Eric Hall, former football agent and music promoter, dies aged 73
Colourful football agent Eric Hall who negotiated Gary Lineker’s first boot deal and was known for his ‘monster monster’ catchphrase dies aged 73
- Eric Hall, former agent to Dennis Wise and Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock, dies aged 73
- Lord Alan Sugar led tributes to the former singer, saying he was ‘a real character’
- He was thought to be the first agent to secure goal and appearance bonuses
Colourful football agent Eric Hall, who represented a host of players, secured Gary Lineker’s first boot deal, and was known for his ‘monster, monster,’ catchphrase, has died at the age of 73.
The former singer and music publicist represented the likes of Dennis Wise, Tim Sherwood and Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock.
Before moving into football, he secured a now-infamous interview for the Sex Pistols with Bill Grundy, during which the punk band’s guitarist Steve Jones swore on live television.
Lord Alan Sugar paid tribute to Hall, saying he was a ‘real character’.
Former football agent and music promoter Eric Hall, pictured with glamour model Jo Guest and actress Britt Ekland, has died at the age of 73
In an interview with The Telegraph, Hall revealed he grew up with T. Rex frontman Marc Bolan, and was with him just hours before he died in a car crash in 1977.
At EMI he promoted bands including the Sex Pistols and Queen, even claiming the track Killer Queen was written about him.
As a football agent, he claimed to have secured the first ever goals and appearance bonuses for players – even securing a goal bonus for Newcastle United goalkeeper Dave Beasant.
He told The Telegraph in March: ‘I did everything: the contracts, the transfers, the TV appearances, the sponsorships, the lot.’
Eric, known for his ‘monster, monster’ catchphrase, claimed to be the first agent to secure goal and appearance bonuses for players – even getting a bonus for a goalkeeper
Eric Hall arranged an infamous interview for the Sex Pistols, during which guitarist Steve Jones swore while live on air
Hall was known for operating without an agent’s licence for years until he was handed one free of charge by then-FA chief Graham Kelly.
Describing himself as the ‘guv’nor,’ Hall said he brought showbiz into the world of football agents.
In 2018 Lizzie Cundy rowed with Eric Hall – who was her husband Jason Cundy’s former agent – after Jamie Carragher was filmed spitting at a football fan.
Eric defended him saying: ‘He just snapped. The kid’s done everything. He’s apologised to 99 people. Why should he be sacked?’
She responded: ‘Spitting is the worst. It’s the most vile thing you can do.’
Eric Hall, who was often spotted with a cigar and using his catchphrase ‘monster monster,’ described himself as the ‘guv’nor,’ of modern football agents in an interview earlier this year
Today Ms Cundy paid tribute to Eric, writing: ‘So sad to hear that Eric Hall has past away. I knew him in the good old days with Terry Venables …Monster monster! Such a fun character ! So very sorry. Rest in peace dear Eric.’
He had a famous fall out with John Fashanu over his brother, Justin’s, decision to come out as gay.
Explaining the row to the Telegraph, the iconic agent explained he received a call from Justin saying a Sunday newspaper was threatening to run a story outing him.
Tributes have described Eric Hall as a ‘one of the great characters,’ following his passing at the age of 73
Hall said: ‘I arranged for Justin to do an interview with another paper before the Sunday newspaper was published, so that he could tell his story in his own words and kill the other story.
‘John found out about it and told me to tell the paper not to run the interview. I said, “I can’t do that”. John was worried about what football fans would sing at him. He said: “If you don’t get the interview stopped, then don’t ever call me again and you will never be my agent.” He kept his word. I’ve never spoken to him since.’
In 1976, while Hall was representing Queen and the Sex Pistols, Freddie Mercury was forced to pull out of a TV interview with Bill Grundy’s Today show, due to toothache.
Fans of the iconic promoter took to Twitter to share their memories of Eric Hall, with some remembering the now-infamous interview he set up for the Sex Pistols on Bill Grundy’s Today show in 1976
Instead, Hall managed to offer up the Sex Pistols, but disaster struck when guitarist Steve Jones uttered the words ‘what a f***ing rotter,’ live on air.
Paying tribute today, actor and singer Jess Conrad wrote: ‘I knew Eric’s cousin Norman before I knew Eric. We were teenagers together in the West End. I later met Monster Monster (Eric Hall) and knew him for many many years.
‘He was one of the great characters in my life in showbiz and will be sadly missed.’
