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Players Index Page Last Updated
28 February 2025
 
 

Harold Hardman

Everton FC

 4 appearances, 1 goal

P 4 W 3 D 1 L 0 F 8: A 3
88% successful
1905-08

captain: none
minutes played: 360

Timeline
  Harold Payne Hardman
Birth Tuesday, 4 April 1882 in Manchester, Lancashire
  registered in Prestwich October-December 1882.
Education South Shore High School in Blackpool
 

According to the 1891 census, Harold P. (b.Manchester) is the fourth of six children, to Charles Richard and Elizabeth (née Wrench). His father is a solicitor, and they all live at 36 Dean Street in Layton-with-Warbeck, Blackpool, with one servant.
 

According to the 1901 census, Harold P. (b.Patricroft, Eccles) is an articled clerk. He is one of five children, with another younger brother since the previous census, still remaining with their parents and a single servant still at 36 Dean Street. His father is also still a solicitor.
Marriage to Annie Schofield, on Wednesday, 22 June 1910 in South Shore, Blackpool, Lancashire. Living at 36 Dean Street in South Shore. Harold is a solicitor.
  registered in Fylde April-June 1910 also Cockermouth July-September 1909
"FOOTBALLER'S WEDDING—Mr. H. P. Hardman and Miss A. Schofield
"An interesting wedding was quietly solemnised at the South Shore Parish Church, on Wednesday, by the Rev. F. H. Powell, vicar. The bride was Miss Annie Schofield, the third daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Schofield, of Glencoe, Saville-road, South Shore, and the bridegroom Mr. Harold Payne Hardman, second son of Mr. C. R. Hardman, a director of the Winter Gardens Company, and Mrs. Hardman, of 36, Dean-street, South Shore. The bridegroom is well-known to thousands of football followers for the high honours he has attained in the great national winter game. The bride is well known in South Shore, and much interest was taken in the nuptial ceremony. There were about 50 guests. Mr. C. W. Fisher, Mus. Bac., presided at the organ, and played suitable voluntaries and bridal music. Given away by her father, the bride was attired in a pretty biscuit coloured travelling dress of faced cloth, with Tuscan hat wreathed with pink roses. In place of a bouquet she carried a prayer book, the gift of the bridegroom and she wore a diamond brooch, also the bridegroom's gift. Mr. A. S. Owen, of Stoke, who has partnered Mr. 'Jubba' Hardman many times on the football field, was his best man. After the service, a reception was held at the Brighton Hydro, South Shore, and later Mr. and Mrs. H. P. Hardman left for Windermere, where there honeymoon is being spent. On their return they will reside at Chorlton-cum-Hardy." - The Blackpool Herald and Fylde Advertiser, Friday, 24 June 1910 .
Children Harold and Annie Hardman have two children together. Betty (b.26 April 1912) and Harold Richard Straw Schofield (b.July 1914)
 

According to the 1911 census, Harold Payne (b.Clayton) is married to Annie and they live at 18 Wilton Road in Chorlton-cum-Hardy in Manchester. He is a solicitor.

According to the 1921 census, Harold (b.Manchester) is still a solicitor and is still married, now with two children, Betty and Harold. They now live at 21 High Lane in Chorlton-cum-Hardy.
Harold P., on 27 June 1928, was the sole recipient of the GWR Shareholders will upon the death of William Arthur Clare and Mary Ann Schofield.
The 1929 Kelly's Directory conforms Hardman's Solicitor and Commissioner for Oaths Office is at 2 Blue Boar Court (now under the present day Arndale Centre), and he resides at 24 High Lane in Chorlton-cum-Hardy.
His father died on 24 November 1931.

