George Young (footballer)
Encyclopedia
George Lewis Young was a Scottish
footballer
, best remembered for his association with Rangers
and for being the first player to receive over 50 caps for the Scotland national team
.
, Young started his career with junior side Kirkintilloch Rob Roy
before moving to Rangers in 1941. Although primarily considered a centre half, he was often played at right back during his 16 years in Govan
, to accommodate Willie Woodburn
in Rangers' renowned Iron Curtain defence.
The Rangers side of the immediate post-War era was one of the dominant forces in Scottish football and Young was a key component in its success. Having won the League
and League Cup
in 1946–47
and the Scottish Cup
the following season, Rangers became the first side to win all three trophies in the same season in 1948–49
. Young himself scored twice (from the penalty sport) in the 4–1 Scottish Cup Final victory over Clyde
which wrapped up the Treble.
Young won further League titles in 1950
, 1953
, 1956
and 1957
, also collecting Scottish Cup winners medals in 1950 and 1953, to take his senior medal haul to 12. The "lucky" Champagne cork he always carried with him – which earned him the nickname Corky – would appear to have worked! In total he played 428 times (scoring 31 goals) for the Rangers first team when he left in 1957.
. He was selected for a string of 34 consecutive matches between 1948 and 1953 and his total of 53 caps made him the first member of the Scotland Football Hall of Fame
. Remarkably, Young was selected as captain on 48 of those appearances. He was also the first player to appear for Scotland as a substitute, when he replaced Bill Campbell of Morton in an unofficial international against Switzerland
in May 1946. The SFA
have since classified the match as an international, but it is not recognised by FIFA
.
His international career was not without disappointment. Young captained Scotland throughout the 1949–50 Home International tournament, which FIFA had decreed to be a British qualifying group for the 1950 FIFA World Cup
in Brazil. The top two teams in the Home Internationals would qualify for Brazil, but the SFA decided Scotland would only travel as British Champions. England's 1–0 win at Hampden relegated the Scots to second place and they did not travel. Four years later, Scotland again qualified as second-placed country in the Home Internationals, and this time the SFA decided they would travel to Switzerland. Rangers, however, had arranged a tour of North America at the same time and refused to release their players, including Young.
In the qualifying tournament for the 1958 FIFA World Cup
in Sweden, Scotland were placed in a group with Spain
and Switzerland. The group began in May 1957, by which time Young had announced he would retire from playing at the end of that season. He led Scotland to a 4–2 victory over Spain in the opening game at Hampden
on 8 May, and was again captain for their 2–1 victory over Switzerland, in Basle on 19 May. However, he sustained a thigh strain in that match and did not play in a 3–1 friendly win over then world champions West Germany in Stuttgart three days later. Young had announced the next match, the return game with Spain in Madrid on 26 May 1957, would be his final game. The SFA selectors decided, however, to make the minimum number of changes to the victorious team in Stuttgart. Young wasn't selected to face Spain, while his Rangers' team mates Ian McColl and Alex Scott were dropped. Spain won 4–1.
Young also won 22 caps for the Scottish League XI
, between 1947 and 1956.
, Young had a three year spell as manager of Third Lanark
between 1959 and 1962. He then left football, becoming a successful hotel
ier. He died, aged 74, in 1997.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, best remembered for his association with Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
and for being the first player to receive over 50 caps for the Scotland national team
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
.
Club
Born in GrangemouthGrangemouth
Grangemouth is a town and former burgh in the council area of Falkirk, Scotland. The town lies in the Forth Valley, on the banks of the Firth of Forth, east of Falkirk, west of Bo'ness and south-east of Stirling. Grangemouth had a resident population of 17,906 according to the 2001...
, Young started his career with junior side Kirkintilloch Rob Roy
Kirkintilloch Rob Roy F.C.
Kirkintilloch Rob Roy Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the town of Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire. Nicknamed The Rabs or The Roy, they were formed in 1878...
before moving to Rangers in 1941. Although primarily considered a centre half, he was often played at right back during his 16 years in Govan
Govan
Govan is a district and former burgh now part of southwest City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of Partick....
, to accommodate Willie Woodburn
Willie Woodburn
William 'Willie' Woodburn was a Scottish footballer. He was the last footballer in Britain to receive a life ban from the game for indiscipline. He is also an inductee of the Scottish Football Hall of Fame and the Rangers F.C...
in Rangers' renowned Iron Curtain defence.
The Rangers side of the immediate post-War era was one of the dominant forces in Scottish football and Young was a key component in its success. Having won the League
Scottish football champions
The Scottish football champions are the winners of the highest league in Scottish football, namely the Scottish Football League from 1890 until 1998 and the Scottish Premier League thereafter....
and League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
in 1946–47
1946-47 in Scottish football
The 1946–47 season was the 50th season of competitive football in Scotland, and the first since the 1938–39 season.-Scottish League Division A:Champions: Rangers-Scottish League Division B:-Scottish League Division C:...
and the Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
the following season, Rangers became the first side to win all three trophies in the same season in 1948–49
1948-49 in Scottish football
The 1948–49 season was the 52nd season of competitive football in Scotland. Rangers became the first team to win the Scottish domestic treble. Scottish League Division "C" was disbanded...
. Young himself scored twice (from the penalty sport) in the 4–1 Scottish Cup Final victory over Clyde
Clyde F.C.
