SOME of the biggest names in football have paid tribute to the legendary Hearts and Everton winger Alex Young, who has died aged 80.

Young’s goals contributed to Hearts success in winning the First Division league title in 1958. He helped the Tynecastle club to a second title in season 1959/60, the Scottish Cup in 1956 and the League Cup three years later.

He subsequently signed for Everton for £40,000, making 273 appearances and scoring 87 goals, helping Everton to the 1963 English league championship and FA Cup success three years later. At the club he was nicknamed “the Golden Touch” thanks to his elegant style. Young also won eight Scotland caps.

Hailing from Loanhead, Midlothian, he joined Hearts from Newtongrange Star in 1955, when he was still working in the local colliery.

He retired in 1969 but made frequent returns, with a testimonial attracting more than 20,000 fans to Everton’s Goodison Park.

The Edinburgh club said it was with “great sadness” that it had to report Young’s death, adding: “He will go down in history as one of Hearts’ finest ever players.”

Everton tweeted: “We are deeply saddened at the passing of an Everton Giant, The Golden Vision, Alex Young. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”

Former Everton manager and player Joe Royle said: “He was a wonderful old-fashioned talent.

“He swayed and floated around the pitch but few mention he had wonderful turn of foot over 10 yards and his acceleration was terrific.”

Another of the club’s former players, Colin Harvey, added: “Alex was ahead of his time in terms of the way he played as a centre-forward.”

In a recent interview, Young’s son said his father had made his home in Liverpool, adding he loved “the Evertonian people”.