Norman Hunter was born on October 29, 1943, in Gateshead, England. Aged 15 he gave up his job as an electrical fitter to sign a professional contract with Leeds United.
Forming a formidable central defensive partnership with Jack Charlton, he helped the Yorkshire side win promotion to the old First Division in 1964.
Hunter was part of Sir Alf Ramsey’s 1966 World Cup winning squad, but never kicked a ball in the competition. He went on to win 28 caps in total.
The notorious hard man was part of the England side that finished third at the 1968 European Championships.Leeds fans displayed a banner at the 1972 FA Cup Final against Arsenal proclaiming “Norman Bites Yer Legs”. From that moment on, the aggressive defender was nicknamed, Bites Yer Legs Hunter.
At the end of the 1973/74 season he became the first footballer to win the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award.
Leeds United won two First Division titles, one FA Cup and one League Cup during Hunter’s spell at Elland Road. Remarkably they were runners-up in three FA Cup Finals, a European Cup Winners’ Cup Final, a European Cup Final, and five times in the league.
Over the course of 14 memorable seasons at Leeds United, the defender made 540 appearances, scoring 18 times.
