FEVER PITCH

Hart goes back to his City roots and is given his own patch.. but he’s out to make it turf for Pep

JOE HART returns to Manchester City for the first time today, with his name etched deeper into the club’s fabric.

The goalkeeper, who signed for Burnley in the summer, now has a training pitch at the City Football Academy named after him. Pep Guardiola sold

Hart, but said:

“There is no doubt how important

Joe was and

is.” The former England No.1 made 348 City appearances and won two league titles as he helped establish them as a modern-day powerhouse.

Hart said: “Having the goalkeeping pitch at the City Football Academy dedicated to me is a huge honour.

“Manchester City has been a huge part of my life and my career, and I’m immensely proud of what I and my teammates achieved in that period.

“There have been some incredible goalkeeping legends throughout Manchester City’s history, and I feel privileged that the club has chosen to recognise me amongst that number.”

Hart (below on his training pitch with City legend Mike Summerbee and goalkeeping coach Alex Williams) will be determined to prove he is still a top performer when he faces his old club today.

Ben Mee has known Hart since they were City teammates nearly a decade ago and the Burnley centre-half says his pal will want to make a statement. Hart has been through the wringer since Guardiola dumped him two years ago, and Gareth Southgate appears to think he is too old to be part of his young England revolution.

Mee (below) said: “It’s always good to go back to places you’ve played.

“He has been written off in the past, but he’s still a top goalkeeper and I’m sure he wants to prove he’s still a top goalkeeper.

“I think he’s still got a lot to offer.”

Mee claims Hart’s decision to join Burnley was an endorsement for the Clarets and the progress they have made under Sean Dyche.

“Yeah, definitely it was great for us,” added Mee.

“He looked at us, how we train and how the club’s developed and thought he could come here and maybe get back on track to where he was a couple of years ago.

“That’s testament to our club.”