Norman Hunter - the tough tackling Leeds United legend with the grandest of smiles

Football fans and the city of Leeds have been thrust into mourning following the loss of one of its best-loved sons, Norman Hunter.

Following a week-long battle with coronavirus, the Whites legend lost his fight on Friday aged 76 and his passing leaves a huge hole in the heart of everyone connected to the Elland Road club.

Hunter - who was born in County Durham - became an adopted Yorkshireman during his 14-year playing spell at Elland Road, which ranged from 1962 to 1976.

As a fresh faced 18-year-old, he made his debut against Swansea Town, a 2-0 win followed and the club would never be the same again.

Words to surmise what Hunter meant to Leeds United and what Leeds United meant to Hunter are hard to find.

A centre-back with an uncompromising style of play, his adoring West Yorkshire public handed him the nickname ‘Bite Yer Legs’ as a term of endearment for his no nonsense approach.

He was a fighter on the pitch, and a fighter off it in his later years. Hunter, though, was a player. And a seriously good one at that. He could be heard claiming that the first tackle of the match was always free, but his ability on the ball was second to none.

As a key member of Don Revie’s squad, who stormed up the English football pyramid, he helped turn Leeds from Second Division strugglers into one of the most feared teams in England; dirty Leeds.

During his 726 appearances for the Whites - only three players in Jack Charlton, Billy Bremner and Paul Reaney boast more - he returned a haul of two First Division titles, two Inter-Cities Fairs Cup trophies, an FA Cup and a League Cup.

Not to mention the European Cup final robbery of 1975 by Bayern Munich in Paris.

He was also a member of England's 1966 World Cup-winning squad under Sir Alf Ramsey, a feat which is yet to be repeated.

To a generation of Whites supporters, Revie’s boys were heroes. They epitomised the club’s ‘Keep Fighting’ spirit, and Hunter was at the heart of its defence.

He earned the first ever PFA Players’ Player of the Year award in 1974, perhaps the highest honour a player can be bestowed by their peers.

Leeds knew, and the opposition did too. A special player, in a special side.

"Norman was as important as anybody in Leeds United’s history and I mean anybody," Eddie Gray told the YEP.

"There have been some great players come through the door and Norman was up there with all of them."

Hunter remained a key figure in LS11 up until his death, as a club ambassador telling tales in the West Stand suite which is named after him.

He would climb the stage and tell stories of years gone by, of how it was Leeds United against the world and what it was like to work under Don, who he saw as a fatherly figure.

He grew up as a Newcastle United fan, but he was, of course, Leeds through and through. United got under his skin and into his blood.

Hunter lived, breathed and kicked every ball from the gantry on a matchday and when Norman walked past you knew, such was the aura of his presence.

Last October, Hunter along with the rest of Revie’s players from the golden era, glory days squad, were handed the Freedom of the City by Leeds City Council - a campaign that was launched and championed by the YEP.

It was a fitting honour for a player and a man who has given so much of his life to the club - as well as the city of Leeds.

Norman was, is and will always be a Leeds United legend - a word that should never be used lightly - but in this case, is absolutely the most fitting.

Hunter was most known for his tough approach, but off the pitch he was the warmest of men with the grandest of smiles.