Roger Hunt, the revered former Liverpool striker and member of England’s World Cup winning team, has died aged 83.
Hunt died at home on Monday after a long illness, prompting a host of tributes to a player who was instrumental in Liverpool’s rise from the Second Division under Bill Shankly and appeared in all six England matches at the 1966 World Cup.
He won 34 caps and scored 18 goals for his country – including three during the victorious World Cup campaign.
Hunt is the sixth member of England’s World Cup-winning side to die in the past three years, after Ray Wilson, Gordon Banks, Martin Peters, Jack Charlton and Nobby Stiles.
Hurst, Sir Bobby Charlton and George Cohen are the only surviving players from Sir Alf Ramsey’s team.
The Liverpool forward was never knighted – he received an MBE in 2000 – but was affectionately known as “Sir Roger” by supporters for his part in the club’s transformation under Shankly.
Hunt scored 285 goals in 492 appearances for Liverpool and was the club’s all-time leading goalscorer until Ian Rush broke his record in 1992.
He remains the second-highest goalscorer in Liverpool’s history, and no player has scored more league goals for the club than Hunt with 244. He was Liverpool’s leading goalscorer for eight consecutive seasons.
Meanwhile, Liverpool’s manager, Jürgen Klopp, led the tributes to one of the most important figures in the club’s history.
“It’s really sad news and our thoughts and our love go to his family,” said Klopp.
Hunt spent 11 and a half years at Liverpool before joining Bolton Wanderers, the club he supported as a boy, for £32,000 in 1969. He scored another 25 goals in 84 appearances for Bolton before retiring in 1972. After his playing days ended, Hunt worked for the Pools Panel for more than 30 years and for the family’s haulage company near Warrington.
Source The Guardian