Harold Jarman

Harold James Jarman (born 4 May 1939) is an English former professional footballer and first-class cricketer.

He spent the majority of his lengthy footballing career with Bristol Rovers, where he is the club's third-highest goalscorer of all time and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in April 2021.

He also had a single season with each of Newport County and New York Cosmos, as well as representing several non-league football clubs, including Bristol St George, Chippenham United, Mangotsfield United, and Portway Bristol where he was player-manager.

After ending his playing career he remained in football, most notably as manager of Bristol Rovers, Bath City and Mangotsfield United.

He also held a number of coaching and scouting positions, including roles at Blackburn Rovers and Norwich City.

Harold Jarman was born on 4 May 1939 in the Cliftonwood area of Bristol to parents William and Catherine Jarman (née Harris).

Just months after Harold's birth his father contracted a viral infection that left him permanently blinded and unable to work, meaning Harold's mother had to take a number of jobs throughout his childhood as well as care for her family and husband.

He began attending Hotwells Primary School from 1944, Hotwells being a short walk from the family home, then went to Penpole School in Shirehampton for a year in 1950 before moving to the nearby Portway Boys' School in 1951.

In goal for the Devon side that day was Jarman's friend and former teammate Dick Sheppard, who was on loan from Bristol Rovers and attempting to make a comeback after being so seriously injured eleven months earlier in Jarman's 500th match.

Late in the game Sheppard conceded a penalty, which Jarman stepped up to take and scored.

The goal was little more than a consolation for Newport however as they still lost 3–2.

This was one of only two appearances Sheppard made for Torquay, and he would go on to play one more time for Rovers before finally retiring from professional football.

He only remained at Portway school for a year, and in 1952 he moved school again when he passed the entrance exam for the Bristol Technical School (Building) in the Barton Hill area of Bristol.

During his childhood Jarman showed an aptitude for both cricket and football, representing his primary school in both sports.

Between the ages of 13 and 16 he took part in coaching sessions for talented local cricketers organised by the Bristol Evening Post newspaper, with the sessions led by Gloucestershire player Len Harbin.

He was also selected for the Bristol Boys cricket team, captaining the side for two years, but although he showed a similar talent for football he was never chosen to join the Bristol Boys football team as he was considered too small for the more physical game.

Jarman's debut in senior football came in 1953, when still aged only 14 he turned out for Clifton Villa Reserves in the Bristol Downs League.

He made an immediate impact in the team, scoring four goals in an 11–1 victory.

By the time he was 16 he was playing regularly in the Clifton Villa first team alongside his brother, Bill Jarman.

After a trial with West Bromwich Albion in 1955, Harold joined Chippenham United in 1956, and played a single match for Bristol St George in 1958 before joining Victoria Athletic in the Bristol Premier Combination.

Jarman had built up a strong reputation in the local footballing community and this was recognised by Bristol Rovers, who signed him on 7 August 1959.

After signing for Bristol Rovers in the summer, Jarman made his first team debut on Boxing Day 1959 in a Football League Second Division match against Swansea Town.

Rovers won the game 3–1, thanks to two goals from Alfie Biggs and one from Geoff Bradford in front of a crowd of 16,501 at Eastville Stadium.

While he is primarily known as a footballer, he also played professional cricket in the summers throughout the 1960s, up until 1971, for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, representing the county at both first-class and List A levels.

Jarman earned himself a place in the Pirates history books in just his second season with the club, on 26 September 1960, when he scored Bristol Rovers' first ever goal in the Football League Cup.

Rovers had the honour of participating in the first game ever played in the competition when they faced First Division side Fulham in the opening round of the 1960–61 tournament.

Maurice Cook had given Fulham the lead in the 9th minute, scoring the first ever goal in the competition, but Jarman equalised seventeen minutes later to seal his place in Rovers folklore.

Geoff Bradford added a second goal for Rovers later on, giving them a shock victory over their top-flight opponents.

Throughout the 1960s Jarman was a firm favourite with the Eastville Stadium crowd and the chant "Harold, Harold" was regularly heard echoing around the ground.

To celebrate the landmark of his 500th appearance for Bristol Rovers, Jarman was handed the captain's armband for a Division Three match against Tranmere Rovers on 13 January 1973.

Bristol Rovers won the match 2–0, but the occasion was overshadowed by a serious injury to their goalkeeper Dick Sheppard who was carried off by ambulancemen following a collision with Tranmere's Eddie Loyden during the first half.

After this the game became a bad tempered affair with the Rovers players aggrieved that Loyden hadn't been sent off, leading to numerous heavy tackles and confrontations between the two teams.

It was later revealed that Sheppard had suffered a depressed fracture of the skull in the game, effectively ending his professional career.

By the time he finally left the Pirates Jarman had started 440 Football League matches, and made a further twelve appearances as a substitute, scoring 127 goals.

He has made the sixth-highest number of League appearances of anyone who has played for the club, and is the third highest scorer in the club's history.

Jarman left Bristol Rovers on 14 May 1973 and made the short move across the Severn Bridge to join Newport County, along with teammate Brian Godfrey who also made the same move.

That summer Jarman played against Bristol Rovers for his new club in a pre-season friendly.

He was on the scoresheet in a 2–2 draw that also saw some fighting break out amongst the two sets of supporters.

In December 1973 Jarman was in the Newport side that faced Torquay United in a Division Four match at Plainmoor.

At the end of the 1973–74 season though Jarman was deemed surplus to requirements at Newport and was told he could leave on a free transfer.