In a move that blended nostalgia with necessity, Shrewsbury Town’s 2-1 League Two victory over Salford City on Tuesday was overseen from the technical area by a familiar face: their former goalkeeper and local hero, Joe Hart. The retired England international served a one-night-only stint as the club’s goalkeeper coach, stepping into a temporary vacancy at his boyhood side.
The club’s official social media account confirmed the surprise arrangement, posting a picture and clip of the 38-year-old on the pitch at Salford’s Peninsula Stadium with the caption: ‘Salop and Man City legend, Joe Hart, is our goalkeeper coach for tonight’s game.’ Footage showed Hart putting first-choice goalkeeper Matt Cox and reserve Will Brook through their paces in the warm-up.
Hart’s impromptu return was born out of a practical need within the Shrewsbury setup. The club has been without a permanent goalkeeper coach since the departure of Brian Jensen on February 5th. Jensen had held the role for over six and a half years, having originally joined the coaching staff in the summer of 2019 under then-manager Sam Ricketts.
The circumstances allowed Hart, who retired from playing two years ago, to lend his expertise. Speaking to club media after the come-from-behind win, secured by a decisive goal from Will Boyle, Hart reflected on the experience. ‘It was a lot of fun, really nice to help out,’ he said. ‘I’m obviously very close with the coaching staff so I said if I could help I would and tonight worked out perfect.’ He added that while he wanted to use his accumulated knowledge, he respected the long-term project. ‘It has been a bit surreal but my life has been surreal. I’m just honoured and delighted I could come and do it.’
The managerial team, recently installed under head coach Gavin Cowan, had initiated the contact. Cowan, appointed on January 29th following the dismissal of Michael Appleton, explained the situation to the Shropshire Star. ‘It’s nothing more simple than a mate trying to help mates out,’ he said. ‘We were picking Joe’s brains on goalkeeper situations and it’s just a mate wanting to help mates.’ Cowan, who works with joint assistant head coaches Dave Edwards and Jamie Haynes, praised Hart’s humility despite a glittering career.
That career began with 54 appearances for Shrewsbury between 2003 and 2006, before a storied spell at Manchester City where he won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, two EFL Cups, and four Premier League Golden Glove awards. He later added three Scottish Premiership titles and two Scottish Cups with Celtic before retiring in 2024. At international level, Hart earned 75 caps for England, featuring in two European Championships and a World Cup.
Since hanging up his gloves, Hart has become a regular pundit for the BBC, appearing on Match of the Day and providing tournament analysis. He has, however, consistently expressed a lack of interest in pursuing a formal coaching career. In a past column for BBC Sport, he wrote that he had deliberately not taken any coaching badges, as coaching was ‘not something that has ever been ingrained in me.’ He clarified, though, that he retains a deep passion for the art of goalkeeping and a desire to share his knowledge when possible.
His predecessor in the Shrewsbury coaching role, Brian Jensen, brought his own extensive background to the post. Prior to coaching, Jensen enjoyed a playing career of over 400 league appearances, notably with Burnley and West Bromwich Albion, and had held coaching positions at Bury, Mansfield Town, and Crawley Town before his long stint at Shrewsbury.
Hart’s temporary assistance coincided with a positive run of form for the team. The victory over Salford City, which condemned the hosts to a fifth consecutive defeat in all competitions, was Shrewsbury’s fifth win in a row. This streak has lifted the club to 17th place in the League Two table, providing a boost under the new coaching regime.
