 THE third in our summer series of Everton Golden Boots concentrates on the feats of Alex 'Sandy' Young in the 1906-7 season. Young died in mysterious circumstances but there is no doubting his goalscoring prowess. Here is his story....... THE demise of Everton's original Alex Young is clouded in confusion. Some sources claim he was hanged following a case of sheep-rustling in Australia. Another says he ended his days in an asylum in Edinburgh following a manslaughter case. What remains indisputable, however, is that in his prime he was the master marksman of his day. He scored the goal which brought the FA Cup to Mersey-side for the first time in 1906 - and the following season, 1906-07, he was the English first division's leading scorer. Known as Sandy Young, the centre forward's 28-goal haul was then the highest total gathered by a Blues striker - and his memory is celebrated still at Goodison Park in the shape of an historic mosaic which hangs from the wall of the staircase leading, appropriately enough, from the Alex Young suite. The image of the player, wearing the old salmon pink shirt and navy blue shorts, was uncovered during renovation work at the Sandon Hotel in 1986. Originally used as changing premises for the Victorian Everton team, the pub was renovated and renamed The Picture House in 1986, when the magnificent mosaic was unearthed. Handed to Everton, its origins - like Young's own downfall - are unclear. A Daily Post cutting from December 1960 recalled simply: "Sandy Young emigrated to Australia after leaving Goodison Park and was involved there in a case of manslaughter." The cuttings from the days when he was at his peak were hardly more flattering. The Liverpool ECHO''s pen pics in the build-up to the 1906 FA Cup final stated: "Sandy Young, the centre-forward, is a variable sort of man who plays one good game in three on average. He takes the bumps a centre-forward must inevitably expect smilingly and determination makes up for lack of skill at times." But he ensured his place in Everton history 15 minutes from the end of the final, when he smashed Jack Sharp's cross into the Newcastle net to bring the cup back to Merseyside for the first time. With Liverpool also champions that season it was a unique double for Merseyside. . . not for the first time. | 
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