Alex Young

It's very difficult to convey the intensity of the adulation that Everton fans heaped upon Alex Young during the 1960s but it's probably not far from the truth to say, as Gordon Watson did in David France anddavid prentice's 'Gwladys Street's Blue Book', that he was "the most idolised footballer of the twentieth century".

This was hero-worship the like of which no other Everton player has since come close to receiving. Think of how loved the two Duncans - McKenzie and Ferguson - were and multiply that by a very large number indeed and you'd still be way out.

And the worship goes on to this day. I'm writing this in March 2008 just as David France (a man who, for very different reasons, Evertonians should all revere) publishes a new biography of the legend known universally as The Golden Vision.

It was his elegant touch and his blond curly hair that earned him the nickname - and the idolisation led to a 1964 TV play of that name centered around Everton, its fans and Alex Young in particular.

So, what was the fuss all about?

Quite simply, he was just different to other footballers. He was a centre forward but not in the traditional big burly target man mould. He played deeper and he played in a different way. It was almost a different sport. He didn't kick the ball, he stroked and carressed it. He didn't run on a pitch, he glided across it. He didn't jump and head the ball. He sprang miraculously. He hung in the air. He bulletted headers.

Everton signed Young from Hearts in November 1960 for £40,000 but because of a knee injury it was a month before he made his debut - an inauspicious 3-1 home defeat to Tottenham. Because of his knee, he then didn't play again for nearly 2 months and in fact we won none of the first 6 matches he played in, so it wasn't exactly the best start to an Everton career!

Things improved though and Young became the shining light in a side that went from strength to strength after Harry Catterick took the helm in April 1961. His best season was the 1962/63 Championship-winning one. Young scored 22 League goals and his strike partner, Roy Vernon, got 24 as Everton won their sixth League title. FA Cup success followed in 1966.

There were troughs as well as peaks. He suffered throughout his career with appalling blisters on his feet. He didn't see eye-to-eye with Catterick, who was famously jostled and threatened by outraged supporters after dropping Young in favour of the unknown Joe Royle (whatever happened to him?!) in January 1966. Critics said that he was over-elaborate, too casual, inconsistent and that he disappeared when things got tough.

Fans didn't care - and Young kept scoring goals too. Only 14 other players have scored more goals for Everton than he did. But it was his intangible, other-wordly qualities more than his goals that endeared him to Everton supporters and which still, 40 years after he left the club, send a shiver down the spine at the mere mention of those three words "The Golden Vision".

The stats:

	League			FA Cup			Lge Cup			Europe			Other			Total
	Apps	Subs	Gls	Apps	Subs	Gls	Apps	Subs	Gls	Apps	Subs	Gls	Apps	Subs	Gls	Apps	Subs	Gls
1960-61	13	0	6	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	14	0	7
1961-62	40	0	14	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	43	0	14
1962-63	42	0	22	3	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	47	0	22
1963-64	27	0	12	3	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	3	0	2	35	0	14
1964-65	20	0	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	3	0	0	0	24	0	6
1965-66	26	0	7	8	0	2	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	36	0	9
1966-67	35	0	8	5	0	2	0	0	0	4	0	0	1	0	0	45	0	10
1967-68	24	1	5	2	2	0	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	28	3	7
Total	227	1	77	25	2	4	3	0	3	13	0	3	4	0	2	272	3	89