George Young (footballer)

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George Lewis Young (1922-1997) is a former Scottish footballer, best remembered for his association with Rangers and for being the first player to receive over 50 caps for the Scotland national team.

Born in Grangemouth, Young started his career with junior side Kirkintilloch Rob Roy before moving to Rangers in 1941. Although primarily considered a centre half, he was often played at right back during his 18 years in Govan, to accommodate Willie Woodburn in Rangers' renowned Iron Curtain defense.

The Rangers side of the immediate post-War era was one of the dominant forces in Scottish football and Young was a key component in its success. Having won the League and League Cup in 1946-47 and the Scottish Cup the following season, Rangers became the first side to win all three trophies in the same season in 1948-49. Young himself scored twice (from the penalty sport) in the 4-1 Scottish Cup Final victory over Clyde which wrapped up the Treble.

Young won further League titles in 1950, 1953, 1956 and 1957, also collecting Scottish Cup winners medals in 1950 and 1953, to take his senior medal haul to 12. The "lucky" Champagne cork he always carried with him - which earned him the nickname Corky - would appear to have worked! In total he played almost 300 times for the Rangers first team.

Young also enjoyed a long and distinguished career for the Scottish national side. He was selected for a string of 34 consecutive matches between 1948 and 1953 and his total of 53 caps made him the first member of the Scotland Football Hall of Fame. Remarkably, Young was selected as captain on 48 of those 53 appearances.

His international career was not without disappointment, however, as injury prevented him playing in the 1954 FIFA World Cup, while he was controversially not selected when Scotland qualified for the 1958 tournament.

After leaving Ibrox, Young had a 3-year spell as manager of Third Lanark between 1959 and 1962. He then left football, becoming a successful hotelier. He died, aged 74, in 1997.

One unknown fact about George Young, is that as a teen he led a Scottish gang called "The Bellywoppers." The gang was notorious for destroying street signs, park benches, and writing BELLYWOPPERS on the sides of buildings. The gang broke up after a few years when over half the gang left The Bellywoppers to join an Irish gang called "The Humpty-Dumptys."