Former Aberdeen and Arsenal footballer Willie Young dies age 73

Former Aberdeen and Arsenal defender Willie Young has died aged 73.

Young played more than 180 games for the Dons before lifting the FA Cup with the Gunners in 1979.

He is perhaps best remembered for forcing a change of the rules of the game and creating a “professional foul” following his tackle on West Ham striker Paul Allen in the 1980 final.

Arsenal said in a statement that his “physicality and commitment have made him a cult figure with the club’s fans”.

They added: “Reliable, aerially dominant and fearless, his tremendous contribution to a successful period means he will always be fondly remembered by those who saw him fend off attacks with his massive frame and wreak havoc on opposition defenses from set-pieces.”

Posting on X, Aberdeen said the club was “saddened” to learn of his death.

Born in Edinburgh, Young grew up in the Midlothian village of Heriot and began his career in Aberdeen in 1970.

He spent five years at the club before joining Tottenham Hotspur in 1975.

Two years later he made a controversial move to Arsenal via North London, linking up with his former manager at Spurs, Terry Neill.

With his towering 6ft 6ins and trademark red hair, he formed a formidable defensive partnership with Irish defender David O’Leary, reaching three consecutive FA Cup finals between 1978 and 1980.

He won a first-place medal by defeating Manchester United 3-2 in the “five-minute final” of 1979.

But it was the following year, in a 1-0 defeat against West Ham, that he scythed the then 17-year-old Allen and etched his name in the history of the game.

With the striker heading towards goal in the final stages, Young sarcastically brought him down on the edge of the area to deny an almost certain goal.

He received a yellow card for the incident, but it sparked a national debate about the need for a special law regulating professional fouls.

Two years later automatic red cards were introduced for “denial of a clear goal-scoring opportunity”.

Young also played in Arsenal’s 1980 Cup Winners’ Cup final defeat to Valencia in Brussels.

Despite his success at club level, Young never made a senior appearance for Scotland due to a lifetime ban following an altercation in a nightclub in Denmark.

The “Copenhagen five” of Young, Joe Harper, Arthur Graham, Billy Bremner and Pat McCluskey were excommunicated from the national establishment over the incident.

Harper and Graham were later reinstated after being cleared of any wrongdoing, but Young was never allowed to wear the navy blue jersey.

After making 237 appearances, he left Arsenal in 1981 and joined Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest.

Young retired in 1984 due to injuries after short spells at Norwich City, Brighton and Hove Albion and Darlington.