England Football Online
Goalkeepers Index Page Last Updated
12 August 2025
 
 

Sam Hardy

 Liverpool FC, Aston Villa FC

21 appearances, 25 goals against
7 clean sheets, 2 penalties conceded, 1 penalty saved

P 21 W 12 D 5 L 4 F 51: A 25
69% successful

1907-20

captain: none
minutes played:
1890

Timeline

  Sam Hardy
Birth Saturday, 26 August 1882 at Back Lane, Newbold, Chesterfield, Derbyshire
  registered as Sam in Chesterfield October-December 1882
Baptism Tuesday, 2 January 1883 in Newbold
 

According to the 1891 census, Sam is the fifth of seven children to Thomas and Hannah (née Fidler). They live at Highfield Road in Newbold, Chesterfield. His father is a coal miner.

 

According to the 1901 census, Sam is still one of four and still with their parents. Sam has joined his father in becoming a coal mine hewer. They live in Newbold.
His father died on 2 July 1901

Marriage to Maria Cannon, in late 1908 at Chesterfield Register Office, Derbyshire
  registered as Sam in Chesterfield October-December 1908
Children Sam and Maria Hardy have three sons together. Arthur (b.25 April 1909), Sam (b.June 1911) and Colin (b.3 August 1917).
 

According to the 1911 census, Sam, a professional footballer for Liverpool FC, is married to Marie, with one son, Arthur. They live in 14 Prospect Terrace, in Brockwell, Chesterfield.

L9639 Ordinary Seaman Hardy joined the Royal Navy on 30 October 1916 and was subsequently posted to HM Naval Base Devonport in Plymouth for training. On 28 July 1917, Hardy was appointed to the A-Class destroyer HMS Opossum, which would serve in home waters for the duration of the war. Four months later, Hardy escaped injury when the Opossum’s bridge was badly damaged by enemy fire in the English Channel. On 1 March 1918, he returned to HMNB Devonport where he would remain until 8 May 1918 when he was discharged - Football and the First World War.
 

According to the 1921 census, Sam is an out-of-contract professional football last employed by Aston Villa FC. He is still married and has two more children, both sons, Sam and Colin. They live at 48 Newbold Back Lane in Chesterfield

"Sam Hardy, who kept goal for England on eighteen occasions, was conveyed to a Nursing Home at Chesterfield yesterday suffering from an attack of meningitis. He was taken ill at Nottingham, but managed to get to his home at Newbold, where he was seen by a specialist." - The Devon and Exeter Gazette, Saturday, 3 October 1925
"The condition of Sam Hardy, who is lying dangerously ill in a nursing home at Chesterfield, has undergone no appreciable change." - Derby Daily Telegraph, Monday, 5 October 1925
"Sam Hardy has made such good progess towards recovery that he will probably leave Chesterfield for his home to-morrow. He has been a patient in the nursing home at Chesterfield for six days, but may now be said to be out of danger. It appears that Hardy had been indisposed from an attack of meningitis, but, taken in its incipient stages, it has, it is hoped, been successfully overcome." - Portsmouth Evening News, Wednesday, 7 October 1925
"Sam Hardy has now been removed from the nursing home to which he was taken and is back in his home on the outskirts of Chesterfield. It is understood that he is suffering from a slight fracture of the base of the skull." - Yorkshire Post, Monday, 12 October 1925
  His mother died on 31 July 1927.
According to the 1939 register, Sam, a Billiard Hall proprietor, remains married to Maria, living at 6 Sherwood Street in Alfreton, with their son, Colin.
Death Monday, 24 October 1966, at 4 West View Road in Chesterfield, Derbyshire
aged 84 years 59 days registered as Sam in Chesterfield October-December 1966

Obituary

 
Funeral October 1966, in Chesterfield Crematorium, where his ashes are scattered.
Probate "HARDY Sam of 4 West View Road Chesterfield died 24 October 1966 Administration London 2 January to Maria Hardy widow. £4384." [2025 equivalent: £71,461].
Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990], granddaughter, Melanie Cooper &

Playing Career


Club(s)
Began his junior career with local side Newbold White Star FC, before joining Chesterfield Town FC in April 1903, despite interest from Derby County FC.  Liverpool FC signed Hardy in May 1905 for £500. Joined Aston Villa FC on 17 June 1912. During the war, he guested for Villa, Plymouth Argyle FC, Nottingham Forest FC and the Royal Navy. After his discharge on 17 September 1912, Hardy returned to Villa for a number of years, until Forest announced his transfer on 17 June 1921, although it was not until 18 August until the contract was sealed. Hardy kept goal until retired in 1925 because of injury, shortly before his fortieth birthday.

