Charlton Athletic confirm Paul Hart has stepped down as assistant boss – Nathan Jones lauds ‘massive influence’

Paul Hart has stepped down from his role as Charlton Athletic assistant boss.

The 71-year-old joined the Addicks in February when manager Nathan Jones was appointed.

Hart previously had a spell with the SE7 club as academy director.

He also had a period in caretaker charge of Crystal Palace in 2010.

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 has been fulsome in his praise for Hart.

He said: “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.”

PICTURE: KYLE ANDREWS