Leeds United legend Peter Lorimer made history on this day in 1962, setting a club record that stands to this day.
The Leeds academy has a proud tradition of developing homegrown talent, and the emergence of Harry Gray proves that Thorp Arch remains an important talent pathway in the English game.
Gray joined an exclusive Leeds club this season when he was named in the first-team squad for the Premier League game against Wolves, becoming the fifth-youngest to be named in a top-flight matchday squad, joining the likes of James Milner and Aaron Lennon on the list.
Peter Lorimer remains the youngest player to feature for Leeds, after making his debut for the club against Southampton on this day in 1962.
Peter Lorimer made Leeds United history in 1962
Peter Lorimer would go on to become one of the greatest players in the history of Leeds United and was one of the cornerstones of the legendary Don Revie team.
However, all of this remained ahead of him in 1962, when he was named in the Leeds United squad as a sprightly 15-year-old, 15 years and 292 days old to be precise, for a league game against Southampton.
Revie had fought off stiff competition to secure the signing of the Dundee-born star, with as many as 30 clubs battling it out for Lorimer’s signature.
It is fitting that Lorimer’s debut came as speculation swirled over the future of another Leeds legend, John Charles, who was the subject of interest from Roma at the time, as Revie looked to build the team that would deliver so much success at Elland Road.
According to a 1962 report from the Daily Telegraph, Lorimer played on the right wing, replacing Billy Bremner in the Leeds side and became the second youngest player in the history of league football at the time, behind Albert Geldard, who appeared for Bradford at the age of 15 and 156 days in 1929.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw, but according to a report from the Sunday Sun, Lorimer came close to scoring the winner, with his late strike saved by the Southampton goalkeeper.
Lorimer’s career ended with no shortage of records, as he made 707 appearances for the club, scoring a record 238 goals and won eight trophies during his career.
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Where would Peter Lorimer rank among the youngest Premier League players?
Leeds witnessed a small piece of history earlier this season as Max Dowman became the second youngest player in Premier League history when he came on as a substitute in Leeds’ heavy defeat at the Emirates.
Although over 60 years have passed since Lorimer made his Leeds debut, his remarkable record would still stand up in the Premier League era.
Youngest Premier League Debuts
- Ethan Nwaneri – 15 years, 181 days
- Max Dowman – 15 years, 235 days
- Jeremy Monga – 15 years, 271 days
- Harvey Elliot – 16 years, 30 days
- Matthew Briggs – 16 years, 68 days
If Lorimer made his debut today, he would rank fourth in the list of youngest debuts in Premier League history, two places behind Arsenal’s Dowman.
However, both remain behind Dowman’s Arsenal teammate, Ethan Nwaneri, who made his first appearance at 15 years and 181 days old, according to Opta.
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