George Lewis Young (27 de octubre de 1922 - 10 de enero de 1997) fue un futbolista escocés que jugaba como defensa . Es mejor recordado por su asociación de 16 años con los Rangers y por ser el primer jugador en recibir más de 50 partidos internacionales con la selección nacional de Escocia .
Nacido en Grangemouth , Young comenzó su carrera con el equipo juvenil Kirkintilloch Rob Roy antes de mudarse a los Rangers en 1941. Aunque se le consideraba principalmente un defensa central , a menudo jugó como lateral derecho durante sus 16 años en Govan , para acomodar a Willie Woodburn en el renombrado equipo de los Rangers. Defensa del Telón de Acero . [3]
Young ganó la Liga y la Copa de la Liga en 1946–47 y la Copa de Escocia la temporada siguiente, antes de que el Rangers se convirtiera en el primer equipo en ganar los tres trofeos en la misma temporada en 1948–49 . El propio Young anotó dos veces desde el punto de penalti en la victoria por 4-1 en la final de la Copa de Escocia sobre Clyde , que cerró el triplete . [3]
Young ganó más títulos de liga en 1950 , 1953 , 1956 y 1957 , y también consiguió medallas de ganador de la Copa de Escocia en 1950 y 1953, elevando su palmarés senior a 12. El corcho de champán "afortunado" que siempre llevaba le valió el sobrenombre de Corky . [2] En total, Young tuvo 458 apariciones, anotando 31 goles para el club Ibrox (sin incluir 180 partidos en tiempos de guerra y 32 goles) cuando partió en 1957. [3] [5]
Young was selected for a string of 34 consecutive senior Scotland matches between 1948 and 1953. His total of 54 caps made him the first member of the Scotland Football Hall of Fame. 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 Billy Campbell of Morton in a Victory International against Switzerland in May 1946 (the Scottish Football Association have since classified the match as a full international, but it is not recognised by FIFA).
Young captained Scotland throughout the 1949–50 British Home Championship 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 Park 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 for the World Cup. 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 was not selected for the return match with Spain in Madrid on 26 May, which Spain won 4–1, meaning his international career was over.[6]
Young also won 22 caps for the Scottish League XI between 1947 and 1956,[7] the second-highest all-time total for the team.[8]
After leaving Rangers, Young had a three-year spell as manager of Third Lanark between 1959 and 1962.[3] He was then a successful hotelier, although lost money in other business ventures.[9]
A pesar de su larga asociación con los Rangers, el club se negó a organizar un testimonio para Young en su retiro porque les preocupaba que sentara un precedente para muchos otros jugadores retirados. Finalmente, en mayo de 1986 se jugó un partido benéfico en Falkirk entre el 'XI de Young', que vestía la camiseta de Escocia y contenía a varios internacionales actuales, y el ' XI de Don Revie ', que vestía la camiseta de Inglaterra. [9]
Young murió a la edad de 74 años, el 10 de enero de 1997. [2]