Хантер, Норман

Норман Хантер (родился 29 октября 1943 года в Эйтон-Бэнкс, Гейтсхед, Англия) - бывший английский футболист, в 1960-х - 1970-х годах выступавший за клуб «Лидс Юнайтед», чемпион мира 1966 года (медаль получил в 2007 году).. В 1998 году был включен в число ста лучших игроков Футбольной лиги Англии за всю ее историю. Был известен своим отбором мяча.

Карьера

Хантер начал карьеру футболиста в клубе «Лидс Юнайтед» в возрасте пятнадцати лет и отыграл за клуб 14 сезонов. Впоследствии бросил работу электрика ради футбола. Начиналась его карьера в любительском составе. Дебютировал в основном составе в 1962 году.

Начинал играть на позиции оттянутого форварда, однако в «Лидс Юнайтед» он перешел на позицию центрального защитника. После того матча стал игровым партнером Джека Чарльтона на десятилетие. В 1964 году «Лидс» вышел в Первый дивизион Футбольной лиги после победы во Второй лиге и спустя год был очень близок к тому, чтобы сделать «золотой дубль», выиграв в одном сезоне и чемпионат, и кубок Англии, однако они уступили титул чемпионов клубу «Манчестер Юнайтед» по разнице забитых и пропущенных мячей и финале Кубка Англии проиграли «Ливерпулю» со счетом 1-2, хотя точный пас Хантера Билли Бремнеру и привел к голу в ворота мерсисайдцев.

Дебютировал в составе сборной в 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.

В пятом раунде розыгрыша Кубка Англии 1971 года «Лидс» проиграл клубу «Колчестер Юнайтед» со счетом 2-3. По ходу матча «Лидс» проигрывал со счетом 0-3. Хантер забил один мяч.

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 shoulder 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.

Хантер стал первым обладателем титула «Игрок года» по версии игроков Футбольной ассоциации Англии, получив приз в конце сезона 1973-74. В том же сезоне Хантер во второй раз стал чемпионом лиги.

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, and when Hunter himself suffered a broken leg, club trainer Les Cocker asked «Whose is it?» when he was informed that Hunter had «broken a leg».[1]

После завершения карьеры

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 married Sue on 11 June 1968. They had a son and daughter and two grandchildren.

Достижения

England

• World Cup: 1966

Leeds United

• Football League First Division: 1968–69, 1973–74
• Football League Second Division: 1963–64
• FA Cup: 1972
• League Cup: 1968
• FA Charity Shield: 1969
• Inter-Cities Fairs Cup: 1968, 1971

Ссылки

• Профиль игрока на сайте englandstats.com
• Шаблон:Soccerbase (manager)