The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Peter Lorimer – the Dundee boy who became a football legend
Peter Lorimer burst into tears every time he left Dundee when he first went to play for Leeds United as a 15-year-old boy in 1962.
Lorimer would go home to Dundee every six weeks and the tears would flow when it was time to return to his digs in Yorkshire.
He would overcome homesickness to become the club’s youngest debutant before going on to make more than 700 appearances and score a record 238 goals for Leeds.
He thought he might one day end up back in Broughty Ferry because he “missed the sea air and the special light on the water from the day I left”.
He passed away aged 74 on Saturday following a long illness.
Lorimer was born in Dundee in 1946. His father Peter was a seafarer in the Royal Navy and mum Janet was a nurse.
He was brought up in Broughty Ferry and was educated at Eastern School and by the age of seven he was playing football for the under-12 team and scoring goals for fun.
He played for Stobswell Boys and Broughty YMCA and was wanted by Leeds United aged just 13.
He was called up to play for Scotland Schoolboys and scored against England at Ibrox in a 4-2 win.
Lorimer was wanted by 30 clubs, including Manchester United and Rangers, but Don Revie was in such a hurry to sign him that he was stopped for speeding.
Lorimer joined Leeds and signed professional forms for £17 a week and lodgings and became the youngest debutant in the club’s history when he lined up alongside John Charles against Southampton on September 29 1962 aged 15 years and 289 days.
He earned himself several nicknames because of his powerful shooting, including Hot Shot, Thunder Boots and Lash.
Lorimer would return to his native city to play at Dens Park three times, including the Inter-cities Fairs Cup semi-final against Dundee in 1968.
Bobby Ancell’s Dundee side found themselves in the semis after a great run which started by winning over two legs against DWS Amsterdam.
Dundee went on to take the scalps of Royal Liege and FC Zurich to progress and 25,000 fans were at Dens to watch the first leg of the semi-final against Leeds.
A first-half Paul Madeley header put the visitors ahead before right-back Bobby Wilson headed home the equaliser before half-time.
A late goal by Scotland international Eddie Gray was all that separated the teams at Elland Road and denied Dundee a place in the two-legged final. Lorimer helped Leeds overcome Ferencvaros in the final and ended the 1967-68 campaign having hit 30 goals in 60 games.
During his time at Elland Road he won two First Division titles, an FA Cup and a League Cup, as well as two Inter-cities Fairs Cups and the Charity Shield.
Lorimer brought a host of star names back to Dens in 1978 for his testimonial game where a crowd of 7,908 watched a Peter Lorimer Select win 3-2.
Lorimer’s Select included seven full internationals, including Billy Bremner, who was given a standing ovation for a man-of-thematch performance.
A double from striker Ray Hankin twice pushed Lorimer’s side ahead before first Eric Sinclair, then Billy Pirie equalised. A late winner by ex-aberdeen player Arthur Graham made Lorimer’s night.
Lorimer left Leeds in 1979 for spells with Toronto Blizzard and Vancouver Whitecaps.
He returned to England with York and then in 1983 arrived back at Elland Road to make a further 87 appearances and add 19 goals to his tally, before heading for Whitby and ultimately into retirement.
Former Dundee goalkeeper Ally Donaldson played in all three games which Lorimer played at Dens and said he was very sad to hear about his death.
“Peter was a very good right winger who could cross the ball accurately and also had a very powerful shot,” he said.
“Leeds were excellent when we played against them in 1968, but we were definitely disappointed when we didn’t go through.”
Lorimer was linked with the Dundee manager’s job in 1977 when Davie White resigned. He was approached to become player-manager but it was his testimonial year at Leeds and he felt he could not leave at that time. Tommy Gemmell was then appointed.
Lorimer won 21 caps and scored four goals for his country, who he represented at the 1974 World Cup finals in Germany.
Donald Ford, who spent 11 years with Hearts, also went to Germany as part of the Scotland squad, which failed to progress from a group featuring Zaire, Brazil and Yugoslavia.
“Peter’s goal against Zaire was a typical Lorimer strike,” he said. “I am sure that both his Leeds and Scotland career will be splendidly remembered by those who had the privilege to see him play.”
Lorimer remained a prominent figure at Leeds, working as an ambassador and attending home and away games.
The news of his death came hours after Leeds’ 2-1 Premier League win at Fulham on Friday night.