1960maaan Posted October 22, 2017 Posted October 22, 2017 Next up for Roger to grill is Norman Hunter. Funny one for me this, loved Hunter and nice bloke when I met him at a book signing where he signed my old City shirt. Thing is , I was a big fan of Geoff Merrick and I don't think he was ever the same after his move to LB. Still did a very good job , but not quite as good. anyway, petty moan aside , great player and nice bloke so enjoy.
BigTone Posted October 22, 2017 Posted October 22, 2017 Met Norm some years back at a Sportsman's dinner at the Cadbury club. Genuinely a really nice guy.
Southstandoriginal Posted October 22, 2017 Posted October 22, 2017 What a privilege it was watching him play for us. The most accomplished player I have seen in the red shirt.
BS15_RED Posted October 22, 2017 Posted October 22, 2017 Met him a few years back, got his book signed. In his book he said signing for City was the best decision he ever made.
wendyredredrobin Posted October 22, 2017 Posted October 22, 2017 Thought Geoff was an average LB both before and after he was a cemtre back. But as a CB with Collier, they were one of the best CB pairings in the first division. Hunter was great. Always got100% from him even if he was injured. Great off the pitch too, he lived, ate and breathed football. Remember his time here fondly as well as his Leeds and England days. Never saw Norm go for a tackle halfheartedly.
GrahamC Posted October 22, 2017 Posted October 22, 2017 Probably the best player I have ever seen play for us. I loved Gerry Gow & Tom Ritchie, but Norman was just exceptional, he kept us up that first season almost singlehandedly.
grove park city Posted October 22, 2017 Posted October 22, 2017 Always came out of the tunnel jogged down old Williams stand side giving a little wave as he headed towards the East End,we had some quality players back then and vocal support that sent a shiver down your spine.
SDBS36 Posted October 22, 2017 Posted October 22, 2017 Remember one of his 1st games for us at Derby the old baseball ground, got red carded but before he got sent off put in some of the best tackles you could wish to see
42nite Posted October 23, 2017 Posted October 23, 2017 My favourite player above all when he played for Leeds. A dream come true when he signed for us. As a sidenote, when he was at Leeds, I popped into our little shop behind the Williams and asked the woman (probably Beryl???) If she had any pictures of Norman Hunter by any chance? The short, sharp reply was cutting in its delivery....... "We wouldn't have pictures of that animal in here!" A couple of months later he signed for us..... the rest is history.
Dave L Posted October 23, 2017 Posted October 23, 2017 He was a guest in hospitality on Saturday, and I got the chance to interview him before and after the game. Referred to his time at City as the best 3 years of his life, but I think he was talking more about off-field activities :-). Had some great insights about the modern game, and some good stories about days gone by. A really nice guy too, who revelled in the warm reception he received.
cidered abroad Posted October 23, 2017 Posted October 23, 2017 Certainly among the top five or six players ever to wear the red shirt. Not in any particular order - Wedlock, Gow, Atyeo, Hunter, Moller, Derrick, Thresher. And Jacki.
BobBobSuperBob Posted October 23, 2017 Posted October 23, 2017 On 22/10/2017 at 19:03, wendyredredrobin said: Thought Geoff was an average LB both before and after he was a cemtre back. But as a CB with Collier, they were one of the best CB pairings in the first division. Hunter was great. Always got100% from him even if he was injured. Great off the pitch too, he lived, ate and breathed football. Remember his time here fondly as well as his Leeds and England days. Never saw Norm go for a tackle halfheartedly. Probably agree with you , in a City Shirt Fanatstic player Unfortunately I can recall one .......in a England shirt , in 1973 close to the benches at Wembley against Poland !!!!!
wendyredredrobin Posted October 23, 2017 Posted October 23, 2017 Haha, that eas the game in katowice where the goalkeeper, Tomasvski or something like that played a blinder and put us out or the world cup wasnt it. Shall never forget that game. I often mention it when i meet poles.
Redtrojan Posted October 23, 2017 Posted October 23, 2017 Haha you've forgotten all ready-it was most definitely another of those miserable nights at Wembley. But wasn't it cooper and then Shilton who mainly cocked up?
1960maaan Posted October 23, 2017 Author Posted October 23, 2017 1 hour ago, BobBobSuperBob said: Probably agree with you , in a City Shirt Fanatstic player Unfortunately I can recall one .......in a England shirt , in 1973 close to the benches at Wembley against Poland !!!!! I doubt he missed a tackle like that before or after that game. Come to think of it, he wouldn’t make that mistake now
handsofclay Posted October 23, 2017 Posted October 23, 2017 On 22/10/2017 at 21:11, SDBS36 said: Remember one of his 1st games for us at Derby the old baseball ground, got red carded but before he got sent off put in some of the best tackles you could wish to see That was his first game for us. I believe he was yellow carded, definitely not red carded. Think you are getting mixed up with his famous spat with Franny Lee when he last played at the Baseball Ground for Leeds the season before his move to City.
