George Graham's last signings before the manager's sacking in February 1995.

He made his Arsenal debut on 14 January 1995, a 1–1 home draw with Everton, and scored his first goal for the club the following week, the only goal in a 1–0 away win at Coventry City.

He was a regular for the remainder of his first season, a highlight of which was scoring Arsenal's 75th-minute equaliser in the 1995 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final against Real Zaragoza; however a last-minute goal from 40 yards by Nayim over David Seaman meant Arsenal lost the game 2–1.

He was strike-partner to Ian Wright, being favoured ahead of Kevin Campbell to fill the gap left by the injured Alan Smith, who retired at the end of the season.

Following the signing of Dennis Bergkamp, who was preferred up front to partner Wright, Hartson went on to feature under Graham's successors Bruce Rioch and Arsène Wenger.

With Wenger wanting him to stay at the

In his first season, he scored five league goals from eleven games and was instrumental in helping West Ham rise from 18th when he joined to a final league position for 1996–97 season of 14th.

The next season saw Hartson finish, with 24 goals in 42 games in all competitions, as West Ham's top scorer.

Hartson's goal tally was in all a considerable margin ahead of the next highest scorer, Eyal Berkovic with nine goals.

He was also the second highest scorer, behind Andy Cole in the Premier League in that season.

club, Hartson though in February 1997 linked up with West Ham United in a £3.2 million deal.

At the time, he was the most expensive player to be signed by West Ham.

The deal was initially reported to be worth £5 million.

In total, Hartson played 53 times for Arsenal, scoring 14 goals.

Hartson made his debut for West Ham on 15 February 1997 alongside another new signing, Paul Kitson.

West Ham lost 1–0 to Derby County and Hartson was booked.

His first West Ham goal came in his next following game on 24 February 1997, a 4–3 home win over Tottenham Hotspur.

In the 1998 close season, Manchester United chairman Martin Edwards and assistant manager Brian Kidd expressed their desire for Hartson to sign for Manchester United to manager Alex Ferguson.

However, Ferguson decided against making a bid for Hartson.

In a training ground incident in September 1998, Hartson kicked West Ham teammate Eyal Berkovic in the face, after the Israeli midfielder had punched Hartson in the leg as he attempted to help Berkovic to his feet.

The incident was captured on camera.

Hartson was fined and admitted in his biography that it was an error of judgement.

Berkovic said of the incident "If my head had been a ball, it would have been in the top corner of the net".

His form suffered and he managed only four goals from twenty games in season 1998–99.

His final game on 13 January 1999, saw West Ham lose 1–0 in an FA Cup tie against his hometown club, Swansea City.

Hartson played 73 times and scored 33 goals for the east London club.