Eric Young(born 25 March 1960) is a Welsh former professional footballer who played as adefender.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Eric Young[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 25 March 1960[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Singapore[1] | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1978–1979 | Southall | ||
| 1979–1982 | Slough Town | 104 | (23) |
| 1982–1987 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 126 | (10) |
| 1987–1990 | Wimbledon | 99 | (9) |
| 1990–1995 | Crystal Palace | 161 | (15) |
| 1995–1997 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 31 | (2) |
| 1997 | Crystal Palace | 0 | (0) |
| 1997–1998 | Enfield | 4 | (0) |
| 1998–2001 | Egham Town | ||
| Total | 525 | (48) | |
| International career | |||
| 1990–1995 | Wales | 21 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
As a player he notably played forWimbledonand was part of the clubs victoriousFA Cupwinning team in 1988, he later went on to play in thePremier LeaguewithCrystal Palaceand has also featured in theFootball LeagueforBrighton & Hove AlbionandWolverhampton Wanderers.He began and finished his career in Non-league football withSouthall,Slough Town,EnfieldandEgham Town.
Born inSingapore,he gained 21 internationalcapsforWales.He was a strong, commandingcentre-half,nicknamed"Ninja"due to his ever-present brown headband, which he wore during matches to protect scar tissue on his forehead.
Club career
editYoung started his career at non-leagueSouthalland then moved toSlough Townwhere his commanding style was noticed by a number of league clubs; he played for Slough for three seasons.[3]Young was eventually signed byBrighton & Hove Albionin 1982. During the period in non-league football Young continued with his accountancy training. He made hisFootball Leaguedebut in the first match of the1982–83season and went on to make 126 league appearances for the club, scoring 10 goals before transferring toWimbledonfor £70,000 on the eve of the1987–88season.
He became a fan favourite atWimbledonand formed a formidable central defensive partnership withAndy Thorn,playing in the club's famous victory overLiverpoolin the1988 FA Cup final.After 99 league appearances and 9 goals for Wimbledon, in 1990 he was sold toCrystal Palacefor £850,000 (at the time a huge transfer fee for a 30-year-old). At Palace he continued his consistently reliable form, and the club had already signed Thorn in 1989 which meant the resumption of their defensive partnership that had proved so successful at Wimbledon. Young was a mainstay in the team that finished third in the old first division (now thePremier League) and kept his place in the side until a falling out with managerAlan Smithat the beginning of the1994–95season saw him dropped until the final five matches of that campaign.
After 161 league appearances and 15 goals for Palace, he then joinedWolverhampton Wandererson a free transfer. He spent two seasons at Wolves before completing his professional career, briefly returning to Palace in 1997 without playing a senior game, but then continued to play non-league football for another four seasons whilst also qualifying as a chartered accountant, before finally hanging up his boots at the age of 41 atEgham Town.
International career
editAs a British citizen who was born abroad – in Singapore –FIFA eligibility rulesat the time of Young's first international selection entitled him to represent any of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom at international level.[4]He opted forWales,despite having no specific family connection to that country.
He made his international début for Wales, aged 30, versusCosta Ricain a friendly game atNinian Parkin 1990, alongside fellow débutantesGary SpeedandPaul Bodin.[5]Despite his comparatively late start, Young won a total of 21 caps for Wales.
Personal life
editHe is now working as an accountant in a construction based company inHeathrow.
Honours
edit- Wimbledon
Crystal Palace
Individual
References
edit- ^abc"Eric Young".Barry Hugman's Footballers.Retrieved17 April2020.
- ^Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987).Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88.London: Queen Anne Press. p.86.ISBN978-0-356-14354-5.
- ^Eric Young,Slough Town FC
- ^Eric Young went from non league to the international stage via Brighton and Crystal Palace,In Parallel Lines, 26 November 2017
- ^"Wales - International Results 1990-1999 - Details".RSSSF.Retrieved6 February2012.
- ^Lynch.The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes.p. 150.
External links
edit- Eric Youngat Soccerbase
- Eric Young–FIFAcompetition record (archived)
- Eric Young,Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database
