As a youngster he joined his local club, Wolverhampton Wanderers, for whom he played in the first leg of the FA Youth Cup Final in 1953, which Wolves lost 7–1 to a Manchester United team containing many of the "Busby Babes".
An ankle injury sustained early on in that game prevented Punter taking part in the second leg, so he was not presented with his runners-up medal at the time.
[2] Punter was selected for the England youth team to play against their Scottish counterparts in February 1953,[3] one of his three international appearances made in the 1952–53 season.
Only a single prototype shirt was initially produced, and Punter, who as a winger would be expected to play near the edge of the pitch and thus be noticeable, was chosen to wear it for the trial.
He repeated the achievement the next season in the Fourth Division, this time with 17 goals in all competitions as Lincoln narrowly avoided having to apply for re-election.