Shrewsbury Town v West Ham: David Timmins saw potential in Joe Hart
David Timmins had to act fast. Talented youngster Joe Hart was being attracted to the life of a Worcestershire cricketer, other football clubs were sniffing – Shrewsbury could lose their own home-grown prospect.
The Gay Meadow goalkeeper coach had Hart under his wing from the age of eight or nine. At that time the prodigy was still attending Oxon Primary School in Bicton Heath.
Tomorrow, Hart is set for his first competitive return to Shrewsbury, with West Ham in the FA Cup.
Timmins, the man that England international Hart has praised for nurturing and kick-starting his stunning career, realised the talent of Hart when the shot-stopper turned 14. It was then that he acted.
“When he was 14 and there were a few clubs sniffing around him, we had to break a few rules to keep him,” admitted Timmins, now goalkeeper coach at Blackpool, with whom he will visit Montgomery Waters Meadow on Wednesday for a Checkatrade Trophy knockout tie.
“We didn’t really sign him properly until he was 14 or 15 but he kept training with us (the first team).
“I remember asking (then manager) Kevin Ratcliffe, I know it was against Plymouth, I said ‘Kevin, we’ve got this young keeper, I think a lot of him and the other staff do. We’re quite worried we might lose him – can he go and warm up with the other keepers?’
“It was Ian Dunbavin and Paul Edwards or Mart Cartwright, and he warmed up with them. He was brilliant.
“He went in front of the crowd and you could see he fancied a bit of this. He warmed them up as if he was playing.
“You could see he loved it. It got him a taste for it.
“He soon signed after that! I’d like to know if he remembers that.” And Shrewsbury fans watched the fledgling prospect appear for his boyhood club on 58 occasions before Manchester City swooped with a £600,000 offer that eventually rose to £1.5million.
Hart made his debut in the Conference season of 2003/2004, playing twice, his debut coming at Gay Meadow against Gravesend & Northfleet, in front of 2,869 fans.
Then came the real breakthrough, at the back end of the following League Two season, Hart played the final six games (most as a 18-year-old), conceding just four goals for Gary Peters’ side.
Timmins, 47, remembers the league debut well. A 3-0 home win against Oxford. The goalkeeping coach, who took charge of youth affairs right the way through to the first team, savoured the occasion by handing Hart – his prodigy of almost a decade – a momento.
“I remember when Joe made his (Football League) debut against Oxford, getting a case done for him,” added the coach, who spent between 1996-2006 with Town, as well as 2008-2009.
“It was like a silver business card. Not silver like it cost a lot of money! I have no idea if he’s still got it, I’ve never asked.
“I put something like ‘all the best’. I remember buying it in Shrewsbury, getting it engraved in Shrewsbury. I had to do it quickly, we trained in the morning, I’d get it done then shoot to Wolves to train, get back up for the Oxford home game on Saturday.
“I made nothing of it. Just gave it to him before we went out to warm up.”
Perhaps Timmins can catch up with Hart tomorrow. He is on BBC television duty, no doubt telling similar tales – as well as taking notes for Blackpool boss Gary Bowyer ahead of the upcoming Trophy clash.
Timmins, who worked under Fred Davies, Jake King, Chic Bates, Ratcliffe, Mark Atkins, Jimmy Quinn, Peters and Paul Simpson with Town, explained the pride Hart has brought to the town and county.
He said: “For what he’s done, being part of the team to win the Premier League twice, the FA Cup, League Cup (twice) and playing Champions League football as well as for his country, it’s amazing.
“He’s made the town and club very proud. “I guess his family still live up the road from the ground. It’ll be great if he’s picked.
“It’s his families’ town. A lovely town.”
