The Leicestershire-born shot-stopper came through the Filbert Street youth ranks in the late 1980s before being farmed out to numerous clubs, including Lincoln City, Blackpool and Bolton Wanderers, for experience.
He was the club's Young Player of the Year in 1991 and made a good start to life in goal when he replaced the injured Carl Muggleton and conceded just one goal in his first five league outings before featuring in a 7-1 cup thrashing against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough. He made 14 appearances in that 1992-93 season but they were to be Hoult's only for the Foxes.
The numerous loan stints away from the club followed and it was from his loan stint with neighbours Derby County that he impressed most and saw the Rams make the deal a permanent one. He actually helped County to the Premier League in 1996 but came up against some stiff opposition thereafter, eventually prompting a loan move and then a permanent switch to Portsmouth. Moves to West Brom and Stoke City followed.