Ian Harte

Levante, in their first season in La Liga since 1965, were up to 5th position at one point (when Harte was healthy), but they still suffered relegation on the final day of the season due to a loss to Villarreal.

The following season in the Segunda División was successful for both Harte and Levante as he was consistently first-choice left back, he scored nine goals in all competitions, and Levante were promoted back to La Liga at their first attempt.

However, in the following season in La Liga, Harte was injured in August and failed to regain his place in the team once he returned from injury in January.

Ian Patrick Harte (born 31 August 1977) is an Irish football agent and former professional footballer who played as a left back.

He was best known for his ability to score goals from long range, including being a free kick specialist.

He began his career at Leeds United making 288 official appearances across nine seasons.

Harte joined Leeds United from Home Farm in 1995.

He played for Leeds for nine seasons and was an integral part of their team and cult hero alongside his uncle Gary Kelly.

When Leeds bought Dominic Matteo it looked as though Harte might become second choice.

Matteo though ended up playing at centre half and Harte kept his place on the left.

Harte earned 64 international caps for the Republic of Ireland between 1996 and 2007, scoring 12 goals.

In the 1999–2000 season he helped Leeds reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup, playing twelve games, scoring one goal.

He then helped them reach the same stage of the UEFA Champions League in the 2000–01 season, playing 17 games and scoring three goals in the competition.

Harte scored at Highbury for three seasons in a row – 2000–01, 2001–02 and 2002–03.

Arguably, Harte's most memorable moment at Leeds was scoring a free kick against Deportivo La Coruña in the Champions League quarter final first leg at Elland Road.

Harte's later career at Leeds was not so successful, as his lack of pace was exposed and his goals started to dry up.

He did score a penalty against Portsmouth in his last season at the club, but Leeds went on to lose that game and were relegated to the Championship.

He was included in their squad at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Harte was born in Drogheda, where he attended St Oliver's Community College, winning many sports titles (at both GAA and football) at all levels.

He started out at St. Kevin's Boys F.C. in Whitehall in Dublin at U-12 where his elder brother Michael had played for three years already in the DDSL (Dublin and District Schoolboys League).

Michael went on to play for Drogheda United in the League of Ireland.

Harte is also a proficient left-footed free kick and penalty taker, which was demonstrated in the vital league game against Arsenal in the 2002–03 season, where he scored Leeds' second goal from a 25-yard free kick.

Leeds went on to win that game 3–2 to avoid relegation from the Premiership.

Following their relegation and financial difficulties in 2004 he joined La Liga team Levante.

Despite rumours, earlier in his career, that clubs including Barcelona and Milan were offering as much as £11 million for his services, in the end it was newly promoted Spanish La Liga club Levante who signed him on 9 July 2004, following the financial crisis at Leeds.

Harte scored Levante's first La Liga goal in 41 years in a 1–1 draw with Real Sociedad, with a free-kick on the first day of the 2004-05 season.

He suffered a groin injury in January which sidelined him for most of the remainder of the season.

He returned to England in 2007, featuring at a variety of clubs and winning the Championship title at Reading in 2012 and AFC Bournemouth three years later.

Before the start of the 2007–08 La Liga season, Levante coach Abel Resino told Harte that he was not in his plans, and Harte and the club agreed to terminate the remaining 12 months of his contract.

On 29 August 2007, after a trial period, it was announced that Harte had joined former international team-mate Roy Keane at Sunderland.

He was initially signed on a one-year contract.

However, he was subsequently transfer listed in January 2008 by Keane.

Harte made his Sunderland debut as a late substitute in the club's 3–2 defeat away at Arsenal.

On 4 June 2008, along with seven other players, he was released by Sunderland after only one year at the club.

During summer 2008 Harte spent time on trial at Wolverhampton Wanderers but rejected their eventual offer of a month-to-month contract and he was without a club for the start of the 2008–09 season.

In September 2008 he trained with Sheffield United at the club's Shirecliffe training ground complex.

He then played for the Blades reserve team in a 3–0 win against Newcastle United reserves.

On 22 October 2008, it was announced that Harte was on a one-week trial with Norwegian Premier League club Vålerenga hoping to impress manager Martin Andresen.

He also spent time on trial at Charlton Athletic.

This time though Levante finished in 15th place and were safe from relegation.