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 F.C. 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 newspaper inviting applications, he duly submitted his curriculum vitae to the then Football League headquarters in Starkie Street, Preston, Lancashire. The Management Committee of the League drew up a shortlist of six candidates, which included Alan 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 the outgoing secretary to actually retire. Hardaker took up a junior position during this period, at a much reduced salary and receiving only a small pay rise each year thereafter. He later indicated in his autobiography that he felt "badly let down by Arthur Drewry", the League President at that time.
Eventually, on 5 July 1955, a little more than four years after he had been taken on, he was confirmed as assistant secretary to Fred Howarth. Hardaker had used the intervening time to read every archived document since 1888 which related to the League and its business, and was better prepared to take on the top job.
On New Year's Eve in 1956, Howarth deposited his work keys on Alan Hardaker's desk and left the building for the last time, after 23 years service. On 6 January 1957 Hardaker was appointed by the Management Committee as the new Football League secretary.
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