Hunter was born in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, and at the age of 18 he signed for Abercorn, who had been relegated to Division Two the previous season.
In 1916–17 Hunter gave a debut to young centre-forward Hughie Ferguson, who scored and followed it up with a hat-trick a week later against Dundee.
Motherwell began to slip in the league and they finished the 1924–25 third from bottom, on the same points total as the two teams immediately below them: only Ferguson's goals that kept them up.
Hunter would remain as manager at Fir Park until 1946 when George Stevenson, inside left and playmaker of the team which won the Championship would take over.
Sailor found it hard to leave Fir Park and remained as club secretary until his retirement in 1959 at the age of 80.
On 9 November 2016, Motherwell FC renamed the East Stand at Fir Park the 'John Hunter Stand' with the club saying at the time: We currently honour and remember a number of our legends from yesteryear with the Joe Wark Lounge, the Phil O'Donnell & Davie Cooper Stands and the Martis, Weir, Humphrey and Paton Boxes in the South Stand.In future years, we want young fans to ask who John Hunter was so his incomparable half-century contribution to Motherwell FC and his amazing story can be kept alive and well for every generation.