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ROGER HUNT 1959/69 by Chris Wood Date of Birth - 20/07/38 Nationality - English Position - Striker Games - 492 Goals - 286 Club Hons (Lpool) - League Championship 1963/64, 1965/66, FA Cup 1964/65, 2nd Div Championship 1961/62 International Hons - 34 England Caps Other Clubs - Stockton Heath (3 times), Bury, Devizes Town, Bolton, Hellenic FC (South Africa) No man has scored more League goals for Liverpool (245 from 401 full appearances) although both Ian Rush & Gordon Hodgson did score more goals in the top division. Roger was a vital part of the Liverpool success story of the mid-60's and was also a member of England's 1966 World Cup winning team. Often criticised by the Southern press (who preferred the more flamboyant Jimmy Greaves), Roger's international record speaks for itself - he was on the losing side only twice in 34 internationals. Roger Hunt signed for Liverpool as a 20 year old in May 1959 and joined a club that had been agonisingly close to gaining promotion to the top division again, twice finishing 3rd and twice 4th in the previous four seasons. There would be disappointment again in 1959-60 with another 3rd place but the strong striker made an immediate impact, scoring on his debut against Scunthorpe and finishing the season with 21 goals from 36 appearances. 15 goals followed the next year (yet another 3rd place !) before Liverpool (and Roger) exploded into life as the Reds ran away with the Second Division championship in 1962. Roger scored an astonishing 41 goals from 41 games, an individual total unlikely ever to be bettered. Roger's main striking partner for the previous two years (Dave Hickson) had moved on and the astute Shankly had brought in the canny Ian St. John to act as the perfect foil for Hunt in one of the most exciting periods of the club's history. The next few years were golden ones for Liverpool and for Roger. He scored 110 times in League matches during the next 4 seasons, a period in which the club twice won the championship and had good cup runs at home and in Europe. Although the World Cup win must rank as his finest personal achievement, at club level it was certainly the F.A. Cup Final of 1965 against Leeds, a competition Liverpool had never won before. Hunt's stooping header broke the deadlock early in extra-time before St. John scored the winner to bring the famous trophy to Anfield for the very first time. Roger was never quite as prolific again, although there were a further 25 League strikes (and 30 in all matches) during 1967-68. But he was 30 by the time the following season started and Shankly was already looking to the future, although he stood by the men who had given the club so much success for as long as he could (perhaps too long ?). In March 1969 the normally mild-mannered Hunt caused a sensation when he was substituted in a Cup replay at Anfield against Leicester by taking his shirt off and angrily throwing it in the direction of the dug-out. This was completely out of character and a sad aftermath to a memorable personal achievement only weeks earlier at Chelsea when he had finally overtaken Gordon Hodgson as the clubs' leading League goalscorer. This would be his final full season as a Liverpool player. Although he started 1969-70 still as first choice, he lost his place to Phil Boersma in the Autumn. There would be one final day to remember in front of the supporters who had always given him such great encouragement. With time running out and a 1-1 scoreline against Southampton, Shankly brought on Roger to replace Alec Lindsay and he responded by scoring twice in two minutes! Those were his last goals for Liverpool and a few weeks later he signed for Bolton Wanderers. Even those who never saw Roger Hunt play know that he was one of the greatest players ever to represent the club. His final total for the club was a staggering 286 goals from 489 appearances and his contribution to the side throughout the 60's can only be described as massive. More info on Roger Hunt: ++ / LFChistory.net -- Past Present Future