Leeds’s moving tribute to Hunter as coffin carried through ground

AS A long-serving player, Norman Hunter epitomised the tenacious spirit of the Leeds United teams of the 1960s and 70s.

On Saturday his coffin was carried through Elland Road, scene of many of his famous triumphs, as the club bade an emotional farewell to the former defender, who died last month due to coronavirus, aged 76.

Hunter, inset, was just 15 years old when he signed for Leeds, relocating to a life in Yorkshire from his Gateshead roots. Seventeen glorious years with the Whites were to follow before the no-nonsense defender nicknamed ‘Bites Yer Legs’ switched to Bristol City.

Barnsley were also lucky enough to be blessed by Hunter’s talents – as a player and also as a manager, in addition to Rotherham United.

Hunter’s Leeds legacy, though, always lived on, right up until his dying day on April 17.

After his playing career ended Hunter even returned to Leeds for three games as caretaker manager in 1988 but the defender’s legacy was such that really the former defender was always part of Elland Road, even when not there in person.

The former centre-back soon had an Elland Road suite named after him – The Norman Hunter Suite – and Hunter continued to be a regular inside LS11 cheering on his former side.

When Hunter tragically lost his biggest battle yet with coronavirus, it seemed inevitable that United as a club were always going to honour the defender in the best way they could.

Six days after his passing, the South Stand was renamed the Norman Hunter South Stand, perfectly fitting and more assurance that the former defender’s memory will always live on at his famous footballing home.

Such was Hunter’s influence, in any event, that was guaranteed.

It is only doubly cruel that as well as taking Hunter’s life, coronavirus also prevented the former footballer’s legions of fans from saying a final farewell at his funeral which of course had to abide by current laws and government guidelines in the fight against Covid-19.

Tributes, though, have been pouring in from all over the globe since Hunter’s passing with wreaths and flowers regularly laid at Elland Road.