Alex Young

Heart of Midlothian

He joined Tommy Walker's Hearts in 1955 making his debut aged 18. This particular Hearts side had won their breakthrough tournament the year before winning the 1954 Scottish League Cup Final. With Young they next won the 1956 Scottish Cup Final. With Hearts' 'Terrible Trio' forward line of Jimmy Wardhaugh, Willie Bauld and Alfie Conn, Sr at their peak, Young played at right wing. Hearts led the Scottish League for most of the 1956–57 season. The title hinged on Rangers visit to Tynecastle on 13 April. A capacity crowd watched a tense game in which Rangers keeper, George Niven, was man of the match. Hearts could not beat him and the only goal came from Simpson of Rangers who scored on the break in 35 minutes. Rangers had games in hand which they won to overtake Hearts and lift the trophy. Young helped Hearts win the Scottish league championship in 1957–58, as part of a new Hearts goal scoring trinity with Wardhaugh and Jimmy Murray. In a crucial October visit to Ibrox, Young scored to transform a 2–0 deficit into a 3–2 win. On 12 April 1958 Hearts won 3–2 at St Mirren to clinch the title with Young scoring the winner. Wardhaugh was the League's top marksman with 28 strikes. This was one ahead of Jimmy Murray's 27 and four more than Young's 24. Hearts won that League title in 1957–58 with record-breaking points, goals scored and goal difference. Their record from 34 league games of 62 points out of a maximum possible 68 was 13 more than their…

Young married Nancy in 1957, and had three children: Jane, Alex Jnr and Jason. Young died at the age of 80 on 27 February 2017 after a short illness. He was survived by wife Nancy who died on 28 October 2023, and their three children.

Hearts

Scottish League: 1957–58, 1959–60 Scottish Cup: 1955–56 Scottish League Cup: 1959–60 Everton

Football League First Division: 1962–63 FA Cup: 1965–66 FA Charity Shield: 1963 Individual Young was named as one of the Football League 100 Legends of the 20th Century in May 1999.