Liverpool and England hail legend ‘Sir Roger’
TRIBUTES from across the football world poured in yesterday for Liverpool great and World Cup winner Roger Hunt, who has died at the age of 83.
Hunt is still the club’s record goalscorer in league games, netting 244 times in 404 appearances, and was called ‘ one of the guys who made Liverpool what it is today’ by Jamie Carragher.
Former Liverpool defender Carragher, now a television pundit, said: ‘I’m really shocked and saddened. I think it will be felt throughout the country because it’s another of the 1966 legends who won the World Cup.
‘But to Liverpool supporters it is “Sir Roger”, as he was christened by the Kop all those years ago, and one of the guys who made Liverpool what it is today.
‘He will never be forgotten. We talk about Bill Shankly coming to the club in 1959, but I think Roger Hunt joined in 1958 and had almost as big an impact as Shankly.
‘He, along with other members of that great team, got Liverpool out of the Second Division, win
ning titles and probably more importantly at the time, winning the FA Cup in 1965.
‘Roger Hunt got the first goal in the final and they are huge milestones in the history of club, which Roger played a part in.’
Current Reds manager Jurgen Klopp agreed, saying: ‘Roger Hunt comes second to no one in his
importance in the history of Liverpool FC, that much is clear.’
Hunt scored 285 goals in all competitions for Liverpool, a record which stood until Ian Rush surpassed it in 1992.
Rush tweeted: ‘Very sad to hear of the passing of Sir Roger Hunt, someone I would always look up to. He was a fantastic goalscorer and a true gentleman on and off the pitch. My thoughts are with his family. May he rest in peace.’
Former Liverpool manager Roy Evans, who played alongside Hunt, said: ‘ Roger was really special in terms of how he would speak to you. As a guy, fantastic. A sad loss.’
Referencing Hunt’s strike partnership with Ian St John, who died earlier this year, former Liverpool midfielder Jan Molby posted on social media: ‘Take care of Sir Roger for us Saint. RIP Roger Hunt.’
England acknowledged the integral role Hunt played in the nation’s World Cup win in 1966.
Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham said: ‘English football has lost another great with the passing of Roger Hunt.
‘He will forever be remembered at Wembley Stadium and we will pay tribute to his memory before our home fixture with Hungary next month.’
Former England striker Gary Lineker described Hunt as ‘a truly great striker’ whose ‘achievements will always be remembered’.
And ex-Liverpool striker John Aldridge tweeted: ‘What a striker and a true gentleman.’