Max Hunt (born 1 May 1999) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for Alfreton Town.
Born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire,[2] Hunt began his football career in the youth system of Nottingham Forest.[3] After being released by Forest, Hunt joined the academy of non-league side Matlock Town.[3] In 2016, at the age of 16 Hunt was invited to train and subsequently join the academy of Mansfield Town, becoming the second NPL Football Academy graduate to sign for a professional football club.[4][5][6]
Hunt rejected the opportunity to remain with Mansfield Town's under-21 side, to rejoin the academy of Matlock Town with the aim of playing first-team football.[3] Ahead of the 2017–18 season, Hunt became the first Matlock Town academy graduate in ten years to sign a professional contract with the Gladiators.[3] On 9 August 2017, Hunt joined Northern Premier League Division One South side Belper Town on a short-term loan deal.[7] Hunt returned to Matlock in November 2017, and made his debut for the Gladiators against Lancaster City on 2 December 2017.[4]
Having previously had a trial with Championship side West Bromwich Albion,[8] Hunt signed for fellow Championship side Derby County in January 2018.[9] Hunt agreed an 18-month contract with the Rams, with the club holding an option to extend the deal by a further 12 months with Hunt initially linking up with Derby's under-23 side.[10]
On 4 September 2019, Hunt joined National League side Aldershot Town on an initial month-long loan.[11] He made his debut for Aldershot in their 2–1 home defeat against Barrow on 7 September 2019,[12] and on his fifth appearance Hunt scored his first goal for the Shots in their 3–1 defeat against Yeovil Town on 24 September 2019.[13] On 10 January 2020, after an initial four-month loan deal Hunt returned to parent club Derby County having made 22 appearances for Aldershot.[14]
In January 2020, having been recalled from his loan with Aldershot, Hunt signed for League Two club Carlisle United for an undisclosed fee on an 18-month deal.[15] On 18 January 2020, Hunt made his English Football League debut for Carlisle in a 1–1 draw against Oldham Athletic.[16]
On 26 December 2020, Hunt joined National League side Yeovil Town on a one-month loan deal,[17] making his debut the same day in Yeovil's 6–1 away defeat against National League leaders Torquay United.[18]
On 27 January 2021, Hunt signed permanently for National League side Yeovil Town for undisclosed terms, signing an 18-month contract.[19] At the end of the 2022–23 season, Hunt was released by Yeovil following the club's relegation from the National League.[20]
On 27 May 2023, Hunt agreed to join National League North club Buxton.[21]
Hunt signed for Alfreton Town for the 2024–25 season.[22]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Matlock Town | 2017–18[23] | Northern Premier League Premier Division |
4 | 0 | — | — | 1[a] | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| Belper Town (loan) | 2017–18[24] | Northern Premier League Division One South |
15 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 2[b] | 0 | 19 | 0 | |
| Derby County | 2017–18[25] | Championship | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2018–19[26] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2019–20[27] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Aldershot Town (loan) | 2019–20[2] | National League | 21 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 22 | 1 | |
| Carlisle United | 2019–20[27] | League Two | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | |||
| 2020–21[28] | League Two | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| Total | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | ||
| Yeovil Town (loan) | 2020–21[2] | National League | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | |||
| Yeovil Town | 2020–21[2] | National League | 19 | 0 | — | — | — | 19 | 0 | |||
| 2021–22[2][29] | National League | 24 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 5[d] | 0 | 33 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23[2] | National League | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2[e] | 0 | 24 | 0 | ||
| Total | 64 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | 76 | 0 | |||
| Buxton | 2023–24[2] | National League North | 30 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 1[f] | 0 | 32 | 2 | |
| Career total | 144 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 167 | 3 | ||
