Ralph Hunt

For the Australian politician, see Ralph Hunt (politician).
Ralph Hunt
Personal information
Full name Ralph Arthur Robert Hunt
Date of birth 14 August 1933(1933-08-14)
Place of birth Portsmouth, England
Date of death 17 December 1964(1964-12-17) (aged 31)
Place of death Grantham, England
Playing position Forward
Youth career
Portsmouth
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1952–1953 Portsmouth 5 (0)
1953–1955 Bournemouth 33 (7)
1955–1958 Norwich City 124 (67)
1958–1959 Derby County 24 (10)
1959–1961 Grimsby Town 53 (39)
1961 Swindon Town 21 (13)
1961–1962 Port Vale 14 (6)
1962–1964 Newport County 83 (37)
1964 Chesterfield 17 (5)
Total 374[1] (184)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Ralph Arthur Robert Hunt (14 August 1933 – 17 December 1964) was an English footballer.

Playing career

Hunt began his career at his hometown club Portsmouth, where he only made five appearances. After a spell at Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic he moved on to Norwich City. At Norwich, he scored 67 goals in 124 league matches, and his 31 goals in the 1955–56 season is still a club record.

Following a short spell with Derby County he joined Grimsby Town, where he scored 39 goals in 53 games. After being transferred to Swindon Town he joined Port Vale in December 1961 for a £3,500 fee. He turned up on a motorbike ten minutes before the kick-off on 16 December, before he got onto the pitch to make his home debut against Shrewsbury Town – he then preceded to score a hat-trick in what was a 4–1 victory for the Valiants.[2] Despite bagging six goals in fourteen games he lost his place in March 1962 and was sold on to Newport County for £2,000 in July 1962.[3] Playing close to 100 games for Newport, in 1964 he signed with Chesterfield.

Hunt died in a car accident on 17 December 1964 at the age of 31,[3] he was still signed with Chesterfield at the time.

Legacy

In 2003, he was made a member of the Norwich City Hall of Fame following a fan vote.

References

  1. ^ Stats from Neil Brown stat site
  2. ^ Kent, Jeff (December 1991). Port Vale Tales: A Collection Of Stories, Anecdotes And Memories. Witan Books. pp. 280. ISBN 0950898163. 
  3. ^ a b Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 147. ISBN 0952915200. http://www.amazon.ca/Port-Vale-Personalities-Jeff-Kent/dp/0952915200.