Norman Hunter (footballer)

Norman Hunter (born 29 October 1943) is an English former footballer who played for Leeds United, Bristol City, Barnsley and England.

He was part of the 1966 FIFA World Cup winning squad, receiving a winners medal in 2007.^[1] He has since been included in the Football League 100 Legends. Known for his tackling, he was nicknamed "Bites Yer Legs" Hunter. The nickname originated from a banner held up by Leeds United fans at the 1972 F.A. Cup final against Arsenal; the banner simply read "Norman bites yer legs". Brian Clough effectively popularised the nickname by referring to it during the pre-match discussion in the TV studio.

Leeds United

Hunter joined Leeds at the age of 15, giving up a job as an electrical fitter in the process. 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 close to the "double" of League championship and FA Cup; however, they lost the title to Manchester United on goal average and were beaten 2–1 by Liverpool in the FA Cup final.

Hunter picked up winner's medals as Leeds won the League Cup, the Fairs Cup in 1968 and 1971, and the League Championship in 1969.

In 1972, Leeds won the FA Cup via a goal from Allan Clarke. Hunter's joy at the goal was captured in a photograph; his defensive position meant that he was at the opposite end of the pitch to Clarke, and a photographer behind the Leeds goal 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. 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 Mick Jones negotiate his way up and down, as Jones had been receiving treatment for a dislocated elbow while his team-mates had been getting their prizes.

1973 saw defeats in two finals, as Leeds lost in the FA Cup Final to Sunderland, and then a few days later to AC Milan in the 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.

In 1974, Hunter was the first winner of the PFA Players' Player of the Year award, receiving it at the end of the 1973–74 season.

Hunter had a new defensive partner for the next season with Leeds, playing alongside Gordon McQueen. Leeds started the season with a 29-match unbeaten run, which led them to the title. He was a member of the Leeds side that reached the 1975 European Cup Final, which Leeds lost 2–0.

Bristol City

After 540 Football League appearances for Leeds, Hunter signed for Bristol City on 28 October 1976 for £40,000, and remained there for three years, making 108 appearances and scoring 4 goals. His final game for Bristol City was against Leeds United.

Barnsley

In June 1979 Hunter joined Barnsley as a player and made 31 appearances before finally retiring from playing in January 1983.

Managerial career

Hunter was appointed Barnsley manager on 16 September 1980 after Clarke left to take over as manager at Leeds United. That season, Hunter took Barnsley to second in the Third Division in the 1980/81 season. Barnsley finished sixth the following season and if not for a poor run in February could have been promoted. At the end of that season though the side began to break up and whilst they got to the fifth round of the FA Cup the following season they could only finish 11th. In 1983–1984 the team struggled after a fairly good start, and with the team fifth from bottom Hunter was sacked on 8 February 1984. A week after that he became a first team coach at West Bromwich Albion until June 1985.

In June 1985 Hunter moved to Rotherham United, but he could not replicate the success that he achieved at Barnsley in the early years, and was sacked on 9 December 1987.

His final foray into management came in September and October 1988 when he made a return to Leeds as caretaker following the sacking of his former Leeds team mate Billy Bremner. His reign lasted a mere three games before Howard Wilkinson was appointed as full-time manager. In 1989 he became a coach at Bradford City but was sacked in February 1990.

International career

Hunter made his debut for the England team in 1965, but the existing partnership between Jack 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.

Hunter scored the winning goal against Spain in England's quarter-final qualifying round for the 1968 European Championships, he then started in both the 1–0 semi final defeat to Yugoslavia and the 2–0 victory over the Soviet Union in the bronze medal match. He 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, however his only appearance in the tournament was coming on as a late substitute in the 3–2 defeat by West Germany.

In 1973, 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, who just needed a draw to qualify at England's expense. It was 0–0 when Hunter went to make a tackle, but instead trod on the ball and lost it. Poland quickly made a counterattack and scored. Allan Clarke equalised with a penalty but England could not score again, and the 1–1 draw saw them miss out on a place at the World Cup. Another photograph from Hunter's career was one of him in an inconsolable state being led off the pitch by Harold Shepherdson and 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 on 6 June that year.

Post-playing and managerial career

Hunter turned to the after-dinner circuit recounting his anecdotes, and since 1993 has worked for local station BBC Radio Leeds and Yorkshire Radio as a summariser at Leeds games.

In 1998, the Football League, as part of its centenary season celebrations, included Hunter on its list of 100 League Legends.

Hunter released his autobiography, Biting Talk, in 2004.

He has been married to his wife Susan since 11 June 1968. They have a son and daughter and two grandchildren.

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.^[2]

In 2009, he was portrayed by actor Mark Cameron in the film The Damned United which was centred on Brian Clough's ill fated 44-day spell as Leeds United manager in 1974.^[3]

In 1993, he helped teach children to play football at Beechwood Primary School in Leeds.

Miscellaneous

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?" .

Career statistics

^[4]

References

External links

• Norman Hunter England profile at Englandstats
• Norman Hunter management career statistics at Soccerbase

England squads
England squad – 1966 FIFA World Cup winners (1st title) 1 Banks 2 Cohen 3 Wilson 4 Stiles 5 J. Charlton 6 Moore (c) 7 Ball 8 Greaves 9 R. Charlton 10 Hurst 11 Connelly 12 Springett 13 Bonetti 14 Armfield 15 Byrne 16 Peters 17 Flowers 18 Hunter 19 Paine 20 Callaghan 21 Hunt 22 Eastham Coach: Ramsey England squad – UEFA Euro 1968 third place 1 Banks 2 Newton 3 Wilson 4 Mullery 5 Labone 6 Moore (c) 7 Ball 8 Hunt 9 R. Charlton 10 Hurst 11 Peters 12 Stepney 13 West 14 Knowles 15 J. Charlton 16 Wright 17 Stiles 18 Summerbee 19 Hunter 20 Bell 21 Greaves 22 Thompson Coach: Ramsey England squad – 1970 FIFA World Cup 1 Banks 2 Newton 3 Cooper 4 Mullery 5 Labone 6 Moore (c) 7 Lee 8 Ball 9 R. Charlton 10 Hurst 11 Peters 12 Bonetti 13 Stepney 14 Wright 15 Stiles 16 Hughes 17 J. Charlton 18 Hunter 19 Bell 20 Osgood 21 Clarke 22 Astle Coach: Ramsey