Ian Harte Leeds United’s Free-kick Fiend

I’ve noticed over the years that we’ve had a very interesting relationship with left-backs. Arguably, not since Ian Harte has there been someone who you could say was ‘one of the best’ in his position at the club.

Joining us in 1995 as a young left-back from provincial club Drogheda in the Republic of Ireland, Harte went on to make 288 appearances for us across all competitions, scoring an incredible 39 goals for us – a great return for a left-back!

However; he did have somewhat of a trademark. His weapon of a left foot, meant that he was very useful from set-pieces – particularly free-kicks.

His contribution to us was absolutely key during the late nineties and early 2000s, especially during our stunning Champions League run in the 2000/01 season when we reached the semi-final stage.

Indeed, he struck a spectacular effort in the quarter-final against Deportivo La Coruna, which is simply too good not to show you, so I’ve dropped it in below, among the highlights of the game!

In all honesty though, there are many goals that stand out and, not only that, Harte also recorded 33 assists. At the time, he was easily one of the most influential players in the Premier League; particularly in his position in addition to being up there for set-pieces at a time when David Beckham was pivotal.

Harte Had True Heart And Is Fondly Remembered

For all those who can remember his playing days, I am sure that you can recall some of his finest moments in a Leeds jersey – I certainly can, though one thing that stands out is his incredible humility. He would often integrate with fans after a game; he truly was ‘one of the people’ and definitely didn’t see himself as anyone special.

Though, for Leeds fans, he was definitely up there. His work-rate often outshone some of his more glamorous contributions and, while he wasn’t blessed with pace, he never stopped running.

A lot of fan opinion means he has been described as many different things over the years, including, “idol” and “best left-back” and I would have to agree. Certainly for this era, I think he is indeed the best left-back we have had at our club and he was a great servant.

Proving to be particularly prolific under manager David O’Leary, who almost led us to a Champions League final, Harte was key for us during these years. Such was the strength of his performances, he was named in the PFA Team of the Year for the 1999/2000 season, reflecting how he was thought of by his peers and players at other clubs.

He also established a highly effective relationship on the left with Harry Kewell who played in front of him and as a result, we had one of the best left sides in the Premier League, with Harte often over-lapping and putting near-perfect deliveries into the box for the likes’ of Mark Viduka and compatriot Robbie Keane.

On the other side, he had a great on and off-field relationship with right-back Gary Kelly – another superb servant of the club and, somewhat of a mentor to Harte.

He also proved to be particularly calm under pressure and was great at maintaining his composure. I remember one incident against Arsenal when he struck spectacularly late in the 2002/03 season to help prevent relegation.

Harte eventually left us in 2004 on a free transfer to Spanish La Liga side Levante (I personally think he’d earned the right to play in the sun for a bit), following our eventual relegation to the Championship and went on to have brief stints at Sunderland, Carlisle, Reading, and Bournemouth, where he was somewhat of a mentor, before he retired in 2015 at the age of 37.

I think Harte left a legacy at the club and there will certainly be many who remember the impact he had for us for a long time to come.

Table Of Leeds United Statistics For Harte