Thomas Younger (born 10 April 1930, died 13 January 1984) was a Scottish professional footballer of the 1950s and 60’s who played as a goalkeeper.
Quoted from image: Serves with the B.A.O.R. near Berlin and is flown home to play in Hibs chief matches. Joined Hibs from a local Juvenile side Hutchison Vale, and once he joined the sidein 1948-49, has seldom missed a League game. Will one day play for scotland
Life and playing career
Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Younger signed for Home town club Hibernian in 1948 where he was part of the successful side of the early 50s, winning two titles in 1950-51 and 1951-52. Younger soon gained a reputation for being an excellent goalkeeper and alerted Liverpool manager Phil Taylor who captured his signature in June 1956 for £9000.
He made his debut at Anfield on the 18 August, the same year, in a league match against Huddersfield Town, However, Huddersfield spoilt Younger’s day by taking both points from a 3-2 win. He kept his first clean-sheet 2 games later at Gigg Lane as the Reds beat Bury 2-0. Younger immediately took over the No.1 jersey at Anfield and played in 43 of Liverpool’s 45 matches in his first season.
Younger was capped by Scotland 24 times in just 3 years making his debut on the 4 May 1955 in a friendly international against Portugal at Hampden Park, Glasgow, the Scots were too strong for their Iberian counterparts winning the game 3-0 thus gaining Younger his first clean-sheet at national level. Younger also had the honour of keeping goal for the Scottish side during the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, he played in 2 matches, the first against Yugooslavia with the second, his last appearance for the Scots, coming against Paraguay.
Younger spent 3 years at Liverpool only missing 6 matches during this time, he was allowed to leave to take on a player/manager role at Falkirk, a back injury led to him ending his career but, after finding out that the injury wasn’t as bad as first diagnosed, he returned to England when Stoke City signed him in 1960. Younger went on to play for Leeds United where he finally retired in 1962.
After his retirement he stayed on at Leeds as a scout before he got his first coaching role, it was in Canada at Toronto City. After his stint in Toronto he headed back to the club that set him on his way, Hibs. As well as being a fabulous keeper he also had an astute business brain which he used in his role as, at first, a director at the Easter Road club and then Chairman.
Younger also put a lot back into the Scottish game after he was appointed to the Scottish Football Association where he eventually became President a role in stayed in right up until his death on 13 January 1984 aged 53.
Career details
- Hibernian F.C (1948 – 1956) – ??? appearances
- 2 Scottish Football League Division 1 (Level 1) championship winners medals (1951 and 1952)
- Scottish League Cup runners-up medal (1951)
- Liverpool F.C (1956 – 1959) – 127 (including 120 league)appearances
- Falkirk F.C. (1959-1960)
- Stoke City F.C. (1960-1961) – 10 league appearances
- Leeds United A.F.C. (1961-1962) – 37 league appearances
- Scotland(1955 – 1958) – 24 caps