Goalkeeper Paul Hunt was name Cobh Ramblers Player of the Year at the clubs awards nigh over the weekend to cap a great year for the 27 year-old from Stevenage.
Hunt spent five years in the midlands with Longford Town, playing only 57 League games, but has become a very important player in Stephen Henderson’s side over the past two seasons, as he’s been a virtual ever-present in the side.
The goalkeeper had even more reason to celebrate of late, having married to his fiancé Trish at the end of November. He told us, “The last few weeks have been crazy but I’ve loved it all. Thankfully the wedding went very well, she showed up for one! (laughs). I was happy to have all my family together as I don’t get to see them that often once the training and the games start.”
At the clubs awards last Friday night Hunt was honoured along with Sam O’Driscoll (U-15), Jaze Kabia (U-17), David Hurley (U-19) and James McSweney (Young Player of the Year).
He said it was a real honour to get the award, “On the award I was hugely honored and privileged to receive it especially when it’s a vote from your own team-mates.”
Asked whether he’ll remain at the club heading into next season Hunt had this to say, “I spoke with Stephen (Henderson) briefly about it but with the wedding coming up and then me being on honeymoon for 3 weeks we haven’t had time for a proper chat yet. But I love the direction the club is going in and want to be part of that In the coming seasons.”
Talking about the season just ended Hunt said it was disappointing not to have gained promotion, after going toe-to-toe with big-spending Waterford all season long, “As a squad in the end we were disappointed to finish second as we felt we could have went on and won it. Obviously at the start of the season with the budget some of the other teams had we would have taken fighting for the league going into the last 3 games, but in the end we were disappointed to miss out.”
Hunt knows next season will be very difficult, especially with Galway United, Drogheda United and Finn Harps joining the First Division, but he believes that Cobh are up for the battle, “I think you have to go into every season looking to win the league, it will be no different this year we will go out looking to win every game and be competitive. We will have a young squad who will work very hard throughout the season and they know what’s expected of them.”
“This will be a very competitive league campaign, like every other season there will be no easy games and we know we will have to go into every game 100 percent ready and focused. With the teams who have come down and the clubs like Shelbourne and Longford, anyone is capable of winning the division or at least grabbing a play off place. However, we won’t be worrying about any of them, we will only be concentrating on ourselves.”
He also has a message for all football fans in Cobh and the surrounding areas, “The supporters are hugely important, it’s gives that extra boost to the players and we will be hoping that they will come out and support us again this season.”
Next season the league becomes a 10-team league, with the return of the playoffs, and Hunt says, “I don’t have a problem with the 10-team format, I think it will make the gap between the two divisions smaller. I think it will bring the First Division on as pretty much all 10 teams have a chance of grabbing a play off place and all games will be competitive. Also it makes the Premier Division a lot more competitive as more teams will either be fighting for Europe or fighting relegation.”
Photo Credits: Cobh Ramblers FC, Paul Hunt.
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