John Hartson Football player Date of Birth: 05.04.1975 Country: Great Britain

Biography of John Hartson

John Hartson was born in Swansea, Wales, as the third of four children in the Hartson family. From a young age, he had a keen interest in football, which was fueled by his father, who had also played for local teams in his youth. At six years old, John began playing for the youth team "Lonlas Boys," and by sixteen, he was playing for "Luton."

However, with "Luton," John faced one of his first serious setbacks when he was involved in a theft that led to his dismissal from the club after only four months. Despite this, his talent impressed the management, and they decided to overlook the incident.

In January 1995, Hartson made a move to the renowned "Arsenal" for a significant fee, becoming a British transfer record for youngsters at the time. During his time with Arsenal, he scored 17 goals in 70 matches, which was not particularly outstanding.

Later, playing for "West Ham United" in 1997, his statistics were more impressive, with 33 goals in 73 matches. In his debut football season, John became the second top scorer in the league, only behind the legendary "Manchester United" striker, Andy Cole.

His time with "Celtic," where he joined in 2001, marked the five best football years of John Hartson's career. He became a favorite of the fans, playing in the UEFA Cup final, winning numerous titles, and being named "Footballer of the Year" alongside Fernando Ricksen. However, these years were also marked by multiple red card incidents and false accusations of being involved with the IRA, which later proved to be untrue.

After leaving "Celtic," Hartson struggled to find stability in his career, trying out various clubs over two years before ultimately deciding to retire.

Despite retiring from playing, John Hartson remained connected to football. He occasionally appeared on TV, maintained a blog on "SunSport," and focused on raising his three children. In June 2009, he participated in a match honoring the legendary "Celtic" player, Tommy Burns, who had passed away from skin cancer. Sadly, just a month later, Hartson was hospitalized with a severe headache, and he was diagnosed with brain cancer at the age of thirty-four.

He underwent a surgery to relieve pressure on his brain, but it was just the beginning of his treatment. Throughout his battle, John was supported by his parents, friends, siblings, and his three children. Outside the hospital, thousands of fans came to show their support for John Hartson in what was his ultimate match - a match against death. With his fighting spirit, he vowed to never give up, saying, "I will overcome this. Hope never leaves me for a second. Remember, I am a strong lad."