Published: Thursday, 2nd October, 2008 15:00
Hunting for glory
By Anthony Smith
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Sibling rivalry: Stephen and Noel Hunt (pictured above) have a long-standing wager on who scores last in a game.
NOEL and Stephen Hunt have this running bet where the last person to score gets to treat the other like a slave.
It is not the sort of wager football players have been known to make with each other – they normally end in several noughts.
But these are not normal brothers. The first siblings to play for Reading since the Wagstaffs nearly 40 years ago are becoming a main attraction at the Madejski Stadium and don’t supporters love it.
From Stephen’s shaggy-dog hair, his terrier-like displays and his quality on the ball to Noel’s somersault goal celebration, the duo from Waterford have become a glorious advertisement for the club and all that it stands for.
But there is much more to the brothers than hairstyles and back-flips. They have formed an almost telepathic understanding in the few relatively short months since Noel signed from Dundee United for £600,000 in the summer.
“I’ve said it before. I’ve watched him play for a long time and a lot in the last year,” explained Stephen who, at 27, is the elder by 16 months. “I know what runs he makes, how he does it and vice-versa.
“He’s doing well at the moment, as are our other strikers. But it’s important we keep it going and get as many points on the board as we can before Christmas.”
But bubbling underneath the compliments is a fierce competitive edge, particularly when the stakes are so high.
“He’s creating a lot for me but it doesn’t help our bet when he scores after me because whoever scores the last goal means the other one is their slave until the next game,” quipped Noel.
“It’s been good fun and will run all season, so I’m claiming his goal against Swansea took a nick off me.”
Noel is unlikely to win that particular argument, though each time he scores he sees it as another personal victory against one of his former managers in Scotland who once made the rather short-sighted prediction that he would struggle to score eight goals a season.
Noel is happy to point out he has achieved that for the last three years, banging in 18 for Dundee United in the Scottish Premier League last season which led to a move to Berkshire.
“I always want to get into double figures before January then see what happens,” explained Noel.
“I remember a few years ago when I didn’t sign for a certain team in Scotland and the manager said I wouldn’t score more than eight in a season.
“I won’t name names but he will know who he is and it spurs me on and helps me. Thankfully I have proved him wrong for the last three years and I want to keep that going.
“I often think about it so now I just want to get to eight as quickly as a I can and hopefully double figures before Christmas.”
With brother Stephen supplying Reading’s forwards from the left and the ever-improving Jimmy Kebe from the right, there can be few complaints about the quality of service to the strikers, an accusation levelled at Steve Coppell’s side last season when a lack of goals contributed to their relegation from the Premier League.
“The championship is a bit faster that the SPL but I’m playing with some very good and exciting players,” said Noel.
“Their movement creates space for me and, if you are a half-decent striker, you will score goals. To come down here and play with such talented players is a privilege.
“I came over from Ireland as a striker but I ended up playing a lot of positions including right wing-back when the manager at Dunfermline at the time left.
“But I always knew I would end up back as a striker and thankfully I’m proving a few people wrong.”
Noel’s progress has not gone unnoticed in international circles either as both he and Royals team-mate Shane Long have been named by Giovanni Trapattoni in a Republic of Ireland XI side for a friendly against Nottingham Forest in Dalymount next Thursday night.
Noel has represented the Irish B and Under-21 team before and dreams of following Stephen into the full senior side one day.
“Only Mr Trapattoni can answer that,” stated Stephen. “It’s up to him to keep doing what he’s doing for Reading. He’s got weapons in his armoury but if we can keep that low key then hopefully he will score more goals and keeping doing somersaults.”
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