Ernie Hunt
17.3.1943 -
20.6.2018
The death of former
Coventry City player Ernie Hunt means that in the space of two years
we have lost two of the most talented players of the club's early
years in the First Division. First it was Ian Gibson – 'Gibbo'
passed away in 2016 - now his partner in crime, Ernie. He was at the
club for six years and made 173 appearances for the Sky Blues,
scoring 51 goals including 'that' free-kick against Everton in 1970.
Ernie arrived a
Highfield Road on the same day as Chris Cattlin on transfer deadline
day in March 1968. He had excelled for Wolves the previous season as
they had finished runners-up to the Sky Blues and won promotion to
the top flight, but a big money (£80,000) move to Everton hadn't
worked out and Noel Cantwell, viewing him as a potential saviour for
a team looking certain to an immediate return to Division Two paid
£65,000 for him. The two new signings made their debut against
champions Manchester United the following day and helped the Sky
Blues to a famous victory over the Reds. A few weeks later, on the
final nail-biting day of that momentous season, it was impish,
bow-legged Ernie who took the ball into the corners in the final
minutes to waste time and protect a point at Southampton's Dell
knowing that it would be enough to avoid relegation.
He will for ever be
remembered for the donkey-kick double act with Willie Carr in October
1970 that helped City again beat the reigning champions, Everton this
time, a goal that deservedly won the BBC Goal of the Season but was
banned by FIFA the following summer. However my favourite memory is
of his hat-trick against West Brom in September 1968. The season
hadn't started well for City and Ernie's buddy 'Gibbo' had been out
injured and rumours swirled that Cantwell wanted to unload the
precocious Scot. On top of that Ernie had been dropped to the bench
three days earlier. Gibson and Hunt were recalled and 'Gibbo' put on
a master-class with three assists for Ernie's hat-trick in the 4-2
victory.
'Hunty' as he was known
by his team-mates quickly settled in Coventry and was swiftly
introduced to the city's drinking holes and nightspots - in those
days footballers were far less disciplined than today's abstemious
players. Ernie's exploits feature large in the stories of the club's
summer tours of that era to the West Indies and the USA.
In the Cantwell era
(1967-72), when the emphasis was very much on defence, Hunt could be
relied upon to provide the attacking flair, often ploughing a lone
furrow up front. His seemingly wide chest was capable of killing any
pass launched at him and immediately drawing admiration for his
ball-control. During that period he could always be relied upon to
entertain the crowd, either with his audacious skills or a
contretemps with a referee, usually with a smile. His playing
colleagues will tell you that he wasn't keen on training and liked to
lighten the mood at Ryton by wearing fancy dress, anything from a
gorilla mask to ladies wigs. Cantwell’s team finished sixth in
1969-70 and Ernie, playing more as a creator and provider on the
right, chipped in with nine goals including the winner as City won at
Highbury for the first time. The team qualified for the UEFA Fairs
Cup and although the Sky Blues fell at the second hurdle it was Ernie
who scored City's goal in the 6-1 debacle in Munich just weeks after
the famous donkey-kick goal. He finished as leading scorer that
season with 13 goals and again the following season with the same
number. Ernie appeared to be out of Cantwell's plans in the winter of
1971-72 but following the manager's sacking in early March he was
recalled by caretaker boss Bob Dennison and scored some vital goals
to ease relegation worries.
Following the arrival
of Joe Mercer and Gordon Milne Ernie's days were numbered and he
played a handful of games before going on loan to Doncaster and in
December 1973 he left for Second Division Bristol City. Sadly his
fitness and form deteriorated but not before he helped Bristol to a
shock FA Cup victory at Elland Road. After less than 20 games for the
Ashton Gate side he was out of league football and playing for
non-league Atherstone.
Born in war-time
Swindon, the son of Swindon speedway rider Ernie Hunt, he was
christened Roger Patrick. However growing up he was known as 'Little
Ernie' and the name stuck although some say he adopted the name Ernie
to avoid confusion with the legendary Liverpool striker with the same
name. A prodigious schoolboy footballer, he was Swindon Town's
youngest ever player when he made his debut six months after his 16th
birthday in a Third Division game at Grimsby alongside two players,
David 'Bronco' Layne and Jimmy Gauld, later implicated in football
betting scandals. After three goals from 16 games in his first season
he was an ever-present the following campaign as Bert Head's young
team which included Mike Summerbee, Don Rogers and Bobby Woodruff
started to attract interest from bigger clubs. In 1962-63 the Robins
won promotion to Division Two for the first time and Ernie was top
scorer with 27 goals. His form was recognised by England boss Alf
Ramsey who gave him three Under 23 caps but never promotion to the
full squad. He topped Swindon's scoring lists the following season
but the team were relegated in 1964-65 and Ernie was snapped up by
Wolves for £40,000. In two seasons at Molineux he netted 35 goals in
82 games and was top scorer in the 1966-67 promotion season, although
he in three games against the Sky Blues he was well shackled by Dave
Clements and failed to find the net.
In 1967-68 season he
achieved what must be unique – three visits to Craven Cottage with
different teams. On the opening day he appeared there for Wolves
then, weeks later, joined Everton and played there for the Toffees.
Finally in April he turned out for the Sky Blues there after signing
from Everton.
Life after football
wasn't kind to Ernie. His marriage broke up and he flitted between
various jobs including window cleaning (he fell off a ladder and
broke eight ribs) and running a pub ('it was like giving a match to
an arsonist' he told me). In the early 1980s he was hard up and sold
his stories of match-fixing to a Sunday newspaper. He alleged
shenanigans in vital City relegation games at Southampton and Wolves
in the early seasons in Division One and involving Leicester City's
games in 1969. Back then, at his pub, the Full Pitcher in Ledbury, he
told me with an impish grin, in his broad West Country accent, about
the Wolves game. Ernie knew most of the Wolves players from his time
at the club and allegedly offered them a financial inducement to go
easy in what was a vital game for the Sky Blues at Molineux. City led
through a stunning Hunt (who else?) goal until twenty minutes from
time when Wolves won a free-kick thirty yards out. Wolves players
were taking their time deciding who was going to take the kick when
from nowhere Peter Knowles raced up and hit a thunderbolt shot past
Bill Glazier and into the top of the net. According to Ernie the
Wolves players had not told Knowles about the 'deal'. Many of his
humorous stories appear in his excellent biography, 'Joker in the
Pack' by Chris Westcott, published in 2004.
Ernie was a regular at
Legends Days for a number of years and famously one year was getting
such a great ovation from the fans that he held up the start of the
second half, resulting in a ban on future perimeter parades by the
former players. It was clear however in his last few visits that his
health was failing, physically and mentally and after the death of
his second wife a few years ago he entered a care facility near his
Gloucester home.
He is survived by two
daughters, Nikki and Sallyann, and a stepdaughter Simone.
His former playing
colleague Chris Cattlin, who arrived at Highfield Road on the same
day, was shocked by the news of Ernie's passing.
“I
became very good friends with Hunty over the years,” said Cattlin,
“My
memories of Ernie are that he was a tremendous player and tremendous
professional footballer. He played the game with a smile on his face.
He was a character but through the laughter and the joking he was a
proper man, and certainly a proper footballer. Whenever I think of
him I get a smile on my face. He
was a great footballer and a great geezer.”
RIP
Ernie
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