League honours
551 appearances
Chesterfield Town FC 1903-05 71 appearances
debut (division two): 10 April 1903 Woolwich Arsenal FC 3 Chesterfield Town FC 0.
Liverpool FC 1905-12 219 appearances
debut: 21 October 1905 Liverpool FC 4 Nottingham Forest FC 1.
Aston Villa FC 1912-21 159 appearances
debut: 2 September 1912 Aston Villa FC 1 Chelsea FC 0.
Nottingham Forest FC 1921-24 102 appearances
debut (division two): 27 August 1921 Crystal Palace FC 4 Nottingham Forest FC 1.
last: 4 October 1924 Nottingham Forest FC 1 Newcastle United FC 1.

Club honours
The Sheriff of London's Charity Shield winners 1906;
Football League Division One Champions
1905-06 (30ᵃ), runners-up 1909-10 (32ᵃ), 1912-13 (33ᵃ), 1913-14 (30ᵃ); Division Two winners 1921-22 (32ᵃ);
FA Cup winners
1912-13 (6ᵃ), 1919-20 (6ᵃ);
Individual honours Football League (ten appearances)
Distinctions None
Height/Weight 5' 9¼", 12st. 0lbs [1913].
Source

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

England Career

Player number One of five who became 321st players (321) to appear for England. 36th goalkeeper to appear.
Position(s) Goalkeeper
First match No. 89, 16 February 1907, England 1 Ireland 0, a British Championship match at Goodison Park, Walton, Liverpool, aged 24 years 174 days.
Last match No. 122, 10 April 1920, England 5 Scotland 4, a British Championship match at Hillsborough, Sheffield, aged 37 years 228 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1906-07, 1907-08, 1908-09, 1909-10, 1911-12, 1912-13, 1913-14, 1919-20;
Team honours British Championship shared 1907-08, 1911-12, winners 1908-09, 1912-13;
Individual honours England victory Internationals (three appearances)

Distinctions
Hardy was considered the best goalkeeper of his generation. In fact, he would have gone on to win more appearances beyond 1920 if he had not refused to go on FA's tour of South Africa in the 1920 summer. However, he still managed to become the most appearanced goalkeeper between 1910 and 1935.
He is the oldest goalkeeper to face a penalty, he was 37 years and 203 days old when Wales' Stanley Davies scored his on 15 March 1920.
He was the youngest for a while too, aged 26 years and 279 days, when he faced Austria's penalty on 1 June 1909. That particular record was broken in April 1936.
Died 22 days after Fred Titmuss.

Beyond England

A life-long resident of Chesterfield where he was a hotel proprietor. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.119/20.


The Numbers
parties Apps comp
apps
minutes Goals
Against
GA Av.
min
Comp GA Clean
Sheets
Cln
Sht Av
captain
22 21 18 1890 25 76 min 20 7 33% 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
21 12 5 4 51 25 +26 2 7 2.429 1.19 69.05 +8
 
Venue Record
 

Venue P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home 10 6 2 2 18 11 +7 1 5 1.80 1.10 70.0 +4
Away 11 6 3 2 33 14 +19 1 2 3.00 1.273 68.2 +4
 
Competition Record

Competition P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
British Championship 18 9 5 4 31 20 +11 2 7 1.722 1.111 63.9 +5
Friendly 3 3 0 0 20 5 +15 0 0 6.667 1.667 100.0 +3

Opposition Record

Opposition P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Scotland                          
Wales                          
Ireland                          
Hungary                          
Austria                          

