John Hunting
Encyclopedia
John Hunting is an English
former football
referee who operated in the Football League
and for FIFA
. During his time on the List he was based in Leicester
, where he worked as a university lecturer.
His eleven years on the international panel is a very long spell by English standards, as England tends to promote its referees to that level later than most other countries. He refereed regularly abroad, including two European Championships
qualifying games - Holland against Switzerland
on March 28, 1979, and the USSR
versus Portugal
on April 27, 1983. He also took charge of the FIFA World Cup qualifying
match for the 1982 tournament between Nigeria
and Tunisia
on July 12, 1980.
Domestically, he was appointed to Home International Championship matches, such as the meeting between Northern Ireland
and Scotland
at Windsor Park
, Belfast
, on April 28, 1982.
His most senior European club game was the European Cup quarter-final second leg between Baník Ostrava
and Bayern Munich
in 1981. However, it was only at the very end of his career in 1984 that he was awarded the FA Cup Final. This was his farewell match, which took place at Wembley as Everton beat Watford 2-0.
, one of five said to have refereed the FA Cup Final. He has also been an ITF Silver Badge tennis
referee
Print
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
referee who operated in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
and for FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
. During his time on the List he was based in Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
, where he worked as a university lecturer.
Career
Hunting became a Football League referee at the age of only 32. Four years later he was senior linesman during the 1972 FA Cup Final, and it took only one more year for him to reach the FIFA List.His eleven years on the international panel is a very long spell by English standards, as England tends to promote its referees to that level later than most other countries. He refereed regularly abroad, including two European Championships
UEFA European Football Championship
The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
qualifying games - Holland against Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
on March 28, 1979, and the USSR
USSR national football team
The Soviet Union National Football Team was the national football team of the Soviet Union. It ceased to exist after the break up of the Union...
versus Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
on April 27, 1983. He also took charge of the FIFA World Cup qualifying
1982 FIFA World Cup qualification
A total of 109 teams entered the 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds, competing for a total of 24 spots in the final tournament, an increase from 16 in the previous World Cups...
match for the 1982 tournament between Nigeria
Nigeria national football team
The Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super Eagles or Green Eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation . The team has ranked as high as 5th in the FIFA World Rankings, in April 1994...
and Tunisia
Tunisia national football team
The Tunisia national football team , nicknamed Les Aigles de Carthage , is the national team of Tunisia and is controlled by the Fédération Tunisienne de Football. They have qualified for four FIFA World Cups, the first one in 1978, but have yet to make it out of the first round...
on July 12, 1980.
Domestically, he was appointed to Home International Championship matches, such as the meeting between Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
and Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
at Windsor Park
Windsor Park
Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:...
, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, on April 28, 1982.
His most senior European club game was the European Cup quarter-final second leg between Baník Ostrava
FC Baník Ostrava
FC Baník Ostrava is a football club from the Silesian part of the city of Ostrava, Czech Republic. It is based in Slezská Ostrava district of the city....
and Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
in 1981. However, it was only at the very end of his career in 1984 that he was awarded the FA Cup Final. This was his farewell match, which took place at Wembley as Everton beat Watford 2-0.
Personal life
Outside football, Hunting is a freemasonFreemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, one of five said to have refereed the FA Cup Final. He has also been an ITF Silver Badge tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
referee
- Football League Handbooks, 1968–1970
- Rothmans Football Yearbooks, 1971–1984
- Ionescu, Romeo (2003) The Complete Results & Line-Ups of the European Football Championships 1958-2003, Soccer Books Limited
- Ionescu, Romeo (2004) The Complete Results & Line-Ups of the European Champions Clubs’ Cup 1955-1991, Soccer Books Limited
- Ionescu, Romeo (2004) The Complete Results & Line-Ups of the European Cup Winners Cup 1960-1999, Soccer Books Limited
- Ionescu, Romeo (2004) The Complete Results & Line-Ups of the UEFA Cup 1971-1991, Soccer Books Limited.