Captain Clive "Toby" Hunter RM - Player & RMFA Chairman 1987-91

Clive Hunter like most of us started playing competitive soccer at the age of 8; he progressed to the school, district and County side until 1957.   He joined the Royal Marines in 1960 and started playing for his first unit 42 Cdo RM in the Far East in 1961. Here he met such Corps names as John Bickford and Willie Turnbull. Playing centre half in a memorable FARELF Cup Final between 42 and 40 Cdo RM playing opposite Butch Roden and being the player who put the ball into the tray of Tiger Beer under lights at HMS Terror. Returning to UK he played for 43 Cdo RM 61/62 and returned to Singapore playing for HQ 3 Cdo Bde RM based at Rowcroft Lines. Returning to 41 Cdo RM at Bickleigh in 1966 winning the Unit Football Cup with ‘G’ Coy in 1967, he also ran the Sgt’s Mess Team. During this time he qualified as a Referee with Devon County FA. Playing in the Tunney Cup for Dept CGRM in 1969/70 and joining John Edwards playing for Claygate United in the Surrey League.

In the next few years played against and with such names as Johnny Ellis, Dave Williams, Ginge (Hig the Pig) Higgins, Bill Howie and Mel Walker.    Continuing between 1975/77 with the Sgt’s Mess Team and refereeing whilst in 41 Cdo RM in Malta.    After operational tours and HMS Endurance he joined CTCRM in 1973 and formed a formidable centre back combination with Bill Howie and Mel Walker.   Again organising the Sgt’s Mess Sunday Team established a firm friendship with Bill Howie (later AIPT and RMFA Secretary).   During this time he qualified as an FA Referee. He was posted to 41 Cdo RM in Malta where he continued with Refereeing and running the Sgt’s Mess Team on Sundays between 1975/77.

On his first commissioned appointment in 1979 as Football Officer with HQ & Sig Sqn RM the unit won the King George V Trophy with Harry Holding, Mark Bullock, Mne’s Finn & Pauley with the manager the then Cpl Stagg. 

It was in 1986 at the age of 44 whist representing RMB Eastney in the Tunney Cup that he was approached by Bill Howie to consider becoming Chairman of The RMFA following in the footsteps of Ron Woodruff, Peter Hodges, John Dawson and many others.   It was at this time that he first met Ian Pomeroy in the Corps Squad.   Appreciating Bill’s solo efforts combining jobs as Chairman/Secretary and joining CTCRM as USO he set about giving Bill a good send off and organised the successful Spanish Tour early in 1988.   George Kent came as our U/21 Coach and BSGT Paul Richardson as our referee representative.   Bill left the Corps and Paul Dixon (Navy Player) became RMFA Secretary.   With Paul and George later that year in 1988 the Corps went on to win both RN Inter Command Senior Cup (with Tiv Lowe and Russ Wilson) and RN Inter Command Under 21 Cup with such stalwarts as Mne’s Geldard, Foster, Margrett (look at them now)   During his years as Chairman he continued the established Tours of Germany and expanded on them to Berlin and Holland.    During training for the RN inter-Command competition in 1988 The Corps Squad trained for the last time on the RM Eastney No1 Pitch (drainage constructed from embers of fires in barrack rooms over many years)., for years the Corps Home Pitch.

1992, Tunney Cup Managers meet at RM Deal for the RMFA AGM

Clive represented the Corps at the Army Centenary Celebrations at Aldershot (the Corps won the Army Cup twice). He supervised the Tunney Cup at RM Deal for a few years due to the availability of accommodation and consciously took the competition to 45 Cdo RM at Arbroath where Lt Col J J Thompson kindly awarded the trophies.     Additionally at the request of Devon County Council taking a Devon team from CTCRM in 1989 to Caen, Calvados 6-aside Twinning Tournament in France where we brought back the Runner up Trophy courtesy of among others (Messrs Lowe, Dixon, Ford, Wilson, Whitehouse, Turner, Faint and Popple).

Finally with the run down in Germany the Corps side visited Jersey with assistance from Paul Curry.    He had to hand over as Chairman RMFA in 1992 but in 1994 whilst serving with the Navy at HMS Cambridge he was invited by the players through ‘Brum’ Daly to travel with the RM Sports Tour as Chairman to the RMFA, with a great deal of reluctance !! He succumbed to the pressures and enjoyed a superb swan song where he briefly met Johnny Ellis and Willie Turnbull at the USMC at Quantico (ironic with its association with the Tunney Cup).   Since then he has been honoured to assist with prize giving at Tunney Cup Competitions, the last being ‘The Plate’ to 45 Cdo RM in Sept 2005.

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