Paul Harding (association footballer)
Encyclopedia
Paul J. Harding is an English
former professional footballer. He played 119 games in the Football League
playing for Notts County
, Southend United
, Watford
, Birmingham City
and Cardiff City
. He played as a midfielder
.
, Surrey
. He began his football career as an apprentice with Chelsea
, but did not progress to the first team, and worked as a bricklayer, playing part-time for a number of non-league
clubs in the Surrey and south London area before joining Enfield
of the Conference National
, with whom he won the FA Trophy
in 1988. In February 1990 he moved to Conference runners-up Barnet
, and in September of the same year he and teammate Dave Regis
signed for Notts County
, newly promoted
to the Football League Second Division
.
Harding contributed to their second successive promotion, to the First Division
via the play-offs, at the end of his first season with the club. Notts County had drawn the first leg of the play-off semi-final at Middlesbrough
. In the second leg, following an injury to Phil Turner
, Harding, who had played as a striker with Enfield, moved out of midfield to play in attack. Within minutes, he headed the only goal of the game, the first he had scored since joining the club. He appeared in the play-off final at Wembley Stadium, though only briefly, as an 81st-minute substitute
. After the semi-final, Harding told the press that "turning pro with Notts County was a big gamble for me. But now I know that it was worth it."
Earlier that season, in the quarter-final of the FA Cup, with County leading First Division Tottenham Hotspur
1–0, Harding was elbowed by Tottenham's Paul Gascoigne
, a sending-off offence which the referee allowed to go unpunished but which left Harding with a black eye. Gascoigne was instrumental in Tottenham's equalising goal and scored the winner.
Harding made 25 starts in the top flight as County were relegated
back to the second tier. He fell out of favour, and spent time on loan at Southend United
, Watford
and Birmingham City
, before joining the latter club on a permanent basis in January 1994 for a fee of £50,000. Harding made 26 appearances in all competitions for Birmingham before, in the 1995 close season, making his last move within the Football League, to Cardiff City
where he was made captain. He played 36 league games for the club, and spent a short time on loan at Kettering Town
where he played six times.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former professional footballer. He played 119 games in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
playing for Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
, Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
, Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
, Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
and Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
. He played as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
.
Playing career
Harding was born in MitchamMitcham
Mitcham is a district in the south west area of London, in the London Borough of Merton. A suburban area, Mitcham is located on the border of Inner London and Outer London. It is both residentially and financially developed, well served by Transport for London, and home to Mitcham Town Centre,...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. He began his football career as an apprentice with Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, but did not progress to the first team, and worked as a bricklayer, playing part-time for a number of non-league
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
clubs in the Surrey and south London area before joining Enfield
Enfield F.C.
Enfield F.C. is a football club, formed in June 2007 after Enfield F.C. ceased to exist....
of the Conference National
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
, with whom he won the FA Trophy
FA Trophy
The Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
in 1988. In February 1990 he moved to Conference runners-up Barnet
Barnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
, and in September of the same year he and teammate Dave Regis
Dave Regis
David R. "Dave" Regis is a retired English professional footballer. He is now the Education & Welfare Officer at Charlton Athletic's Academy.-Playing career:...
signed for Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
, newly promoted
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
to the Football League Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
.
Harding contributed to their second successive promotion, to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
via the play-offs, at the end of his first season with the club. Notts County had drawn the first leg of the play-off semi-final at Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
. In the second leg, following an injury to Phil Turner
Phil Turner (footballer)
Phil Turner is a retired English footballer.Turner, a central midfielder, began his career at Lincoln City with whom he won promotion to the Third Division in 1981 under Colin Murphy, and formed midfield partnerships with Glenn Cockerill and then Neil Redfearn before joining Grimsby Town in 1986...
, Harding, who had played as a striker with Enfield, moved out of midfield to play in attack. Within minutes, he headed the only goal of the game, the first he had scored since joining the club. He appeared in the play-off final at Wembley Stadium, though only briefly, as an 81st-minute substitute
Substitute (football)
In association football, a substitute is a player who is brought on to the pitch during a match in exchange for an existing player. Substitutions are generally made to replace a player who has become tired or injured, or who is not performing well; there may also be tactical reasons such as...
. After the semi-final, Harding told the press that "turning pro with Notts County was a big gamble for me. But now I know that it was worth it."
Earlier that season, in the quarter-final of the FA Cup, with County leading First Division Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
1–0, Harding was elbowed by Tottenham's Paul Gascoigne
Paul Gascoigne
Paul John Gascoigne , commonly referred to as Gazza, is a retired English professional footballer.Playing in the position of midfield, Gascoigne's career included spells at Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough, Everton and Gansu Tianma, where he scored at least a goal...
, a sending-off offence which the referee allowed to go unpunished but which left Harding with a black eye. Gascoigne was instrumental in Tottenham's equalising goal and scored the winner.
Harding made 25 starts in the top flight as County were relegated
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
back to the second tier. He fell out of favour, and spent time on loan at Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
, Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
and Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, before joining the latter club on a permanent basis in January 1994 for a fee of £50,000. Harding made 26 appearances in all competitions for Birmingham before, in the 1995 close season, making his last move within the Football League, to Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
where he was made captain. He played 36 league games for the club, and spent a short time on loan at Kettering Town
Kettering Town F.C.
Kettering Town Football Club are a football club originating in Kettering, Northamptonshire but currently based in the nearby village of Irthlingborough. The club play in the Conference National after winning the Conference North in 2007–08...
where he played six times.