West Bromwich Albion skipper Scott Carson sympathetic for Joe Hart after his own nomadic past

May 17 2010 by Andy Walker, Sunday Mercury

Scott Carson

SCOTT Carson has expressed his sympathy for Joe Hart, as the on-loan Blues star prepares to pack up and return to Manchester.

As a fellow member of the goalkeeping fraternity, Albion skipper Carson has monitored Hart’s impressive season with neighbouring Blues with interest.

Having been denied the chance to return to St Andrew’s next season, Hart faces a somewhat uncertain future with his parent club Manchester City.

While he’s likely to slot in to the number one berth at Eastlands at the start of the 2010-11 campaign, Shay Given may well muscle his way back between the sticks when he returns from his shoulder injury.

It would come as no surprise if Hart, named last week in Fabio Capello’s provisional World Cup party, found himself packing his bags again at some point in the near future – especially given minted Manchester City’s unpredictable dealings in the transfer market.

And Carson knows only too well what it’s like to be moved from pillar to post.

In the space of five years, Carson moved between six different clubs including three separate loan deals.

Before settling in at The Hawthorns, the 24-year-old was all set to have his loan move from Liverpool to Villa made permanent until Martin O’Neill backed out of the deal.

Prior to signing for the Baggies in July 2008, the three-times capped England international aired his nomadic lifestyle.