Hardy’s shirt recreated by Knit and Natter group

A replica shirt similar to the one worn by former Chesterfield FC and England goalkeeper Sam Hardy has been created by the Trust’s Knit and Natter participant, Ann Ole’s. Ann is one of Sam Hardy’s three granddaughters, along with June Hardy and Jacqueline Jameson.

Ann was approached by the Chesterfield FC Heritage Group to create the replica shirt, in the hope of possessing shirts of all three goalkeepers who have represented both Chesterfield and the England senior national team: Sam Hardy, Gordon Banks and Aaron Ramsdale.

Newbold-born Hardy made his England debut on February 16, 1907, in a 1-0 win over Ireland, just two years after leaving Chesterfield for Liverpool in 1905.

Talking about how the project started, Ann said: “That was actually instigated by the Heritage Group, and it more or less stemmed from there.”

Debbie Dance, who runs the Trust’s Knit and Natter group, added: “Pete Whiteley came to us and said that they’ve got goalkeeper shirts for Gordon Banks and Aaron Ramsdale.

“However, we haven’t got the shirt from when Sam Hardy played, so Pete found a picture and gave it to Ann to cross-reference the picture with the pattern book. She went away, got on and knitted it.”

Ann was presented with a certificate from the Chesterfield FC Former Players Association (FPA), displaying Hardy’s Football League debut number (#59).

Upon finishing the project and receiving the certificate from the FPA, Ann said: “It is absolutely amazing, it’s made all of the work worthwhile, and it shows that it’s appreciated as well.

“It’s taken some time, some effort, some undoing and some swearing, but it’s been a great project to work on with Debbie [Dance].”

Speaking about how long the project took to complete, Ann explained: “It’s got to be at least six months because we have been working on other projects at the same time, so it’s not been a continuous job.

“I’m so, so pleased. I am thoroughly over the moon with the way it’s transpired and how it’s all come together, and actually how much it looks like the original photo that Pete gave to us.”