Alan Hardaker

Hardaker's education began at Constable Street Elementary School in Hull, and from there he was awarded a scholarship to Riley High School, leaving in 1928 with qualifications in typing and shorthand. He initially went into the family removals and haulage business, until he was sacked in 1929 by his own father for playing dominoes instead of working. He was able to use his qualifications to find immediate employment as an office junior in the Town Clerk's department at the Hull Guildhall. He met Irene Mundy when he was 17 and she was a year younger. They married eight years later in North Ferriby church. They would go on to have four daughters and many grandchildren. He had first taken up playing football at the high school, and so joined Municipal Sports, the Guildhall team. He was sent off on one occasion during his time with them, for retaliation. Playing in the centre forward position, he scored 100 goals in three seasons, although he claimed that most of these were only possible due to the quality of those playing alongside him. After moving on to East Riding County League champions Beverley White Star (now defunct), he was invited by Hull City to play for their reserve side against Bradford Park Avenue Reserves. He had been converted to full back by this time, and that was the position he took up for the Hull City Reserves. From then on, he played for one or other of the teams on a regular basis for the next three seasons. In 1935, he captained the East Riding County…

Following his return to Britain, Hardaker fulfilled the temporary position of clerk to the Education Committee back at Hull Guildhall, due to his previous job being already occupied. When he was refused permission to resume his post as Lord Mayor's secretary in Hull, he applied for an identical appointment in Portsmouth and was successful at interview. He and his young family moved there in August 1946. In 1950, he was removed from the active list of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve at his own request. In 1951, Portsmouth manager Bob Jackson got in touch with Hardaker to say that Fred Howarth, the Football League secretary, was considering retiring from the job, and recommended that he apply. Vernon Stokes, the chairman of Portsmouth at that time, also urged him to apply. Stokes later became chairman of the Football Association Disciplinary Committee. Seen to be answering an advertisement in The Daily Telegraph newspaper inviting applications, he sent his application to the Football League headquarters in Starkie Street, Preston. The Management Committee of the League drew up a shortlist of six candidates, which included Hardaker, from an initial response of 410 applicants. On 1 May 1951, he accepted the invitation to replace Howarth, although this was not to formally happen for another five and a half years, due to the seeming reluctance of Howarth to actually retire. Hardaker took up a junior position during this period, at a much-reduced salary and receiving only a small…

On 12 June 1971 he was made a civil Officer of the Order of the British Empire, in recognition of his services to the League.