Hart: Ernest Arthur (Ernie)

1920-1936 (Player Details)

Centre Half

Born: Overseal, Nr Burton-upon-Trent: 03-01-1902

Debut: v Stockport County (h): 19-02-1921

5’11” 13st (1933)

#76 in 100 Greatest LUFC Players Ever

Ernie Hart went to Overseal School, played for Overseal Juniors and was signed by Leeds from Doncaster minor club, Woodlands Wesleyans, in 1920, when United were formed. His storming displays in the Reserve team soon saw him promoted to the first team, making his debut at only nineteen years of age. The burly ex-Miner proved to be a tower of strength in the United’s defence. Over the next sixteen seasons he was a first team regular at Elland Road and was widely recognised as one of the best centre-halves in the game. A defender with a penchant for attack, he won a Second Division Championship medal in 1923-24, captained Leeds, played for England eight times represented the Football League twice and toured South Africa with the FA in 1929. He was known as a hard but fair performer. He fell foul of a referee’s wrath only once, but it could have cost him England honours. He was sent off by Bradford referee J.E. Mellor in the 1933 West Riding Cup Final against Huddersfield Town. Hart was banned for a month for swearing at the referee, his only misdemeanour in all his years at Elland Road and, apart from losing £32 in wages, he was axed by the FA from the England tour of Italy and Switzerland. It was tough punishment which a player of Hart’s calibre hardly deserved. Hart earned his eight England caps between 1928 and 1934, including a memorable appearance in the England team that beat Austria 4-3 in 1932. The early 1930’s Austrian team were regarded as Continental Europe's strongest side, and had gone fourteen matches unbeaten when they met England. He left Leeds for Mansfield Town in August 1936, where he played twenty-eight games, and in July 1938 he was appointed manager at Tunbridge Wells. He also scouted for Coventry. On retirement, Hart went into business as a haulage contractor and bus service operator. He bought a bus and began a coach business based in Doncaster as E.A.Hart, which traded as the Beehive Bus Company, this prospered and later was purchased by Wilfreda Coaches soon after they moved to the new headquarters at Adwick-le-Street, near Doncaster. The joint company still trades as Wilfreda Beehive, a luxury coach company still operating from Doncaster and now nationally known. He was a scout for Leeds until his death on 21st July 1954, aged fifty-two.