Fans are only just realising Joe Hart’s real name with Man City legend instead using his middle name

FOOTBALL fans feel they have been lied to after discovering Joe Hart’s real name following his retirement announcement.

The Manchester City icon has gone by his middle name throughout his entire career.

Reuters

Joe Hart has been known by his middle name for his entire career[/caption]

Reuters

The goalkeeper announced he will retire at the end of the season[/caption]

The goalkeeper has two middle names, Joe and John, and was once listed as “John Hart” on a Torino teamsheet for a match against Atalanta.

But Hart, 36, is actually named after his father Charles, according to Wikipedia.

Few fans know the truth and those who do are stunned, with some only realising after Hart announced he will retire at the end of the season.

One supporter wrote: “So I’ve just found out Joe Hart’s real name is Charles. I’m very much contemplating how much else of my life is a lie.”

Another added: “How have I just found out Joe Hart’s real name is Charles Hart .”

And a third said: “Every so often I remember that Joe Hart’s real name is Charles.”

Another commented: “Still doesn’t feel right that Joe Hart’s real name is Charles.”

Hart is not the only player who goes by his middle name, and some fans were also taken aback when they learned Harry Maguire’s first name is actually Jacob.

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Hart now plays for Celtic, until the end of the season, following spells with Man City, Tottenham, Torino and Burnley, and has been criticised for his performances in the Champions League this season.

Hart said: “As of June I’m going to stop playing professional football. This is something I have thought about for a while.

“There’s no right or wrong time, is there? But the way this club works that I’m playing at at the moment, there’s so much on it.

“There’s so much heart and soul poured into what we’re doing as a club.

“In the grand scheme of the club with the support base and the conversations which go on around it.

“There’s obviously a conversation around the goalkeeping position for next season.

“So I just think it was really important that with the blessing of the club it takes one thing off the table that people need to speculate over. 

“I’m definitely not going to be there next season, I’m not going to be available to play football next season. I want to take that off the table, we can talk about why then push forward.”

Hart, who will turn 37 in April, insists he still feels physically in top shape.

But he revealed he didn’t want to let it get to stage where his body was making the decision for him.

He said: “Physically I feel great, I feel as good as I possibly can do for my age and what I have done physically to my body.

“I’ve been on the bench since I was 15, involved in pro football especially from 16 every day onwards.”