City_Shirts
Well-Known Member
413 Apps & 108 Goals - 1960/61 to 1971/72
One of City’s first-ever apprentice professionals, Neil Young signed for City in the close season of 1960. He made his league debut in November 1961 at Aston Villa and though the Blues lost, he had the satisfaction of setting up Peter Dobing for the City goal. His first goal for the club came in his fifth game in a 3-0 win over Ipswich Town. In these early days he was being switched around the forward line but when Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison moved him permanently to the No.10 spot he flourished. They gave him a free-roving commission and he repaid their faith in him by scoring 17 league and cup goals including a hat-trick in a 5-0 defeat of Leyton orient, to end the 1965-66 season as the club’s leading scorer. He top-scored again in City’s league Championship winning season of 1967-68 with 22 goals and crowned a great season by scoring twice in the club’s 4-3 win at Newcastle United. It was Neil Young’s splendid left-foot shot that won the Blues the FA Cup in 1969. The following year he scored one of City’s two goals in Vienna which brought victory over Gornik Zabrze in the European Cup Winners Cup. In January 1972 Young move to Preston for £48,000 and later had a short spell with Rochdale before retiring. A player who always seemed to have something to spare, he is best remembered for excellent ball control and shooting power which help bring so much success to Maine Road, a simply outstanding gifted footballer.
RIP
One of City’s first-ever apprentice professionals, Neil Young signed for City in the close season of 1960. He made his league debut in November 1961 at Aston Villa and though the Blues lost, he had the satisfaction of setting up Peter Dobing for the City goal. His first goal for the club came in his fifth game in a 3-0 win over Ipswich Town. In these early days he was being switched around the forward line but when Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison moved him permanently to the No.10 spot he flourished. They gave him a free-roving commission and he repaid their faith in him by scoring 17 league and cup goals including a hat-trick in a 5-0 defeat of Leyton orient, to end the 1965-66 season as the club’s leading scorer. He top-scored again in City’s league Championship winning season of 1967-68 with 22 goals and crowned a great season by scoring twice in the club’s 4-3 win at Newcastle United. It was Neil Young’s splendid left-foot shot that won the Blues the FA Cup in 1969. The following year he scored one of City’s two goals in Vienna which brought victory over Gornik Zabrze in the European Cup Winners Cup. In January 1972 Young move to Preston for £48,000 and later had a short spell with Rochdale before retiring. A player who always seemed to have something to spare, he is best remembered for excellent ball control and shooting power which help bring so much success to Maine Road, a simply outstanding gifted footballer.
RIP