How ‘normal kid’ Joe was moulded into Salop legend

The keeper will retire after his Celtic side take on Rangers in the Scottish Cup final this afternoon giving Hart one more chance to add to the 11 trophies he has previously won during his 20-year playing career – which also included 75 caps for England.

That journey started at Shrewsbury Town in April 2004 and Jamie Tolley, a player at Salop at the time, who went on to live with Hart for five years when he moved to Manchester City, said he had ‘presence and a confidence’.

“He was just the most normal kid in the world to be honest,” Tolley said. “When he first broke into the team and started training with us, we knew his background and that he was very good at cricket.

“We knew he had a cricket route that he could have gone down, but he favoured football, and everyone is glad that he did.

“He was a level-headed young boy that came in with us lads and I think pretty early on we all said he is going to have some sort of career.

“He just had this presence and confidence in everything he was doing, he wasn’t arrogant, he was just confident with what he could do.

“At such a young age it stands out massively. I have said many times to different people at maybe 17 or 18 he will play for England, and I always wish still to this day, that I put a bet on it as I would have earned a few quid off it.”

And Tolley believes his spell at Shrewsbury from 2003 to 2006 was like an apprenticeship for Hart, saying the ruthlessness of the dressing room would have helped to set him up for the future. He continued: “Coming into our dressing room we had a lot of characters, and I think one of the best things for him was starting at League Two at the level he did, seeing the dressing room as he did, and being with us and then going up the leagues.

“It was pretty ruthless in our dressing room, almost like an apprenticeship, and that helped him become strong mentally and thick-skinned and obviously he has taken that to a whole new level now.”

Hart is one of the most successful Shropshire footballers ever with two Premier Leagues, two League Cups and an FA Cup, before going to Scotland and winning the Scottish Premiership on three occasions, two Scottish League Cups while having a chance to add to his solitary Scottish Cup this afternoon at Hampden Park.

And Tolley says it is hard to argue he is not the greatest footballer to come from Shropshire – especially in the modern era.

He said: “He is the player that stands out an absolute mile to me. There have been other players like Billy Jones and Dave Edwards who have had magnificent careers, and probably players older than that.

“But for him to win the stuff that he did, play for England and be the number that he was, he has got to be the number one in my opinion.”

And he will always be remembered for his celebrations when Sergio Aguero scored that remarkable goal for Man City against QPR to win the Premier League title back in 2012 – a day Tolley was in the crowd for.

“That Augero moment is shown religiously every single season,” he added. “And it is always him running off with his arms wide apart like a nutter.

“I was lucky enough to be there at the game and it is just a memory that will stay with you for life – even though I am a United fan.”