Regularly cited as one of Sunderland's greatest ever players, Hurley is a reminder of a bygone era. A broad, six foot powerhouse, the Irishman was one of the finest players in England throughout the sixties. He was only beaten into second place as Football Writers' Player of 1963/64 by the great Bobby Moore, demonstrating his level of ability. Despite his size and stature, Hurley is worlds apart from the hard men of later times. Rarely is the word "classy" used in conjunction with a great hard man, but the centre half is regularly described as such by fans of both Sunderland and his earlier club Millwall. In an era when defenders were judged far more on their toughness than nowadays, Hurley was regarded as one of the very greatest.
