Luke Young
Nationality :
English
Date of Birth :
19/07/1979
Height :
6' 0" (183cm)
Weight :
12st 4lbs (78.0kg)
Squad Number :
2
Previous Clubs :
Middlesbrough, Charlton, Tottenham
Position :
Defender
Luke Young is the perfect definition of the "ultimate professional" after battling midway through 2010-11 to get fit for the remaining games of the first team campaign.
Young started off like a house on fire, playing in the majority of senior matches up until early December 2010, even bagging the early season winner in the 1-0 home victory over Everton.
But he missed three months of the term with groin and knee issues after that Anfield affair and eventually returned to the side in the rather unfamiliar role of centre-back for the away clash at Bolton.
He partnered Ciaran Clark at the heart of the defence and performed heroics, with the team unlucky to be on the end of a 3-2 loss.
He played out much of the campaign at left-back with on-loan Kyle Walker occupying the right-back slot.
Young arrived at Villa Park at the start of the 2008-09 campaign in a move intended to provide the club with a recognised right-back for the first time since Mark Delaney's enforced retirement 12 months earlier.
In the event, the former England international actually spent a sizeable chunk of his debut season with the club at left-back as Martin O'Neill attempted to find a balanced back four.
Young adapted to the role exceptionally well, although he was delighted to be back in his more accustomed position by the end of the season.
He didn't spent as much time on the pitch the following campaign, with the manager preferring Carlos Cuellar at right-back, with Young occasionally filling in on the opposite flank once again.
At the end of that campaign, in July 2010, Liverpool agreed a fee for the versatile stopper but he rejected the move, preferring to fight for a place in the side at B6.
The decision was vindicated, with the experienced ace getting plenty of action at the start and end of the campaign when fully-fit.
The Essex-born defender began his career with Tottenham Hotspur in 1997, playing nearly 60 games for the White Hart Lane club before moving to The Valley in 2001.
He made over 200 appearances for the Addicks and won seven England caps during his time at Charlton, the first of them as a substitute against USA in May 2005.
Young was linked with Villa after asking for a transfer in the wake of Charlton's relegation at the end of the 2006-07 campaign, but ended up joining Boro, where he missed only three league matches and won the supporters' Player of the Season award.
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