Noel Hunt

Noel Hunt (born 26 December 1983 in Waterford, Republic of Ireland) is an Irish footballer, who currently plays as a striker for Football League Championship side Reading. His brother is Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. player Stephen Hunt.

Club career

Ireland

Hunt began playing junior club football in Waterford, before being signed by Damien Richardson for League of Ireland club, Shamrock Rovers in Dublin in 2001, aged 18. He made his competitive debut in a 3–2 League of Ireland Cup win over Shelbourne on 29 October 2001 , and scored his first competitive goal in the same competition in January .

Rovers then loaned him out to his hometown club Waterford United where he scored five league goals in the First Division in the 2001–02 season. Scoring on his debut in December 2001 he was later embroiled in controversy as the Blues were deducted 3 points due to incorrect registration .

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 3–2 to secure a place in the......
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