Ernie Hunt passes away

Sympathies to his family.

Not many players broke into Cattericks main starting eleven. Hunt was one of those players not making a break through. Gerry Humphries also scored numerous goals in the combination league. But only played a few times for the first team.

And did Catterick also not buy a guy who scored twice against Everton in a friendly. And then never give this guy a first team game. His name has now skipped me.

And our FA cup goalscoring hero Treblicock was let go after only a handful of games.

Tough being a foward with Everton back then. Cattericks team picked its self. With not that many changes. Great days. And a great era. And a great first eleven. With only a few fringe players. Brown .Kenyon .Whittle .Jackson . Newton.

Anyhow .R.I.P Ernie Hunt. Back in the late 1960s and early 1970s I (most of us) could name most players from other first division clubs. Every team seemed to have a top striker. And Ernie Hunt was Coventrys. In today's squad oriented set ups. He would have had more game time with us.

Catterick made some strange decisions.And he let some very good players move on. Ernie Hunt imho was one of those players. Not really given a proper chance at Everton.

Incidentally, his real first name was Roger, so he was called Ernie to stop any confusion with his namesake at Liverpool.

Ernie Hunt only lasted six months at Goodison, scoring 3 goals in 14 + 2 substitute appearances. He was quoted as saying that he preferred Ernie, because Roger was a Cissy's name.

I was at that game. I think the other player involved was Willie Carr. One flicked the ball up and the other volleyed it in. Can't remember who did what but it led to a rule change.

RIP Ernie Hunt. Any blue is a great man and will be remembered.

I'm looking forward to our get together, providing I can wriggle out of the straight jacket.

I could be wrong, but I think there has only been one occasion in a derby when Everton and rs had a player with the same name - Roger Hunt.

McLoughlin of Liverpool, born in Kirkby, was a midfielder who Shankly had very high hopes of but didn't last long.

Peter, why I think they may have played in the same game – it is in my head that the names were related to a quiz question.

Dave A. The Liverpool lad was spelt John McLaughlan and "Tiger McLoughlan" was our defender.

The Everton line-ups for those two games were:

Rankin, Wright, Newton H, Kendall [Newton K], Kenyon, Harvey, Husband, Ball, Royle, Hurst, Morrissey. 21 November 1970 — 3-2 to Liverpool.

West, Wright, Newton H, Kendall, Kenyon, Harvey, Husband, Ball, Royle, Hurst, Morrissey, 20 February 1971 — 0-0 draw.

I was released from the sin-bin yesterday, the brief, spell in solitary confinement, was marginally better than the seven weeks stay in Southport Hospital, and I find now, that I have to count posts as well as calories.

The Derby at Anfield on 21/11/70 on that day, I was in London meeting a mate, a Chelsea fan. He got tickets for Stamford Bridge, the teams that day Chelsea versus Stoke City.

When the captains went up for the toss up, I was intrigued that the two goalkeepers were the captains. Gordon Banks (Stoke) and Peter Bonetti (Chelsea.)

I didn"t think I had seen two 'keepers before that day. I thought you would, with your vast knowledge, had seen that into the past.

Gordon Banks was the regular Man between the sticks. Peter Bonetti was reaching a milestone with Chelsea, hence they gave him the captaincy.

I was a skint student at the time, at Leicester Polytechnic, but there were 4 other Evertonians I knew at the Poly and one had a Mini. We all shared the petrol and headed off to Highfield Road. We really couldn't understand the goal, and argued that the ball should be moved laterally for a free-kick, and not vertically.

Ernie always reminded me of a wrestler – a real tough looking bloke.
Rest In Peace, Mr Hunt.

Anyway RIP, Ernie.