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LEGENDARY former Leeds United striker Allan Clarke says the passing away of Norman Hunter and Trevor Cherry has been like losing two brothers.

Clarke and Hunter were particularly close with Hunter already in his seventh season with Leeds when Clarke joined the Whites from Leicester City in June 1969.

Clarke and Hunter then had seven sevens together at Leeds before Hunter joined Bristol City in October 1976 with Clarke leaving the Whites two years later in 1978 to sign for Barnsley.

The duo again linked up again at Oakwell as Hunter ended his career with the Tykes following his move there in 1979 under then Reds player-boss Clarke.

CLOSE: Leeds United team mates Norman Hunter, left, and Allan Clarke in August 1970. Photo by Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty images. | Getty

Clarke also had six seasons at Leeds with Cherry who joined the Whites from Huddersfield Town in 1972.

“It’s so sad that we have lost Norman and Trevor,” 73-year-old Clarke told the YEP.

“It means we have lost two more legends at this club and I used to go everywhere with Norman and Paul Reaney and Peter Lorimer and Eddie Gray.

“Trevor came into the club a little bit later than Norman but we were like a family at that club and like brothers.

WARM WORDS: From Leeds United legend Allan Clarke, right, pictured with Whites chairman Andrea Radrizzani at the club's centenary dinner last October. Picture by Jonathan Gawthorpe. | jpimedia

“Losing one of your former team mates from that team is like losing one of your brothers.”

Former Whites midfielder Johnny Giles spent 12 years at Leeds with Hunter from 1963 until 1975 and the Irishman applauded United’s moves to honour Hunter by renaming the South Stand.

“If anyone deserves a stand named after him, he does,” 79-year-old Giles told The Mirror.

“What was often lost was he didn’t get too much credit for his footballing abilities.

“Norman Hunter could really play. When I played with him and was 40 yards away he would get it on his left foot and you would get it straight to your feet if the ball was on.

“He played at the same time as the great Bobby Moore but he still got 28 caps for England.

“Leeds had a reputation for being a tough team but so were all the other teams. You look back at the 60s and 70s and there was grievous bodily harm and you wouldn’t get a yellow card.”

Giles also says the former players from that era’s Whites side will arrange a get together to honour Hunter and Cherry when safe to do so.

“It is very sad. And it is very difficult because at the moment we can’t do anything.

“I was in touch with the lads and when this calms down we will have a night out in memory in Leeds and get together.”

Allan Clarke pays emotional tribute to fellow Leeds United legends Norman Hunter and Trevor Cherry