I was lucky to see Alex in his prime and often find it difficult to explain to younger blues just how good he was. You always knew when he came out of the tunnel, that along with Roy Vernon, Tony Kay, and Derek Temple, we feared no opposition. The summer I started work in 1965 enabled me to see football ingenuity watching Alex scoring a hat trick against Sheffield Wednesday from the Park End stand on a warm Tuesday evening. Fred Pickering fired in the other two. No Everton team in the 60s wore white socks that in my view diminishes the Royal Blue Kit. It was the same team we met later that season in the FA Cup final, my late Dad got me a ticket for the game and the performance of Alex that day was always overlooked, due to Mike Trebilcock's late double. Alex was superb leading the line, he had a good goal ruled out, was denied a stone wall penalty, and near the end put pass close to goal to Mike for his hat trick, who got his feet in a tangle and missed from the easiest goal chance that day. Catterick was no fan of Alex. He often played him on the right wing, reducing his influence. And left him out of the Cup final side in 1968, where his ability was sorely missed against a packed West Brom defence. The manager brought Alex back for the next and final game of 1967-68. He turned in a virtuoso performance in a 5-0 win over Fulham at Goodison in May 1968. Weeks later he was on his way to Stockport County. In my opinion he was still good enough to assist the great 1968 -70 side, who never really realised its potential, due in part to not winning key games, the type when Alex always delivered. I had to pleasure of meeting Alex in 2009 at a Foundation dinner at the Adelphi. I hope a monument at the new stadium is dedicated to his memory.
Peter, although a staunch red this came up in my Twitter feed. I am 68 and ironically brought up in Everton but in a family of Reds I did see Alex Young play as I started going to Anfield in 1962. Graceful, superb dribbling skills are what I remember from him and indeed many other Scottish forwards of that era. Merseyside football thankfully had a few!! All the best
@@stephensmith812 Stephen thanks for your comments. Slightly older, and remember during school holidays I often saw Liverpool at Anfield, often on a Wednesday afternoon (shops used to close half day) early 60s when in the old second division, courtesy of complimentary tickets for the old Paddock from my Uncle who used to walk behind the bin lorry for the Liverpool Corpy who emptied the bins and both Anfield and Goodison around the late 50s to mid 60s. I once knew the chap who managed the Albert pub who often asked me for tales from those times. Some I worked with until a few years ago didn't realise that back then and until the 70s both sets of fans often saw many games at both grounds. Ian St John, Willie Stevenson and Ian Ross often drank in the Farmers Arms in Roscommon Street in the mid 60s. My uncle lived facing in Portland Place so me and my siblings often went in the pub. 66, 70. Finally Everton cant seem to score from open play these days Back in 1982 my work brought me into contact with Tony Hateley, who worked for a north west brewery. I often recall he told me why he was moved on after one season 67-68. it seems he couldn't play with his back to goal ! Yet scored 24 goals that season, 3 of which I saw v Newcastle. What would the blues do for a player who couldn't play with their back to goal, yet stick 24 in the onion bag.
Don’t forget Ricky Tomlinson either. I like Ricky, even if he is a Socialist. I don’t believe in all that, but when Ricky talks about it, he does. And I think that he does care for the ordinary bloke and he is the kind of guy who would give an homeless guy a score, instead of sneering at him. He’s got a heart.
i first watched Everton in 1967 (still going there today), i saw Alex Young for first time, i swear he ran on the wing as if the ball was stuck to the outside of his boot by velcrose, i blinked, and when my eyes opened he was inside the park, i blinked again and he was out on wing again...my eyes couldn't keep up with his magic.
My dad is an evertonian, said he had Great ability but he went missin a lot in games, and was basically very inconsistent! Yet he’s still this “golden vision”! Says everything ya need to know about Everton’s standards on players!!🥴🤣