Southstandoriginal Posted October 23, 2017 Posted October 23, 2017 12 minutes ago, Redtrojan said: Haha you've forgotten all ready-it was most definitely another of those miserable nights at Wembley. But wasn't it cooper and then Shilton who mainly cocked up? Terry Cooper wasn't playing in that one it was definitely Norman who was dispossessed. He has since said he wished he'd just kicked it out.
PHILINFRANCE Posted October 23, 2017 Posted October 23, 2017 On 10/22/2017 at 20:18, GrahamC said: Probably the best player I have ever seen play for us. I loved Gerry Gow & Tom Ritchie, but Norman was just exceptional, he kept us up that first season almost singlehandedly. With just a little bit of help from Peter Cormack!
SDBS36 Posted October 23, 2017 Posted October 23, 2017 1 hour ago, handsofclay said: That was his first game for us. I believe he was yellow carded, definitely not red carded. Think you are getting mixed up with his famous spat with Franny Lee when he last played at the Baseball Ground for Leeds the season before his move to City. Think you are correct, was there that day funny how the mind plays tricks
42nite Posted October 24, 2017 Posted October 24, 2017 7 hours ago, Southstandoriginal said: Terry Cooper wasn't playing in that one it was definitely Norman who was dispossessed. He has since said he wished he'd just kicked it out. He would normally have put ball and player into row Z, but as usual with England we needed nothing less than a win. The pressure to do so was massive, the 'clown' was having the game of a lifetime, and we were doing everything but score. It was late in the game, my nails were in shreads, Norm's split second decision to keep the ball in play to help us get that goal and not give away a throw in was the wrong one. Out we went. Hindsight eh? No blame for Norm, just needed one of our many chances to trickle over the line.
Red34 Posted October 24, 2017 Posted October 24, 2017 City legend, my grandparents' favourite player - Bite Yer Legs Hunter!
GrahamC Posted October 24, 2017 Posted October 24, 2017 8 hours ago, PHILINFRANCE said: With just a little bit of help from Peter Cormack! Too true. Cormack was class. Remember at school reading we'd signed him from the truly great Liverpool side for £50k (!). Those really were the days..
Major Isewater Posted October 24, 2017 Posted October 24, 2017 One very interesting comment he made was that at home we were very strong but away from home we didn't really have the belief. I have noticed that this year , Leeds apart, we have played like an authentic Championship club and believe that no one is better than little old City . We have played with swagger and controlled games , even at Watford, as though now we have grown up and are no longer gatecrashers at some grand football party . A pleasure to watch.
Major Isewater Posted October 24, 2017 Posted October 24, 2017 1 minute ago, GrahamC said: Too true. Cornack was class. Remember at school reading we'd signed him from the truly great Liverpool side for £50k (!). Those really were the days.. He wrote a book which sheds some interesting light on our time in the First Division . Including the fact that we were one of the highest payers in the division. If memory serves he doubled his basic wage in coming here from LIVERPOOL ! We needed to pay it to get players here .
Gert Mare Posted October 24, 2017 Posted October 24, 2017 Can anyone remember which game it was when there was a bit of tika-taka going on and City weren't going anywhere? Norman, being Norman was clearly frustrated so he literally picked up the ball and charged straight through the middle and ended up thumping it straight into the back of the net. He was pure class. The players at the time agree that Norman was immense. He was in the twilight of his career when he arrived at Ashton Gate, but he was totally committed to the cause. No doubt about it, without Norman Hunter our spell in the top flight would have been much shorter. Awesome player.
cityexile Posted October 24, 2017 Posted October 24, 2017 2 hours ago, Cheesleysmate said: Can anyone remember which game it was when there was a bit of tika-taka going on and City weren't going anywhere? Norman, being Norman was clearly frustrated so he literally picked up the ball and charged straight through the middle and ended up thumping it straight into the back of the net. He was pure class. The players at the time agree that Norman was immense. He was in the twilight of his career when he arrived at Ashton Gate, but he was totally committed to the cause. No doubt about it, without Norman Hunter our spell in the top flight would have been much shorter. Awesome player. Loved him as a player. Ah, the good old days. Nowadays the ref would most likely blow for hand ball if he did that. Swine.
where's the joy Posted October 24, 2017 Posted October 24, 2017 10 hours ago, Major Isewater said: He wrote a book which sheds some interesting light on our time in the First Division . Including the fact that we were one of the highest payers in the division. If memory serves he doubled his basic wage in coming here from LIVERPOOL ! We needed to pay it to get players here . good point Major. what say you to a cormack or hunter type signing in january to add some older but skilful quality to the team?
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