According to the 1939 register, Harold P., still a solicitor, and still married, but now living at 4 Townhope Road in Sale.
By 1947 however, he had moved to 6 Brown Street.
Their son, Harold, died on 7 March 1954.
According to Passenger Lists, a 78 year-old Harold, a Co-Director, is accompanying Matthew Busby on the Queen Elizabeth, leaving Southampton on 5 May 1960 bound for New York. No address is stated.
"One important man missed United's title-clincher, as he has missed most matches this season. Harold Hardman, the doyen director at Old Trafford, who has lightly held the reins of power as chairman through United's glory days of old and the testing years of rebuilding, was not well enough to attend. Mr Hardman, who was 83 on April 4, has been confined to his home in Fownhope Road, Sale, through illness for most of the season." - Manchester Evening News, Tuesday, 27 April 1965
Death Wednesday, 9 June 1965 at 4 Fownhope Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, Lancashire
aged 83 years 66 days registered in Bucklow April-June 1965

Obituary
"We regret to announce the death of Mr Harold Hardman, chairman of Manchester United FC and a practising Manchester solicitor for many years. Mr Hardman, was was 83, died at his home in Fownhope Road, Sale. Largely responsible for the appointment of Mr Matt Busby as manager in 1945, he had worked with him very closely ever since, and today Mr Busby said: 'I have lost a great friend, and soccer will be much the poorer for his passing.' Mr Hardman leaves a widow and a daughter.
"'HPH,' THE QUIET SOCCER GENIUS
 "HAROLD HARDMAN was one of football's best known personalities, yet at the same time was one of the shyest of sports officials. Others in office may have exceeded his age but none could match his all-round experience. His honours include an FA Cup winners' medal and finalist (in Everton's teams of 1906 and 1907), Olympic Games gold medallist (England, 1908, as member of Manchester United and Northern Nomad teams), 14 international caps (four full, 10 amateur), FA councillor, President of Lancashire FA and Central League, chairman of Manchester United...over 60 years of distinguished service on and off the field. Thus he not only saw the game grow up to world standing, but helped it all the way. Yet he never sought the limelight and it must have been an agonising ordeal when he appeared on television to express the feelings of club and country on the evening of the Munich air disaster in February, 1958—a small, frail figure choking with emotion. But the fibre could be tough, as those will know who encountered his resolute opposition to official interference against Manchester United's participation, before and after Munich, in the European Cup.
•AS PLAYER he resembled James Conlin, Manchester City's international outside-left pre-1914, and George Best, Irish international of Manchester United, 1965. He had something of their style and size. He was team-mate at Everton of football and cricket stars Jack Sharp and Harry Makepeace, and faced such right full-backs as Bob Crompton, England and Blackburn Rovers captain.
•AS OFFICIAL, he was chairman of Manchester United throughout the great post war years, at the helm during the club's real rise to power.
•AS LEGISLATOR, he was never swayed by popular emotion and could have seized the headlines and become a bigger national figure if he had chosen to follow the fashion and plunge into print. But that wasn't Harold Hardman.
"The only interview of any length that I can recall appeared, appropriately enough, in the Football League's official 75th Jubilee Book as late as 1963. It was a panorama of a half-century of first class football. He declared that we were copying the the Continentals too much in bidding for the World Cup—that attacking across the field was foreign to our traditional system, and that we should return to the old English game of playing through the defence and following up every time... 'then we should definitely have less trouble than the retreating defence: it would panic all this constructive work by foreign half-backs.' Overseas teams did not like that style of play: it would worry them.
"In conversation, he stressed the need for more constructive full-back play of the pattern of 'Warney' Cresswell (Sunderland and Everton), John Carey (Manchester United) and Sam Barkas (Manchester City), and condemned modern off-side tactics even to the extent of advocating the cautioning of such defenders and, on repetition, the awarding of a free-kick from which a goal can be scored direct. His favourite player down the years was Alec Raisbeck, handsome, upstanding Scottish international centre-half of Liverpool. He believed the average spectator of today has little notion of the great part played, before the off-side change of 1925, by centre half-backs like Charles Roberts of Manchester United.
"He was fully alive to modern trends and improvements, all the same. The goalkeeper? 'He lives in a glasshouse now.' But H P H was warm in praise of the constructive methods in clearing their lines developed at Maine Road by Frank Swift and Bert Trautmann. The glittering story of Manchester United during his period of office shows that the views and judgments of Harold Hardman were progressive as well as sound"
- Ivan Sharpe, Manchester Evening News and Chronicle, Thursday, 10 June 1965
"HAROLD HARDMAN—Death Of Manchester United Chairman
"Mr. Harold Hardman (83), chairman of Manchester United, died yesterday ay his home in Fawnhope Road, Sale, Cheshire. He had been director of the club for 53 years. Mr. Hardman, who was a Manchester solicitor, leaves a widow. Recently he had been confined to his home by ill health. Mr. Louis Edwards, vice-chairman of United said: .Mr. Hardman was a wonderful man and a grand servant of the club. We will have great difficulty in replacing him.' Mr. Hardman, who gained a Cup winner's medal with Everton when they beat Newcastle 1-0 in the 1906 final and a beaten finalist's medal the following year when Everton lost 2-1 to Sheffield Wednesday. He was capped four times by England." - The Liverpool Echo and Evening Express, Thursday, 10 June 1965 .
Funeral
Saturday morning, 12 June 1965
 St. Mary's Church, Sale
interred at Brooklands Cemetery
"FUNERAL OF MR HAROLD HARDMAN
Soccer world pays a moving tribute
"SOCCER today paid its final, moving tribute to one of its senior and most respected administrators, Manchester United chairman, the late Mr Harold Hardman. Officials from many league clubs and associations gathered at St. Mary's Church, Sale, for the funeral service. His coffin was carried by Manchester United players David Herd, Noel Cantwell, Harry Gregg, Bobby Charlton, trainer Jack Crompton, and coach John Aston. The Football League, the Football Association, clubs from various parts of the country, and other associations with which Mr Hardman had been connected, all came to pay their last respects. Mr Matt Busby, the United manager, Mr Les Olive, the secretary, players, directors, and representatives of the ground committee were there. Soccer personalities present included Mr Bob Lord (Burnley chairman), Mr H Massey (Oldham chairman), Mr Douglas Hull (Blackburn chairman), and Mr Bill Ridding (Bolton Wanderers). Manchester City were represented by directors A Douglas, F Johnson and W Hume. Councillor Sam Bolton represnted the Football League and Leeds United and Mr Walter Jackson, secretary of Manchester County FA, was there for the FA. The vicar of St Mary's, the Rev J Lowrey, referred to Mr Hardman's prowess as player, legislator, and administrator." -
- Manchester Evening News and Chronicle, Saturday, 12 June 1965
Probate "HARDMAN Harold Payne of 4 Fownhope Road Sale Cheshire died 9 June 1965 Probate Manchester 23 July to Roderick Albert Davies solicitor and Annie Hardman widow. £8243" [2025 equivalent £136,795]
His wife, Annie Hardman, died on 11 May 1977, and is buried with her husband and their children.
Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] &

