Sporting Bygones: Hunter steps into the breach to make himself a Tykes legend after gaining promotion to end absence from Second Division

Last week, Norman Hunter, resplendent in suit and tie, nervously sat in an Elland Road conference room awaiting news about England's ultimately unsuccessful bid to host the 2018 World Cup.

As part of the squad that memorably lifted the Jules Rimet Trophy on home soil in 1966, he knew exactly what it would mean to bring the globe's biggest tournament back to these shores so his disappointment was as acute as everyone's.

Back in 1981, Hunter was gathering himself for another major announcement – the FA Cup fifth round draw.

There was none of the melodrama of FIFA events in Zurich, all the constant watching of glad-handing between princes, prime ministers and the like in a desperate attempt to win votes to stage a multi-billion pound affair.

This time Hunter, Barnsley's player-manager, was at ease in his tracksuit with a cup of tea, gathered with some of his team around a battered transistor radio in Oakwell's changing room rather than awaiting a live satellite link to Switzerland.

However, the air of anticipation was inevitably just the same as the third division club, having dispatched Chester, Rotherham, Torquay and – after a replay – non-league Enfield, tuned in to see what their reward would be.

It would not be worth billions but the unfashionable South Yorkshire club did get a prime tie, being drawn at First Division Middlesborough. That, however, is where their cup exploits would run their course.

Hunter's side, who had also prospered in in the League Cup that season when they took the lead at eventual Second Division champions West Ham only to fall 2-1, ultimately lost by the same scoreline at Ayresome Park.

For all their adventures in the knockout competitions though, the 1980-81 campaign would prove to be memorable for a far more important reason - promotion.

Hunter's predecessor, former Leeds and England team-mate Allan Clarke, was a controversial appointment at the start of the 1978-79 campaign given he had no managerial experience and the Tykes had to fork out a club record 40,000 to also enroll the predatory striker as a player.

But "Sniffer" famously led them out of the bottom tier at the first attempt and then made a raft of signings as he began to rebuild the squad in his own guise, making key signings during the course of the following season to try and adapt to the higher level of football.

Hunter, the experienced and fearsome central defender who had played such a significant part in Leeds' glory years under Don Revie, arrived in the summer from Bristol City alongside Wolves goalkeeper Gary Pierce, Chesterfield full-back Bobby Flavell and midfielder Ronnie Glavin, a 40,000 capture from Celtic.

After a slow start, more transfers were made, Clarke adding Charlton defender Allan Dugdale and then, in mid-November, paying 25,000 to Grimsby for midfielder Mike Lester before the robust striker Trevor Aylott came in from Chelsea.

Clarke – who gradually off-loaded many of the squad that had helped secured promotion – retired over the Christmas period due in part to a troublesome knee injury but their fortunes picked up in the new year.

Neil Cooper joined from Aberdeen and winger Bobby Downs added another dimension after his move from Watford and the club finished a creditable 11th, losing just three times in their final 17 games.

Many thought Clarke would now had a squad capable of challenging the following season given the extent of his re-build and clear signs the new-look squad had begun to gel; they would really flourish in 1980-81.

However, that campaign began in disarray following a 2-1 home defeat to Portsmouth which became infamous due to Aylott's petulant outburst aimed at Clarke when he was hauled off.

The manager put Barnsley's star striker on the transfer list and insisted he would not play for the club again.

However, instead, it would be Clarke swiftly exiting Oakwell following a shock approach from Leeds who were keen to find a replacement for the struggling Jimmy Adamson.

Clarke rocked his players before a Monday night game at Brentford – only their seventh fixture of the season – telling them the growing speculation was true and he was departing immediately afterwards along with coach Barry Murphy and chief scout Martin Wilkinson.

Hunter, aged 36 and undoubtedly coming towards the end of his glittering playing career, was installed as player-manager. He would enjoy just as much instant success in the role as Clarke had done previously.

Aylott, rotting in the reserves, was brought back in from the cold and helped spearhead some vibrant performances, the pinnacle being a 5-0 destruction of Hull in which he struck a quality second-half hat-trick.

Inspired by Hunter's leadership quality and willingness to play attractive football, the Tykes marched on enjoying a remarkable 20-match unbeaten run stretching from October 4 and only ended at Huddersfield on February 2.

That saw them fall one game short of equalling the club record and it also signalled a three-match losing sequence but Hunter's side recovered their composure and – augmented by the signing of Bristol Rovers' Stewart Barrowclough and Brighton's Ray McHale – they lost just once more before the end of the campaign, a sheer consistency which earned them a return to the Second Division for the first time since 1958-59.

That promotion was confirmed in the most suitable of circumstances, a 1-0 victory over champions-elect and local rivals Rotherham on a midweek night at a packed Oakwell.

Almost 26,000 fans converged on their stadium to create a sizzling atmosphere which erupted when Glavin produced the crucial strike to seal the points and confirm runners-up spot. Hunter, like former team-mate Clarke before him, had become a Barnsley legend.