[1] He is the first player to score five goals in a football league match when Notts County beat Burnley on 27 October 1888.
Another source states he was Robert Joseph and born in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1865 but, on the balance of evidence, Jardine had no middle name.
Jardine, playing at centre–forward, made his Notts County and League debut on 15 September 1888 at Anfield, the then home of Everton.
Jardine did not stay long as Derby County a local club in the Football League signed him, probably in the Autumn of 1889.
Jardine was either dropped or injured, it is not clear but before the end of 1889 he had left Derby County and signed for Nottingham Forest.
Jardine arrived at Nottingham Forest towards the end of 1889, midway through the club's campaign in the newly formed Football Alliance.
[10] Although Jardine was at Nottingham Forest for a short time he seemed to develop an affinity for the club even though his great achievements were made at Notts County.
A source has revealed that when Jardine stopped playing he was employed at Nottingham Forest over a very long period of time.
On 11 December 1937 a journalist working for the Football Post reported seeing Jardine in the crowd at Meadow Lane, Nottingham, when Notts County were playing Northampton Town.