Playing Career

Club(s)		 Although born in Manchester, Hardman was brought up in Blackpool, and that 'was only 13 years of age when he first started playing with the South Shore High School'. 'He came before the notice of the Blackpool Football Club when playing for the South Shore Choristers in the Blackpool Medal Competition at the end of the season of 1899-1900'. Everton FC poached Hardman in 1903, but instead of reporting the case to the authorities, Everton agreed to pay the seaside club £50 and a promise, should they need an emergency left-winger, Everton would provide one. This was fulfilled when they signed Marshall McEwan a year later. He also rejoined the Northern Nomads FC at the same time. Hardman took time off for studies and practising law, before he joined Manchester United FC on 26 August 1908, but was not able to break into the first team. Transferred to Bradford City AFC on 15 January 1909 'at that time at the bottom of the First League...and City escaped relegation.' 'In October, 1909, Hardman broke his left arm'. Joined Stoke FC on 4 February 1911, retiring in 1913, but played for Stoke as a guest during the war.

League honours
227 appearances, 37 goals		 Blackpool FC 1900-03 73 appearances, ten goals
debut (division two): 8 September 1900 Blackpool FC 1 Gainsborough Trinity FC 1.
Everton FC 1903-08 130 appearances, 25 goals
debut: 1 September 1903 Everton FC 3 Blackburn Rovers FC 1.
Manchester United FC 1908 four appearances
debut: 19 September 1908 Manchester City FC 1 Manchester United FC 2.
Bradford City FC 1909-10 twenty appearances, two goals
debut: 23 January 1909 Bradford City FC 0 Liverpool FC 2.
last: 9 April 1910 Blackburn Rovers FC 2 Bradford City FC 0.
Club honours Football League Division One third place 1903-04 (26ᵃ 5ᵍ), 1906-07 (19ᵃ 3ᵍ), runners-up 1904-05 (32ᵃ 8ᵍ);
FA Cup winners 1905-06 (6ᵃ 2ᵍ), runners-up 1906-07 (7ᵃ 1ᵍ);
Individual honours Football League (one appearance vs. Scottish League 1905)
Distinctions None
Height/Weight 5' 6", 9st. 7lbs [1903], 5' 6½", 9st. 13lbs [1907], 10st. 10lbs [1908]. 'Short of stature and rather slightly built'

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].

