GEORGE ‘Corky’ Young, a giant in the Rangers ‘Iron Curtain’ defence, made his Scotland debut in November 1946, in a goalless draw with Northern Ireland at Hampden. The Glasgow Herald didn’t have too many positive things to say about the Scottish team but did note that goalkeeper Bobby Brown “had able assistance in defence from Young and [Frank] Brennan.

Young would make another 52 appearances for Scotland, 48 of them as captain. He was the first Scottish player to reach 50 caps, and between 1948 and 1953 he played in 34 consecutive international matches. Young is seen here, towering over the England captain, Billy Wright, before a 1-1 draw at Hampden in April 1956.

His final game was against Switzerland, in May 1957. A measure of how highly he was regarded comes from an Evening Times sports story, a few days before the match. Football writer Gair Henderson said the paper had been inundated with letters praising Young’s displays for Scotland.

“Every one went on to pay sincere and genuine tribute to George", he wrote. "And the ideas were magnificent. Scores were in favour of a knighthood in the next Honours List, dozens suggested his portrait in oils in a Scottish jersey, half a dozen wanted to see Scotland’s captain the central figure in the television programme, ‘This is Your Life’ ...”

Others wanted a George Young trophy to be established or for him to be granted the Freedom of Glasgow. One reader suggested a match between an Anglo side chosen by Matt Busby and a Scottish side selected by George.

Young, who died in 1997, was inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in 2005.

Rangers, the citation reads, dominated Scottish football during his time at the club and he won the Scottish League six times, was four times winner of the Scottish Cup and was twice a winner of the League Cup. He made a total of 428 appearances for Rangers and later managed Third Lanark.

Read more: Herald Diary