Continuing our look at the greatest players to represent Coleraine, we turn our attentions to a man who played a vital role helping the Bannsiders win their first major trophy and continues to serve the club to this day… Victor Hunter.

Originally from Sion Mills, Victor signed for Coleraine from Derry City at the start of the 1956/57 season and after several months of turning out for the reserves, he made his debut later that season, ironically against Derry at the Brandywell, in a game that Coleraine lost 2-0.

He established himself as Coleraine’s first choice goalkeeper and earned himself the nickname “The Black Cat” following a string of penalty saves. He picked up his first medal in 1958 as Coleraine won the Gold Cup with a 1-0 victory over Glentoran at Windsor Park. This was something of a turnaround as the Glens had won the previous meeting between the sides 7-1 only a few weeks before the final and were considered hot favourites to take the trophy.

His fine displays for club earned him international recognition at Amateur and B level and ultimately full international level. However, his chances were somewhat limited due to the quality of the other goalkeepers he was in competition with, firstly Harry Gregg and then Pat Jennings. His brother Allan whom he played with at Coleraine went on to pick up many caps as did his son Barry. In addition he played in IFA select teams and earned Irish League representative caps.

In 1965, he was part of the side which brought the Irish Cup back to The Showgrounds for the first time with a 2-1 win over Glenavon and then was part of the first Coleraine team to play in Europe in the Cup Winners Cup against Dynamo Kiev. But he suffered a serious setback in March 1966 when in a cup tie at Ballymena he was involved in a collision with an opponent and had to be stretchered off and was subsequently told he would never play again. But defying all expectations he fought his way back to full fitness and eventually regained his place in the first team. His comeback came in a memorable Irish Cup match against Ards in February 1967. Ards led 3-2 but the match had to be abandoned because five players, including Victor went off suffering from exposure. Coleraine won the replayed game 2-0.

After he retired he remained with the club, acting as Bertie Peacock’s assistant for several years before going to Newcastle upon-Tyne on business. After returning to Northern Ireland, he managed Coleraine between 1978 and 1981 and was responsible for bringing Felix Healy and Kevin Mahon among others to The Showgrounds. He spent some time at Linfield (where he was goalkeeping coach and then Swifts manager) and Ballymoney United, but returned to Coleraine where he is an invaluable part of the backroom staff. He has served as caretaker manager on a number of occasions and coached the Coleraine teams in the early years of the Milk Cup, when local sides were permitted to enter teams. It is in terms of youth development that he continues to serve the club, as manager of the Colts team which has produced so many of the current first team squad and of course, won the Youth Cup in 2003.

Coleraine Record – 471 appearances, 0 goals