Born in
Derby, Derbyshire, Hanson, who graduated through the academy, signed his first professional
contract with Derby in June 2007. After struggling to break into
Paul Jewell's first-team, Hanson joined
League One strugglers
Port Vale on a season-long
loan, despite struggling with a
calf injury. He returned to Derby in April 2008, without making a first-team appearance for the "Valiants". He made his first-team debut for Derby as an 89th-minute substitute in a 4–1 victory over
Brighton & Hove Albion on 4 November 2008. and joined
Notts County on a months loan in November 2008. He returned to Derby County on New Years Day 2009, after having appeared in five league games for the "Magpies" He signed a new two-year deal with the "Rams" in January 2009. Early in the 2009–10 season, Hanson sustained a
dislocated kneecap which ruled him out of contention for a year, eventually resuming full training in late September 2010. He returned to action with a 60-minute appearance in the reserves 3–1 defeat at
Rotherham United the following month. After failing to break into the first-team picture, Hanson's Derby contract was cancelled by mutual consent five months early in January 2011. He played for
Oxford United reserves on trial in February 2011. Two months later he signed a contract until the end of the season; he made two substitute appearances for the club and was not offered a new contract in the summer. In September 2011, he signed for
Conference North club
Eastwood Town. The "Badgers" suffered
relegation in last place in
2011–12, winning just four games all season. He was appointed
caretaker manager, alongside Paul Riley, following the departure of former
manager John Ramshaw in October 2012. He signed with
Gresley of
Northern Premier League Division One South in September 2013. He helped the "Moatmen" to a ninth-place finish in
2013–14. He became Gresley's first choice
penalty taker in the
2014–15 season and successfully converted the first five penalties of the season. Gresley reached the play-off semi-finals in 2015, losing to
Leek Town. He retired in September 2015 due to injury. ==International career==