Town) of the East Riding Amateur League, and then moved to the Yorkshire Amateur Football Club in the Yorkshire League. Second World War Both his sporting career and his professional life were interrupted by the imminent outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, and in his official capacity as Lord Mayor's secretary he was asked to help start the Humber Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) in readiness for hostilities. He joined them on 12 June 1939, as a payroll lieutenant initially assigned to the light cruiser moored in Hull docks. However, after the war began, he was transferred to , based at Scapa Flow, and saw service on the "Northern Patrol", which protected convoys of Allied ships from German vessels sent to attack. In 1942, after subsequently serving on , he became a lieutenant commander, and transferred, this time to the de-commissioned torpedo training ship secured at Eastbourne. He then received a posting to Australia as supply officer to HMS Alert, a shore-based camp in Sydney, and in December 1944 moved on to HMS Golden Hind, a Royal Navy manning depot, also in Sydney. Whilst in that country, he was able to find the time to resume his sporting career, captaining the Royal Navy football side in organised matches for a single season. Hardaker remained in Australia until the end of the war, eventually deciding to retire from playing at the age of 34. Post-war career For a short while after returning to Great Britain, Hardaker fulfilled the temporary position of clerk to the Education Committee back at the 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, the then 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 F.C. at that time, also urged him to put in for it. Stokes later became chairman of the Football Association Disciplinary Committee. Seen to be answering an advertisement in The Daily Telegraph