Willie Hunter (footballer, born 1940) explained

Willie Hunter
Fullname:William Hunter
Birth Date:1940 2, df=y
Birth Place:Edinburgh, Scotland
Position:Inside forward
Youthclubs1:Edinburgh Norton
Years1:1957–1967
Caps1:228
Goals1:43
Clubs1:Motherwell
Years2:1967–1968
Caps2:23
Goals2:4
Clubs2:Detroit Cougars
Years3:1967
Caps3:0
Goals3:0
Clubs3:Glentoran (loan)
Years4:1968–1971
Caps4:12
Goals4:1
Clubs4:Hibernian
Years5:1971
Caps5:21
Goals5:2
Clubs5:Hellenic
Years6:1972–1975
Clubs6:Cape Town City
Nationalyears1:1958–1960[1]
Nationalteam1:Scottish League XI
Nationalcaps1:4
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:1959–1962[2]
Nationalteam2:Scotland U23
Nationalcaps2:4
Nationalgoals2:1
Nationalyears3:1960
Nationalteam3:Scotland
Nationalcaps3:3
Nationalgoals3:1
Nationalyears4:1960[3]
Nationalteam4:SFA trial v SFL
Nationalcaps4:1
Nationalgoals4:0
Nationalyears5:1961
Nationalteam5:SFL trial v SFA
Nationalcaps5:1
Nationalgoals5:0
Manageryears1:1978–1979
Managerclubs1:Queen of the South
Manageryears2:1979–1981
Managerclubs2:Inverness Caledonian

William Hunter (14 February 1940 – 4 August 2020) was a Scottish football player and manager. Hunter spent most of his playing career with Motherwell, although he also played for Detroit Cougars, Hibernian, Hellenic and Cape Town City. Hunter also represented both Scotland and the Scottish League. After retiring as a player, Hunter was manager at Queen of the South and Inverness Caledonian.

Club career

Hunter joined Motherwell from Edinburgh Norton in 1957 with Motherwell then managed by Bobby Ancell. Hunter became part of the side that became known as the 'Ancell Babes'.[4] [5] Although usually played as an inside left, he also played occasionally as a winger, and was compared favourably to Gordon Smith for his performance in that role.[6] His progression stalled after he suffered two broken arms and a broken leg within the space of a few years.[4]

In May 1967, the Detroit Cougars paid £14,000 for his transfer and Hunter moved to the new American professional league, the NASL.[6] His new side survived for only one year however and at the end of the 1968 NASL season, he returned to Scotland to join Hibernian. Hunter was a substitute as his new team lost the 1968–69 Scottish League Cup Final to Celtic, and he played for the Edinburgh team until 1971.

International career

Hunter earned three caps for the Scotland national team while with Motherwell, all in 1960. He scored his only Scotland goal in his first cap in a 3–3 draw with Hungary. He also played in defeats to Turkey and Wales.

Managerial career

After four years playing in South Africa, Hunter became assistant manager of Portsmouth, a role he held for three years.[6] Hunter worked for his former Motherwell team-mate Ian St. John at Portsmouth.

He earned the opportunity to manage in his own right at Queen of the South in 1978, working with players such as Allan Ball, Iain McChesney, Nobby Clark, Crawford Boyd and Jocky Dempster. Hunter left the Dumfries club after only four months. His last involvement in football was as Inverness Caledonian's manager from 1979 to 1981.

Hunter died in August 2020, aged 80.[7]

Notes and References

  1. https://www.londonhearts.com/SFL/players/williehunter.html SFA player William Hunter
  2. http://www.fitbastats.com/scotlandu23/player.php?playerid=60 Scotland U23 player Hunter, Willie
  3. Book: Scotland in the 60s: The Definitive Account of the Scottish National Football Side During the 1960s. Ronnie McDevitt. 2016. Pitch Publishing. 9781785312458.
  4. http://www.motherwellnet.com/database/player-archive/h/willie-hunter/ Willie Hunter
  5. https://footballpink.net/2019-1-30-ancells-babes-steelmen-sinners-and-the-saint/ Ancell's Babes: Steelmen, Sinners and the Saint
  6. Book: Lamming, Douglas . A Scottish Soccer Internationalists Who's Who, 1872-1986 . Hardback . Hutton Press . 1987 . 0-907033-47-4 . .
  7. News: Former Portsmouth assistant manager Willie Hunter dies aged 80 . Portsmouth News . 4 August 2020 . 4 August 2020.