Tournament Record

British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1906-07 3 1 2 0 3 2 +1 0 1 1.00 0.667 66.7 +1
BC 1907-08 1 0 1 0 1 1 =0 0 0 1.00 1.00 50.0 =0
BC 1908-09 3 3 0 0 8 0 +8 0 3 2.667 0.00 100.0 +3
BC 1909-10 3 1 1 1 2 3 -1 1 1 0.667 1.00 50.0 =0
BC 1911-12 1 1 0 0 6 1 +5 0 0 6.00 1.00 100.0 +1
BC 1912-13 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 0 1 1.00 0.00 100.0 +1
BC 1913-14 3 1 0 2 3 6 -3 1 1 1.00 2.00 33.3 -1
BC 1919-20 3 1 1 1 7 7 =0 0 0 2.333 2.333 50.0 =0
BC All 18 9 5 4 31 20 +11 2 7 1.722 1.111 63.9 +5

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 18 9 5 4 31 20 +11 2 7 1.722 1.111 63.9 +5
18 9 5 4 31 20 +11 2 7 1.722 1.111 63.9 +5

Match History

 Club: Liverpool F.C. - fourteen full appearances (1260 min) 12ᵍᵃ F.A. International Select Committee - 21 full appearances (1890 min) 25ᵍᵃx

apps match match details comp res. rundown pos

Age 24
1 89 16 February 1907 - England 1 Ireland 0
Goodison Park, Liverpool
BC HW   gk

one of five who became the 321st player (321) to appear for England
the fifth player from Liverpool FC to represent England
the 36th goalkeeper to play for England - 22nd competitive

2 90 27 March 1907 - England 1 Wales 1
Craven Cottage, Fulham
BC HD   gk
3 91 6 April 1907 - England 1 Scotland 1
St. James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne
BC HD   gk
 

Age 25
93 16 March 1908 - Wales 1 England 7, Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff, BC AW withdrawn
4 94 4 April 1908 - Scotland 1 England 1
Hampden Park, Glasgow
BC AD   gk
 

Age 26
5 99 13 February 1909 - England 4 Ireland 0
Horton Park Avenue, Bradford
BC HW   gk
6 100 15 March 1909 - England 2 Wales 0
City Ground, Nottingham
BC HW   gk
7 101 3 April 1900 - England 2 Scotland 0
Sports Arena, Crystal Palace
BC HW late gk
8 102 29 May 1909 - Hungary 2 England 4
Millenáris Sportpálya, Buda-Pesth

tour
AW   gk
9 103 31 May 1909 - Hungary 2 England 8
Millenáris Sportpálya, Buda-Pesth
AW gk
10 104 1 June 1909 - Austria 1 England 8
Hohe Warte Stadion, Wien
AW ? gk

Age 27
11 105 12 February 1910 - Ireland 1 England 1
Solitude Ground, Belfast
BC AD   gk
MST GK APS 14 March 1910 - Wales 0 England 1
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
BC AW   gk
12 106
13 107 2 April 1910 - Scotland 2 England 0
Hampden Park, Glasgow
BC AL   gk
 

Age 29
14 111 10 February 1912 - Ireland 1 England 6
Dalymount Park, Dublin
BC AW   gk
 

 Club: Aston Villa F.C. - seven full appearances (630 min) 13ᵍᵃ  

Age 30
15 116 5 April 1913 - England 1 Scotland 0
Stamford Bridge, Fulham
BC HW   gk

the 22nd player from Aston Villa FC to represent England
Age 31
16 117 14 February 1914 - England 0 Ireland 3
Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough
BC HL   gk
17 118 16 March 1914 - Wales 0 England 2
Ninian Park, Cardiff
BC AW   gk
18 119 4 April 1914 - Scotland 3 England 1
Hampden Park, Glasgow
BC AL   gk
 
Age 37
19 120 25 October 1919 - Ireland 1 England 1
Windsor Park, Belfast
BC AD   gk
20 121 15 March 1920 - England 1 Wales 2
Arsenal Stadium, Highbury
BC HL 14 gk
21 122 10 April 1920 - England 5 Scotland 4
Hillsborough, Sheffield
BC HW   gk
 


  

 
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