After beating Monaghan to secure top provincial honours in 2010, Tyrone were forced to sit back and watch as the Farneymen and Donegal traded Ulster titles between 2011 and 2015.
During that spell, four successive championship defeats by Donegal intensified the pressure on Harte.
However, after a journey through the qualifiers which culminated in an All-Ireland semi-final defeat by Kerry, he was granted another two years by the county board.
Their faith was vindicated, too, as Tyrone ended their barren Ulster run with a comeback win over regular tormentors Donegal. Peter Harte and Kieran McGeary struck late points to return the Red Hands to the provincial pinnacle.
With Clones draped in red and white, Harte spoke brilliantly as he showered his players with praise, allowing his love for football and Tyrone to shine through on a memorable afternoon for his county.
Another Ulster followed in 2017, and while Harte was unable to add a fourth Sam Maguire to the cabinet, his haul of three All-Irelands, six Ulsters, 12 Dr McKenna Cups and a National League has firmly cemented his status as one of the game’s all-time managerial greats, and a towering figure in Tyrone folklore.
