Norman Hunter (footballer) - Career As A Player

Career As A Player

Initially an inside forward, Hunter was moulded by Leeds into a central defender who made the No. 6 shirt his own in 14 years with the club he joined at the age of 15, giving up a job as an electrical fitter in the process. He had been spotted playing for his local amateur side. He made his first-team debut in 1962, forming a partnership at the back with Jack Charlton which lasted for a decade. Leeds were promoted as Second Division champions in 1964 and a year later came very close to the "double" of League championship and FA Cup with Hunter to the fore. However, they lost the title to Manchester United on goal average and were beaten 2–1 by Liverpool in the FA Cup final, though Hunter's accurate long pass into the Liverpool area started the move which led to Billy Bremner's goal.

Hunter made his debut for the England team in 1965, but the partnership between Charlton and Bobby Moore meant that he spent much of his international career as an understudy, winning 28 caps in total. He was in the squad which won the 1966 World Cup but never kicked a ball. In the 1966 World Cup final only the 11 players on the pitch at the end of the 4–2 win over West Germany received medals. Following a Football Association led campaign to persuade FIFA to award medals to all the winners’ squad members, Hunter was presented with his medal by Gordon Brown at a ceremony at 10 Downing Street on 10 June 2009.

Hunter picked up a medal as Leeds won the League Cup and their first European honour with the Fairs Cup (later UEFA Cup) in 1968. A year later he won his first title medal and then in 1970 he was part of the team which sought a unique "treble", but won nothing. Hunter spent a short part of the 1970 season injured but he was in Alf Ramsey's squad for the summer's World Cup in Mexico, coming on as a substitute in the 3–2 defeat by West Germany.

In the 1971 FA Cup, Leeds lost to Colchester United by 3–2 in the fifth round. They were 3–0 up and Hunter scored one of Leeds' goals as they attempted a comeback.

In May 1972, Hunter's joy as he fought the Leeds cause was captured in a photograph. His defensive position meant that he was at the opposite end of the pitch to Clarke when the Leeds striker launched his diving header – Hunter, like most central defenders, only went forward for set-pieces or when running with the ball at his feet. A photographer behind the Leeds goal, at the opposite end to Clarke, captured the moment as Hunter leapt high in the air in celebration with arms and legs spread, as if in the midst of a star-jump. Leeds won 1–0 and Hunter had his first FA Cup winners' medal. At the end of the game, Hunter climbed the steps to the Royal box twice – once to collect his own medal, and then again to help the badly injured Jones negotiate his way up and down. Jones had been receiving treatment for a dislocated elbow while his team-mates had been getting their prizes.

1973 saw further defeats in Finals, as Leeds lost in the F.A. Cup Final to Sunderland, and then a few days later to AC Milan in the now defunct European Cup Winners Cup. This match is one of a series of matches involving Italian Clubs that are regarded as being "fixed", by Dezso Solti. Hunter was sent-off in this match for retaliation.

Months earlier, Hunter was in the England team which needed to win their last qualifying tie for the 1974 World Cup in West Germany. The opposition at Wembley were Poland on 17 October 1973 who just needed a draw. It was 0–0 when Hunter raced across to the touchline to make a tackle but trod on the ball and lost it. Poland quickly made a counter attack and took the lead. Clarke equalised with a penalty but England could not get past Tomaszewski from open play and a 1–1 draw saw them miss out on a place at the World Cup. Another famous photograph from Hunter's career was one of him in an inconsolable state being led off the pitch by Bobby Moore, whose place in the side he had taken. Moore himself had made a similar mistake when England had lost 2–0 in Poland that May.

Hunter was the very first winner of the PFA Players' Player of the Year award, receiving it at the end of the 1973–74 season when he also picked up his second league title winner's medal.

Hunter had a new defensive partner for the next season with Leeds, with Gordon McQueen taking the No. 5 shirt made famous by Charlton. Leeds started the season with a 29-match unbeaten run, which led them to the title. Hunter was in the League for a fifth season and the departure of manager Revie to the England job meant that Hunter's own international career continued through to 1975, even though many expected him to be axed after his error against Poland.

His nickname "Bites yer legs" stemmed from his strength in the tackle. When Hunter himself suffered a broken leg, club trainer Les Cocker was informed that "Hunter had broken a leg" and responded with "whose is it?" .