It is with sadness that we learnt of the death of Brian Hart, aged 84.
Brian was a notable inside forward, representing Wellington Town and Telford United in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Like George Jagger, who passed away last year, Brian also made himself part of the wider Wellington community, becoming a well-known figure in the town.
Brian, a Cambridgeshire lad by birth, was brought to Wellington Town from Cambridge City by former chairman Frank Nagington. Frank was the owner of the Midland Counties Dairies depot at Cluddley, in the shadow of the Wrekin, and after a spell as groundsman at the Buck’s Head, Brian worked for the dairy as a roundsman alongside playing for the club.
Brian was born in Cambridge and grew up as a Cambridge United supporter before being signed to the club, and received international honours when selected for the England Youth team. He joined West Bromwich Albion and spent three years at the Hawthorns before joining Nuneaton Borough, where he was a consistent goal scorer.
Brian returned to Cambridge, signing for City, before moving to Shropshire to sign for Wellington Town ahead of the 1966/67 season. He made his debut against Barnet on 20th August, 1966, just three weeks after England won the FIFA World Cup. As a part of the legendary Lillywhites of the late 1960s and early 1970s, he was with the club when it transitioned to become Telford United, and he was a member of the Telford sides that played in the first two FA Trophy finals at Wembley, in 1970 and 1971.
Although Macclesfield Town defeated the Lillywhites 2- 0 in 1970, they returned to claim the Trophy a year later, defeating Hillingdon Borough 3-2.
Brian and his family returned to live in Cambridge some years later. Although his wife Sheila predeceased him, Brian enjoyed many active years with grandchildren and great-grandchildren to entertain him.
Brian enjoyed reminiscing about his years in Shropshire, his friendships with his teammates and supporters at the club, and the many friends he made through his work after retiring from playing.
Having had the pleasure of his company on a visit to his home in November 2022, the warmth with which he recalled teammates such as Jack Bentley, George Jagger and Mickey Fudge was unmistakable. There was a sparkle in his eyes as he recalled notable victories and experiences the club had given him, but he remained modest about his contribution to the club.
Sadly, Brian was later affected by dementia and spent his final years in a care home, where he passed away peacefully on Sunday, 18th May, with his loving family present.
We send our warmest best wishes and condolences to Brian’s family, principally to his daughter Debbie, his son Andrew, and their families. We extend those same sympathies to anyone who knew Brian, whether as a friend, a colleague, or a teammate, and say ‘thank you’ for his contribution to our club and community.
Rest in Peace, Brian.
Numquam Obliviscere.
Brian made a total of 328 appearances for Wellington Town / Telford United, scoring 77 goals. In addition to his FA Trophy final appearances for the club, Brian was also twice a winner of the Midland Floodlit League Cup and the Shropshire Cup.
Our thanks always to club statistician Maurice Barker for his help in compiling these figures.
A more detailed tribute to Brian has been posted on the ‘100 Years of Coconuts’ website, dedicated to chronicling the history of Cambridge United FC:
http://www.100yearsofcoconuts.co.uk/news/brian-hart-1941-2025
