Geoff Hunter (footballer)

Geoffrey "Geoff" Hunter (born 27 October 1959) is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder. In a twelve-year career in the Football League he played 430 league games, scoring 37 goals.
A trainee at Manchester United, he switched to Crewe Alexandra in 1979. He spent two seasons at Crewe, making 87 league appearances, before he went to Port Vale for a £15,000 fee in August 1981. He helped the club to win promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1982–83, and was also named in the PFA Team of the Year. He helped the club to promotion out of the fourth tier again in 1985–86. After 221 league appearances for the "Valiants", he was allowed to sign with Wrexham in May 1987. He spent four years with the Welsh club, playing 122 league games, before he retired in 1991.

Crewe Alexandra

Hunter started his career at First Division giants Manchester United, but failed to make a competitive appearance for the club. He left Old Trafford for Gresty Road in 1979, where Crewe Alexandra had finished bottom of the Football League in 1978–79. Under new manager Tony Waddington, the "Railwaymen" only managed to finish one place higher in 1979–80, though the club again won re-election. The club rallied in 1980–81 to finish eighteenth, four points above the re-election zone.

Port Vale

Hunter was sold on to nearby Port Vale for £15,000 in August 1981, who were also struggling at the lower end of the Fourth Division under manager John McGrath. Hunter quickly became a key member of the midfield, playing 49 games in 1981–82, as the "Valiants" posted a seventh-place finish. He was an ever-present during the 1982–83 promotion winning season, also being selected as the PFA team of the year.

"I had to play a different type of game to the one with Crewe, my previous club, a more disciplined and defensive one, which made me a better player. I was more of a creator than a scorer.

— Hunter speaking in 2011.

Vale failed to hold on to their Third Division status, and were relegated in 1983–84. McGrath was sacked and replaced by his assistant, John Rudge, in December, who continued to name Hunter in the first eleven. He played 51 games in 1984–85, as Rudge rebuilt his team. He played 57 games in 1985–86, scoring six goals, as he helped Vale to escape the division for a second time. However Rudge signed Paul Smith and Ray Walker for the 1986–87 campaign, and Hunter played just five league games. He was given a free transfer to Wrexham in May 1987, along with teammate Wayne Ebanks.

Wrexham

Dixie McNeil's Wrexham were looking for promotion out of the Fourth Division, though they missed out on the play-offs in 1987–88 by four points. They managed to reach the play-offs in 1988–89, and defeated Scunthorpe United to reach the Final against Leyton Orient. The Welsh club lost 2–1 over the two-legged final.

The "Robins"' form dropped during the 1989–90 campaign, and McNeil was replaced by Brian Flynn, as Wrexham finished in 21st place. They then finished bottom of the Football League in 1990–91, but avoided relegation due to the league's expansion. This was Hunter's last season, as he left the club in 1991. After leaving the game he returned to Hull to work as a sales rep.

• Sourced from Geoff Hunter profile at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)

Individual

• PFA Fourth Division Team of the Year: 1982–83

with Port Vale

• Football League Fourth Division third place promotion winner: 1982–83
• Football League Fourth Division fourth place promotion winner: 1985–86

• ^ Kent, Jeff (1990). "From Rags to Riches (1979–1990)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 258–290. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.