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One of my favourite players too. Kind of a bit forgotten, but he was the bedrock on which Robson built his 70s side that came so close to winning the league on a couple of occasions.
Brilliant in the air, robust in the tackle, players couldn’t take liberties with Big Al. Hard as nails. For a Centre Half he was blessed with a bit of skill too. He used to do this thing of if he was facing his own goal with the ball and a player was on him, he’d swing into a 180 degree turn leaving the attacker in his wake.
Dave Watson was England’s Centre Half in the mid 70s. Hunter was better than him. Better than any U.K. based Centre Half and a perfect partner for Beattie. What a pairing. Both he and KB were struggling with knee injuries before the Cup Final. I thought we’d cope if we had to do without Beattie, but felt without Hunter, we’d lose.
280 appearances in 11 seasons. What a player. My dad had a long chat with him and Osborne after one of those ‘Evening With…’ events a few years ago and said what a lovely man he is too.
Happy birthday Big Al.
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Happy Birthday Big Al!! on 13:58 - Jun 30 with 1502 views
Happy Birthday Big Al!! on 13:41 - Jun 30 by Churchman
One of my favourite players too. Kind of a bit forgotten, but he was the bedrock on which Robson built his 70s side that came so close to winning the league on a couple of occasions.
Brilliant in the air, robust in the tackle, players couldn’t take liberties with Big Al. Hard as nails. For a Centre Half he was blessed with a bit of skill too. He used to do this thing of if he was facing his own goal with the ball and a player was on him, he’d swing into a 180 degree turn leaving the attacker in his wake.
Dave Watson was England’s Centre Half in the mid 70s. Hunter was better than him. Better than any U.K. based Centre Half and a perfect partner for Beattie. What a pairing. Both he and KB were struggling with knee injuries before the Cup Final. I thought we’d cope if we had to do without Beattie, but felt without Hunter, we’d lose.
280 appearances in 11 seasons. What a player. My dad had a long chat with him and Osborne after one of those ‘Evening With…’ events a few years ago and said what a lovely man he is too.
Happy birthday Big Al.
Wasn’t Allan Hunter the only man Terry Butcher was intimidated by? Seem to remember a story like that on here.
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Happy Birthday Big Al!! on 14:14 - Jun 30 with 1474 views
Happy Birthday Big Al!! on 13:58 - Jun 30 by MattinLondon
Wasn’t Allan Hunter the only man Terry Butcher was intimidated by? Seem to remember a story like that on here.
They had a spat a few years back about something one of them said and as a young player I’ve no doubt Butcher would have figuratively looked up to Hunter.
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Happy Birthday Big Al!! on 14:51 - Jun 30 with 1434 views
Happy Birthday Big Al!! on 14:14 - Jun 30 by Churchman
They had a spat a few years back about something one of them said and as a young player I’ve no doubt Butcher would have figuratively looked up to Hunter.
What a defender, I just have this image in my head of him standing there with his arms outstretched beside him showing everyone where to be, opposition won’t get past, and those boots, I’m sure they were rugby boots, brilliant player. Big als gonna get yer
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Happy Birthday Big Al!! on 14:56 - Jun 30 with 1424 views
Happy Birthday Big Al!! on 13:41 - Jun 30 by Churchman
One of my favourite players too. Kind of a bit forgotten, but he was the bedrock on which Robson built his 70s side that came so close to winning the league on a couple of occasions.
Brilliant in the air, robust in the tackle, players couldn’t take liberties with Big Al. Hard as nails. For a Centre Half he was blessed with a bit of skill too. He used to do this thing of if he was facing his own goal with the ball and a player was on him, he’d swing into a 180 degree turn leaving the attacker in his wake.
Dave Watson was England’s Centre Half in the mid 70s. Hunter was better than him. Better than any U.K. based Centre Half and a perfect partner for Beattie. What a pairing. Both he and KB were struggling with knee injuries before the Cup Final. I thought we’d cope if we had to do without Beattie, but felt without Hunter, we’d lose.
280 appearances in 11 seasons. What a player. My dad had a long chat with him and Osborne after one of those ‘Evening With…’ events a few years ago and said what a lovely man he is too.
Happy birthday Big Al.
He was involved with the academy about 25 years back. Not sure if he still is, but I used to spot him under the gym having a crafty cigarette (the same reason I was there....) during a break in the training sessions upstairs. I tried explaining to my son the importance and standing of the chap training him, but he didn't really understand. What a player, and a very nice chap too.
A fantastic player in a team of legends. He lives just down the rd and he is and has always been one of the nicest fellas you could meet,,,,unless you were an opposition player! Legend has it that on the night of John Wark's debut against Leeds in the FA cup quarter-final 17-year-old John Wark was getting a lot of physical stick off Allan Clarke a dirty player at the best of times. Big Al was said to have gone up to Clarke and said, "play rough with the lad again and you will be going home in an ambulance" Clarke apparently laid off Warky after that!!!
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Happy Birthday Big Al!! on 07:16 - Jul 1 with 1196 views
Happy Birthday Big Al!! on 13:41 - Jun 30 by Churchman
One of my favourite players too. Kind of a bit forgotten, but he was the bedrock on which Robson built his 70s side that came so close to winning the league on a couple of occasions.
Brilliant in the air, robust in the tackle, players couldn’t take liberties with Big Al. Hard as nails. For a Centre Half he was blessed with a bit of skill too. He used to do this thing of if he was facing his own goal with the ball and a player was on him, he’d swing into a 180 degree turn leaving the attacker in his wake.
Dave Watson was England’s Centre Half in the mid 70s. Hunter was better than him. Better than any U.K. based Centre Half and a perfect partner for Beattie. What a pairing. Both he and KB were struggling with knee injuries before the Cup Final. I thought we’d cope if we had to do without Beattie, but felt without Hunter, we’d lose.
280 appearances in 11 seasons. What a player. My dad had a long chat with him and Osborne after one of those ‘Evening With…’ events a few years ago and said what a lovely man he is too.
Happy birthday Big Al.
I concur, gave everything to the team, fabulous player.
We have had some great centre halves through the ages, Nelson, Baxter, Venus, Butcher. Let's hope Paul Cook uses their DNA to sign the next one.
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Happy Birthday Big Al!! on 07:21 - Jul 1 with 1187 views
Happy Birthday Big Al!! on 15:42 - Jun 30 by Meadowlark
He was involved with the academy about 25 years back. Not sure if he still is, but I used to spot him under the gym having a crafty cigarette (the same reason I was there....) during a break in the training sessions upstairs. I tried explaining to my son the importance and standing of the chap training him, but he didn't really understand. What a player, and a very nice chap too.
Pretty sure he ran a soccer school in the early 80’s too. I went to a few sessions at a summer camp in Mildenhall and seem to recall it carried Al’s name.
It's 106 miles to Portman Road, we've got a full tank of gas, half a round of Port Salut, it's dark... and we're wearing blue tinted sunglasses.
Happy Birthday Big Al!! on 15:08 - Jun 30 by blue62
Great player. Went to his testimonial and swapped scarf with a Celtic supporter after the game.
I remember a Celtic fan walking round with a plastic barrel of VP sherry. They were told by the police to stash all their drink in the park behind the North Stand - police social club was kept in stock for months.
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Happy Birthday Big Al!! on 21:24 - Jul 1 with 989 views
One of my boyhood heroes,as a 14-year old I took a banner to the ‘78 FA Cup Final that read “Big Al reigns on Plastic Mac” and he had the Arsenal striker in his pocket all afternoon!
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