Lion Hart

YOU know your club is struggling when Paul Hart is appointed as manager. But, it is fair to say that the 57-year-old is one of the most underrated coach in the game.

His success at Nottingham Forest as youth coach is clear to see, bringing through some of the finest talent England has to offer in the shape of Jermaine Jenas and Michael Dawson - who are both playing Champions League football with Tottenham Hotspur.

Hart was given the managerial position at the City Ground in 2001, taking over from David Platt who had left the club with spiraling debt and led Forest to the Division One Play-Off semi-finals, only to lose to Sheffield United.

Following spells at Barnsley and then Rushden and Diamonds, Hart was appointed Director of Youth Operations at Portsmouth in 2007, before taking over the reins at Fratton Park on February 9 2009 when Tony Adams was dismissed.

The following season, seven consecutive league defeats saw Pompey rooted to the foot of the Premier League and Hart's spell came to an end on November 24 with just two wins from 13, leaving the south coast club stranded and battling for relegation.

A one month stint at Queens Park Rangers was to follow before he took the managerial post at relegation stricken Crystal Palace on March 2 2010, after Neil Warnock took the Queens Park Rangers job.

With the Eagles in administration and League-Two looming, three draws from the last three games were enough to keep the south-London club up - including a dramatic last day of the season point at fellow strugglers Sheffield Wendesday, who were relegated following a 2-2 draw at Hillsborough.

Now, the former Stockport County, Blackpool, Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield Wednesday, Birmingham City and Notts County defender has taken charge at Npower League-One side Swindon Town, who are lurking precariously in the drop zone following the departure of Danny Wilson.

The club have been struggling since losing strikers Billy Paynter and Charlie Austin to Leeds and Burnley respectively.

Now, although Hart's managerial record is not one to be admired too much, we cannot deny his abilities as a coach to get the best out of young players. While a youth coach at Leeds, he produce much of the team that led the Whites to the Champions League semi-finals in 2001.

United were regarded as one of the finest teams in Europe at the time, and although players such as the prolific Mark Viduka, Rio Ferdinand and Olivier Dacourt were the spine of the team, players such as Ian Harte, Harry Kewell, Alan Smith, Paul Robinson and Stephen McPhail all had a major part to play in Leeds' bid for glory.

All of those players came through under Hart's watchful eye, so, although his managerial track record does not scream success, what he has achieved as a coach is something that deserves recognition.

He could be the man to save the Robins from relegation, but only time will tell.