Cast your mind back to Oct 14th 2006, the date might not be memorable for most, but for Stephen Hunt and Petr Cech, it was career defining.
Just seconds into his Premier League debut, Hunt raced had forward to try and catch a seemingly lost cause, infamously running into Petr Cech and causing him a serious head injury in this process.
It was an incident that lead to Hunt becoming somewhat of a pariah across the Irish Sea and eight and a bit years later, is still widely remembered.
In the aftermath, press reaction was relenting in its ferocity, columnists, like The Mirror's Oliver Holt, were baying for blood, left in no doubt it was intentional.
However, Stephen Hunt was never given the opportunity to put his side of the story forward, until now. Having himself approached Holt, Hunt sat down with the journalist this week to discuss the incident and had plenty to say to him.
After you wrote that stuff, I wanted you to ring me so I could tell you there were two sides to the story, at least hear my side. I was angry about it. I waited six years to speak to you. I’d say it was lazy journalism.
If you had heard both sides, I would have been fair game.
I wouldn’t say I left my leg in there,I would say that I have gone in for the tackle. I have gone in for the impact.”
Hunt was also clear that he believes he could not have avoided contact, a bone of contention for many after the incident.
No,because if I avoid contact, I probably would have had a screaming manager. Well... not so much Steve Coppell, but the coaches. In my mind, the coaches would have expected me to go into that tackle with Cech.
I may have been a little bit giddy. My knee was down there but I am out of position for sure. It wasn’t natural. I’m trying to make sense of it. I haven’t had too much deep thinking about it or conversation.
I couldn’t afford for it to affect my commitment. That is my game. My game is energy.
The incident thankfully did not affect Hunt's career in the long term, with the Irish International winning 39 caps as well as having a highly respectable career in England's top two divisions.
See Also: Stephen Hunt’s Unpopular Opinion About GAA Players’ Commitment
See Also: Stephen Hunt: Euro 2012 Came Close To Breaking Me
Picture credit: Barry Cregg / SPORTSFILE