Clyde Football Club are a Scottish professional football team currently playing in the Third Division of the Scottish Football League. Although based for the last fifteen years in the new town of Cumbernauld, they are traditionally associated with an area that covers Rutherglen in South...
which wrapped up the Treble.
Young won further League titles in 1950
1949-50 in Scottish football
The 1949–50 season was the 53rd season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish League Division A:Rangers won the league with a 2–2 draw in their last match, away to Third Lanark, a game in which Rangers took a 2–0 lead...
, 1953
1952-53 in Scottish football
The 1952–53 season was the 56th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish League Division A:Rangers won the title with a 1–1 draw in their last match, away to Queen of the South...
, 1956
1955-56 in Scottish football
The 1955–56 season was the 59th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Overview:Following league reconstruction League Division One was expanded from 16 to 18 teams with Airdrieonians and Dunfermline Athletic being promoted...
and 1957
1956-57 in Scottish football
The 1956–57 season was the 60th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish League Division One:Champions: RangersRelegated: Dunfermline Athletic, Ayr United-Scottish League Division Two:...
, also collecting Scottish Cup winners medals in 1950 and 1953, to take his senior medal haul to 12. The "lucky" Champagne cork he always carried with him – which earned him the nickname Corky – would appear to have worked! In total he played 428 times (scoring 31 goals) for the Rangers first team when he left in 1957.
International
Young also enjoyed a long and distinguished career for the Scottish national sideScotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
. He was selected for a string of 34 consecutive matches between 1948 and 1953 and his total of 53 caps made him the first member of the Scotland Football Hall of Fame
Scotland Football Hall of Fame
The Scotland national football team roll of honour is a list set up by the Scottish Football Association which recognises players who have gained 50 or more international caps for Scotland. There are currently 26 players on the roll of honour, with Kenny Miller the most recent addition...
. Remarkably, Young was selected as captain on 48 of those appearances. He was also the first player to appear for Scotland as a substitute, when he replaced Bill Campbell of Morton in an unofficial international against Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
in May 1946. The SFA
Scottish Football Association
The Scottish Football Association is the governing body of football in Scotland and has the ultimate responsibility for the control and development of football in Scotland. Members of the SFA include clubs in Scotland, affiliated national associations as well as local associations...
have since classified the match as an international, but it is not recognised by FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
.
His international career was not without disappointment. Young captained Scotland throughout the 1949–50 Home International tournament, which FIFA had decreed to be a British qualifying group for the 1950 FIFA World Cup
1950 FIFA World Cup
The 1950 FIFA World Cup, held in Brazil from 24 June to 16 July, was the fourth FIFA World Cup. It was the first World Cup since 1938, the planned 1942 and 1946 competitions having been canceled owing to World War II...
in Brazil. The top two teams in the Home Internationals would qualify for Brazil, but the SFA decided Scotland would only travel as British Champions. England's 1–0 win at Hampden relegated the Scots to second place and they did not travel. Four years later, Scotland again qualified as second-placed country in the Home Internationals, and this time the SFA decided they would travel to Switzerland. Rangers, however, had arranged a tour of North America at the same time and refused to release their players, including Young.
In the qualifying tournament for the 1958 FIFA World Cup
1958 FIFA World Cup
The 1958 FIFA World Cup, the sixth staging of the World Cup, was hosted by Sweden from 8 June to 29 June. The tournament was won by Brazil, who beat Sweden 5–2 in the final for their first title. To date, this marks the only occasion that a World Cup staged in Europe was not won by a European...
in Sweden, Scotland were placed in a group with Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
and Switzerland. The group began in May 1957, by which time Young had announced he would retire from playing at the end of that season. He led Scotland to a 4–2 victory over Spain in the opening game at Hampden
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
on 8 May, and was again captain for their 2–1 victory over Switzerland, in Basle on 19 May. However, he sustained a thigh strain in that match and did not play in a 3–1 friendly win over then world champions West Germany in Stuttgart three days later. Young had announced the next match, the return game with Spain in Madrid on 26 May 1957, would be his final game. The SFA selectors decided, however, to make the minimum number of changes to the victorious team in Stuttgart. Young wasn't selected to face Spain, while his Rangers' team mates Ian McColl and Alex Scott were dropped. Spain won 4–1.
Young also won 22 caps for the Scottish League XI
Scottish League XI
The Scottish League XI is a representative side of the Scottish Football League. The team regularly played against the Football League and other national league select teams between 1892 and 1980. For a long period the annual fixture between the English and Scottish leagues was only second in...
, between 1947 and 1956.
Later life
After leaving IbroxIbrox Stadium
Ibrox Stadium is a football stadium located on the south side of the River Clyde, on Edmiston Drive in the Ibrox district of Glasgow. It is the home ground of Scottish Premier League club Rangers and has an all-seated capacity of 51,082...
, Young had a three year spell as manager of Third Lanark
Third Lanark A.C.
Third Lanark Athletic Club was a football club that originally existed between 1872 and 1967, 95 years in existence, based in Glasgow, Scotland. Third Lanark were known as Thirds, the Warriors, the Redcoats and the Hi Hi's...
between 1959 and 1962. He then left football, becoming a successful hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
ier. He died, aged 74, in 1997.