Luton Town and Arsenal Hartson turned professional in 1992 and made his
Luton Town first team debut as a substitute in a 1–0
League Cup defeat to
Cambridge United on 24 August 1993. In January 1995, at 19, he joined
Arsenal for £2.5 million, a British record fee for a teenage player at the time. Along with
Chris Kiwomya, Hartson was one of
George Graham's last signings before the manager's sacking in February 1995. He made his Arsenal debut on 14 January 1995, a 1–1 home draw with Everton, and scored his first goal for the club the following week, the only goal in a 1–0 away win at Coventry City. He was a regular for the remainder of his first season, a highlight of which was scoring Arsenal's 75th-minute equaliser in the
1995 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final against
Real Zaragoza; however a last-minute goal from 40 yards by
Nayim over
David Seaman meant Arsenal lost the game 2–1. He was strike-partner to
Ian Wright, being favoured ahead of
Kevin Campbell to fill the gap left by the injured
Alan Smith, who retired at the end of the season. His first West Ham goal came in his next following game on 24 February 1997, a 4–3 home win over
Tottenham Hotspur. In his first season, he scored five league goals from eleven games and was instrumental in helping West Ham rise from 18th when he joined to a final league position for
1996–97 season of 14th. The
next season saw Hartson finish, with 24 goals in 42 games in all competitions, as West Ham's top scorer. Hartson's goal tally was in all a considerable margin ahead of the next highest scorer,
Eyal Berkovic with nine goals. In the 1998 close season,
Manchester United chairman
Martin Edwards and assistant manager
Brian Kidd expressed their desire for Hartson to sign for Manchester United to manager
Alex Ferguson. However, Ferguson decided against making a bid for Hartson. In a training ground incident in September 1998, Hartson kicked West Ham teammate
Eyal Berkovic in the face, after the
Israeli midfielder had punched Hartson in the leg as he attempted to help Berkovic to his feet. The incident was captured on camera. Hartson was fined and admitted in his biography that it was an error of judgement. Berkovic said of the incident "
If my head had been a ball, it would have been in the top corner of the net". His form suffered and he managed only four goals from twenty games in
season 1998–99. His final game on 13 January 1999, saw West Ham lose 1–0 in an
FA Cup tie against his hometown club,
Swansea City. Hartson played 73 times and scored 33 goals for the east London club.
Wimbledon Hartson joined
Wimbledon in January 1999, becoming the club's most expensive signing ever at £7.5m. His time with the Dons was marred by injury, though he still managed a respectable goal tally, first in the Premier League, then the First Division following the club's relegation in 2000. Proposed moves to
Rangers,
Tottenham Coventry City Hartson made his Coventry debut against former club West Ham on 12 February 2001. He went on to score six goals in twelve league games, including a brace in a defeat to
Manchester United at
Old Trafford. However, despite his efforts Coventry were relegated from the
Premier League at the end of the season.
Celtic testimonial match, 9 August 2011 In August 2001, Hartson joined
Celtic in a £6m transfer. He made his debut on 4 August 2001, coming on as a substitute in a league match away at
Kilmarnock. He scored his first goals for Celtic when he scored a hat-trick in a 5–1 win over
Dundee United on 20 October 2001. At the end of his first season at Celtic he helped them win the
Scottish Premier League title. In December 2002, Hartson scored as Celtic were beaten 2–1 in the away leg of their third round UEFA Cup tie against Celta Vigo. However, with the aggregate score 2–2, Celtic progressed on the
away goals rule. This was the first time that Celtic had remained in European competition after Christmas since 1980. In March 2003, Celtic faced Liverpool in the UEFA Cup at the quarter final stage, drawing 1–1 in Glasgow. In the return leg at Anfield, Hartson fired the club's goal of the season with a strike past Jerzy Dudek into the top corner from over 25 yards out. Celtic won this match 2–0, progressing to the semi-final. After scoring the winning goal against
Rangers at
Ibrox in late April Hartson was plagued by a back injury which meant he missed the rest of the season, including the
2003 UEFA Cup Final. Nevertheless, he had played a major role in getting Celtic all the way through the tournament, with his goals in Liverpool and Vigo, as well as several assists. Celtic were defeated 3–2 in the final after extra time by José Mourinho's FC Porto. In March 2004, he dropped out for the remainder of the football season for surgery to his back; however, he recovered in time for Wales' unsuccessful qualifying campaign for the
2006 World Cup. Celtic went on to win the
2003–04 Scottish Cup and the
2003-04 title in his absence. In April 2005 he shared the Scottish PFA Players' Player of the Year award with
Fernando Ricksen and in May he was voted the
Scottish Football Writers' Association Player of the Year. On 6 November 2005 Hartson scored his 100th goal for
Celtic against
Falkirk. He missed Celtic's victory in the
2006 Scottish League Cup Final through suspension. He scored the only goal against
Hearts, on 5 April 2006, his 31st birthday to clinch the title for Celtic. Hartson was sent off on a number of occasions, one being a notable dismissal towards the end of an
Old Firm derby, when he was sent off for violent conduct along with
Celtic teammate
Johan Mjällby and Rangers player
Fernando Ricksen. Hartson's dismissal was overturned on appeal. Due to the close bond Hartson felt with both Celtic Football Club and their fans, he has a tattoo of a large Celtic crest on his upper arm with the words '
You'll Never Walk Alone' underneath in honour of the song which Celtic fans sing ahead of big games. After a picture of the tattoo appeared on the internet and many Celtic F.C. forums, Hartson tweeted that the tattoo was real and in honour of the support he had received from Celtic fans during his illness. The tweet read, "Yes my Celtic tattoo is real I had it done soon as I came out of hospital after the support I was given by the whole Celtic family."
West Bromwich Albion On 26 June 2006, Hartson signed a two-year contract with English
Football League Championship side West Bromwich Albion in a £500,000 move. Hartson scored twice on his Albion debut in a 2–0 Hawthorns win against Hull City on 5 August 2006. On 31 August 2007,
The Times said that Hartson had signed for
League One club
Nottingham Forest on a loan move. On 5 September 2007, the
Western Mail reported that Hartson had rejected a firm approach from Forest and was on the verge of signing for his hometown club
Swansea City on loan. However the club quickly issued a statement on its website denying the striker was set to sign. In October 2007 Hartson joined
Norwich City on a month's loan. Although Norwich had the option to extend the loan until 31 December, newly appointed manager
Glenn Roeder decided to send Hartson back to the Midlands after the initial month period. He then rejected an offer to join
Chester City on loan. In January 2008 Hartson was released by West Bromwich Albion, six months before the end of his contract. On 7 February 2008, Hartson announced his retirement from football, citing his long-term struggles with weight and fitness as major reasons for finishing his career. ==International career==