Roger Hunt

Born in Glazebury, Lancashire, on July 20, 1938, Roger Hunt began his football career with youth clubs and local teams like Stockton Heath and Devizes Town. His professional journey truly began in 1958 when he was signed by Liverpool F.C. under manager Phil Taylor. Hunt quickly established himself as a forward with a natural ability to score goals. His debut for Liverpool in September 1959 saw him score in a 2-0 victory against Scunthorpe United, marking the beginning of a remarkable career at the club. Mentored by manager Bill Shankly, who arrived shortly after his debut, Hunt became a central figure in Liverpool’s success during the 1960s, playing a crucial role in their promotion to the First Division in 1962.

Hunt’s career with Liverpool spanned eleven years, during which he became the club’s record goalscorer with 285 goals across all competitions, a record that stood for 23 years until surpassed by Ian Rush. He remains Liverpool’s record league goalscorer with 244 goals. During his time at Anfield, Hunt was instrumental in winning two First Division league titles in 1963–64 and 1965–66, and the club’s first-ever FA Cup in 1965. His significant accomplishments extended to the international stage as a key member of the England national team, earning 34 caps and scoring 18 goals. He participated in the 1962 FIFA World Cup and was a vital part of the England squad that famously won the 1966 FIFA World Cup on home soil, playing in all six matches and scoring three goals.

After leaving Liverpool in 1969, Hunt joined Bolton Wanderers and later had a loan spell with Hellenic F.C. in South Africa before retiring from professional football in 1972. Beyond his playing career, he joined his brother in the family’s haulage business, Hunt Brothers. His contributions to football were further recognized with an MBE in 2000 for his World Cup achievement and his induction into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2006. He was also voted 13th in Liverpool’s ‘100 Players Who Shook the Kop’ and made an Honorary Freeman of the Borough of Warrington in 2016. Hunt passed away on September 27, 2021, at the age of 83.