England Career
Player number One of three who became the 308th players (310) to appear for England
Position(s) Outside-left
First match No. 84, 27 March 1905, England 3 Wales 1, a British Championship match at Anfield Road, Anfield, Liverpool, aged 22 years 357 days.
Last match No. 93, 16 March 1908, Wales 1 England 7, a British Championship match at Cardiff Arms Park, Temperance Town, Cardiff, aged 25 years 347 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1904-05, 1907-08;
Team honours British Championship winners 1904-05, shared 1907-08;
Individual honours The Amateurs (one appearance, 1ᵍ December 1906);
England's Joint-Top Goalscorer (one 1907);
England Amateur (ten appearances, 2ᵍ November 1906-November 1908);
Olympic Gold London October 1908
Distinctions None

Beyond England
A solicitor by trade, admitted in December 1907, practising in Manchester. Appointed a Manchester United FC director in November 1912 until 1931, and again from 1934.
He was chairman of Manchester United FC from 19 September 1951 until his death. He steered the club into European competition, against the better wishes of the Football League management committee, and also steered the club through its most turbulent era, through the Munich Disaster.
He was a member of the FA Council and was treasurer of the Lancashire FA. He was awarded a long service medal in 1949 after 21 years in the post, he was also served as FA Chairman, as well as chairman, and then the president, of the Central League. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.118.


The Numbers
parties Apps comp. apps minutes goals ave.min comp. goals captain
4 4 4 360 1 360 min 1 none
The minutes here given can only ever be a guideline and cannot therefore be accurate, only an approximation.
P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
4 3 1 0 8 3 +5 0 1 2 0.75 87.5 +3
all of his matches were played in the British Championship competition

Venue Record

Venue P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home 3 2 1 0 5 2 +3 0 1 1.667 0.667 83.3 +2
Away 1 1 0 0 3 1 +2 0 0 3.00 1.00 100.0 +1

Tournament Record

British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1904-05 1 1 0 0 3 1 +2 0 0 3.00 1.00 100.0 +1
BC 1906-07 2 1 1 0 2 1 +1 0 1 1.00 0.50 75.0 +1
BC 1907-08 1 1 0 0 3 1 +2 0 0 3.00 1.00 100.0 +1
BC All 4 3 1 0 8 3 +5 0 1 2.00 0.75 87.5 +3

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 4 3 1 0 8 3 +5 0 1 2.00 0.75 87.5 +3
4 3 1 0 8 3 +5 0 1 2 0.75 87.5 +3

Match History

 Club: Everton F.C. - four full appearances (360 min) 1ᵍ F.A. International Select Committee - four full appearances (360 min) 1ᵍx

apps match match details comp res. rundown pos

Age 22
1 84 27 March 1905 - England 3 Wales 1
Anfield Road, Liverpool		 BC HW   ol
 

one of three who became the 308th player (310) to appear for England
the twelfth Everton FC player to represent England

Age 24 amateur  
one appearance - France November 1906;
trial  
one appearance - The Professionals vs. The Amateurs, December 1906;
amateur  
one appearance - Ireland December 1906;

2 89 16 February 1907 - England 1 Ireland 0
Goodison Park, Liverpool (home ground)		 BC HW 53 ol
 

amateur  
one appearance - Netherlands 1 April 1907;

3 91 6 April 1907 - England 1 Scotland 1
St. James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne		 BC HD   ol
 

Age 25
4 93 16 March 1908 - Wales 1 England 7
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff		 BC AW   ol
 

Age 26 amateur  
three appearances - Belgium & Germany April 1908; Sweden September 1908;
olympic  
three appearances for Great Britainᶜ - Sweden, Netherlands & Denmark October 1908;
amateur  
one appearance - Ireland November 1908;

  

 
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