Paul Hart has stepped down from his role as men’s first-team Assistant Manager.
Nathan Jones added Hart to his coaching staff in February, with the Addicks finishing the 2023/24 season strongly, including a 14-game unbeaten run.
For Hart it was a return to the club where he was Academy Director from 2011 until 2014 and the chance to reunite with Jones, who he employed at Charlton and worked with at both Luton Town and Stoke City.
Hart said: “I have really enjoyed returning to Charlton, a club that is very close to my heart. It was great to get the opportunity to work with Nathan again and I was pleased with the progress we were able to make in the last few months of last season.
“Nathan has an excellent staff and structure around him and I have no doubt that there is an exciting future for the club under him. With that in mind I felt the time was right for me to step away from the day-to-day nature of the role and the travel that entails to allow me to spend more time with my family. I’ll be keeping a close eye on Charlton’s progress and wish the club nothing but success for the future.”
Jones added: “Paul has been a massive influence on my career since the time I met him in 2012. He’s someone I’ve kept by my side for a long, long time. He’s been through almost every situation in football, so as I was embarking on my managerial career it was vital I had someone that I could trust and someone who cared about my development. I’m sad to see him step down, he’s a big character and a big influence on individuals but I totally respect his decision to step down at this time and understand that the family, the travelling and the commitment it takes to be involved in a football club is a lot. I’m grateful that Paul was able to come back with us to Charlton, to get us to settle in and help us achieve our goal. Paul is not just a mentor now, he’s one of my closest, if not my closest friend - I’ll continue to lean on him.”
Charlton Managing Director James Rodwell said: “I’ve known Paul for more than 25 years and I’m honoured to call him a friend, he’s a proper football person. I’d like to thank him for the positive impact he had when he returned to the club last season. He leaves us with the best wishes of everyone at the football club.”
