Harold Hardman

Harold Payne Hardman ( born April 4, 1882 in Kirkmanshulme, † June 9, 1965 in Sale ) was an English football player and Olympic gold medalist of 1908.

Sports career

The diminutive Hardman learned to play football during his school days at the Blackpool High School. Due to its very slight build, he focused the training on its strengths, which were in a great speed, agility and good footwork. He acted mostly in the position of left winger and was from then on as an amateur move, although he would later also act for many professional clubs.

His first significant station in club football should then be the turn of the century the FC Blackpool. The big breakthrough came in but only at Everton, for whom he played from 1903 and was able to win in the club's history in 1906, the first FA Cup. It should thus be only one of three amateur players in the 20th century, who succeeded the gain of this trophy.

Two years later he won the English amateur national team for the United Kingdom, the gold medal at the Olympic football tournament in London in 1908. Overall, he came across this selection of ten amateur matches and completed in addition between 1905 and 1908 four caps for the England national team. It is worth noting was mainly his only goal for England in the domestic Goodison Park when Ireland was defeated on February 16, 1907 at the British Home Championship 1-0. Hardman later played briefly for Manchester United, Bradford City and Stoke, where he ultimately in 1913 ended his career.

At the same time, he took an official position at Manchester United, which he held until 1931 and again from 1934. In addition to his commitment to Manchester, which lasted until his death at the age of 83, he was also a council member of the Football Association, as well as treasurer and chairman of the Football Association in Lancashire ( " Lancashire Football Association ").

Achievements

• Olympic gold medalist: 1908
• FA Cup winner: 1906