Noel Hunt

Noel Hunt (born 26 December 1982 in Waterford, Republic of Ireland) is an Irish Association football, who currently plays as a striker for Football League Championship side Reading F.C. alongside his brother Stephen Hunt (Irish footballer).

Club career

Ireland

Hunt began playing junior club football in Waterford, before being signed by Damien Richardson for FAI Premier Division club, Shamrock Rovers F.C. in Dublin in 2001, aged 18. After making his debut in a 3–2 Football League of Ireland Cup win over Shelbourne F.C. on 29 October 2001, Rovers then loaned him out to his hometown club Waterford United where he scored five league goals in the FAI First Division in the 2001-02 season. The following season was the last winter football season and in the shortened 27 game series, new manager Liam Buckley played Hunt and he rewarded the club by being top club goalscorer with eleven league goals and two FAI Cup goals to propel Rovers to the FAI Cup final and third place in the league.

During this time he also made his European début playing twice for the club in the UEFA Cup. His final match for Shamrock Rovers was on the last day of the season, 24 January 2003, when he was substituted to a hero's reception in a game where Rovers beat Longford Town F.C. 3–2 to secure a place in the UEFA Intertoto Cup. He was awarded the Shamrock Rovers Player of the Year Award recipients that season.

Scotland

Hunt moved to Scottish Premier League club Dunfermline Athletic F.C. in a £100,000 deal on 27 January 2003, going on to win the clubs' Young Player of the Season award for the 2003-04 season. His pace and aggressive running won praise from Dunfermline supporters, but his time at the club was disrupted somewhat by a recurring knee injury. He joined Dundee United in June 2006 for £50,000, scoring his first goal on 5 August against Rangers F.C. in his second match for the club, a 2–2 draw. On 14 October he scored against Celtic F.C. in a 4–1 defeat and scored the winner against Kilmarnock F.C. in November. His goals continued with winners against St Mirren F.C., Inverness Caledonian Thistle, and Motherwell Football Club. However, after injuring himself scoring the winner against Motherwell in December, he failed to score again until his goal in the 4–0 away victory over Hearts F.C. in March 2007.

In the Scottish Premier League 2007-08, Hunt scored three times in the opening six league matches, as well as a goal in the Scottish League Cup 2007-08. On 31 October 2007 in a Scottish League Cup 2007-08 match against Hamilton Academical F.C., he scored his first hat-trick for United in a 3–1 win. He was linked with a move to Football League Championship club Blackpool F.C. in the January 2008 transfer window. Blackpool had a £175,000 bid turned down for Hunt. In May 2008 Blackpool were again linked with a move for Hunt.

Reading

On 23 July 2008 Noel moved to Football League Championship side Reading F.C. for an undisclosed fee rumoured to be around £600,000. Having taken the club's number 11 shirt, recently vacated by John Oster, Hunt joined up with the squad's tour of Sweden and scored his first goal in a 3-1 win over Halmstads BK on the 29th of July

In the absence of Reading manager Steve Coppell (who was already in Sweden), Director of Football Nicky Hammond said that although "Dundee United didn't want to lose Noel but understood his real desire to embark upon a new challenge with Reading Football Club. From my conversations with Noel, it is clear that he possesses the qualities of hunger and determination that Steve Coppell wants at this club as we attempt to regain a place in the Premier League."

He played his first competitive game for Reading FC on the 12 August 2008, scoring the deciding goal in a 2-1 win over Dagenham & Redbridge in the 1st round of the Carling Cup. He also scored on his second appearance on the 26 August 2008, scoring the first of five goals by Reading in a 5-1 result against Luton Town.. Noel scored his first league goals for Reading when he scored two goals in a 6-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday..
In a match against Watford in September, Hunt was involved in controversy surrounding a goal that didn't actually cross the line.

International career

Hunt has played three times for Republic_of_Ireland_national_under-21_football_team, scoring once. He was named in the Republic of Ireland "B" squad on 8 November 2007, for the match against Scotland national football team on 20 November at the Excelsior Stadium in Airdrie, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Honours

Shamrock Rovers

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Dundee United

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