Alan Gilzean facts for kids
 |
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alan John Gilzean | ||
| Date of birth | 22 October 1938 | ||
| Place of birth | Perth, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 8 July 2018 (aged 79) | ||
| Place of death | Enfield, London, England | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1957–1964 | Dundee | 190 | (169) |
| 1964–1974 | Tottenham Hotspur | 343 | (93) |
| 1974–1975 | Highlands Park | ||
| Total | 533+ | (262+) | |
| National team | |||
| 1960–1964 | Scottish League XI | 3 | (1) |
| 1961–1962 | Scotland under-23 | 3 | (0) |
| 1962 | SFA trial v SFL | 1 | (2) |
| 1963–1971 | Scotland | 22 | (12) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1975–1976 | Stevenage Athletic | ||
|
|||
Alan John Gilzean (born October 22, 1938 – died July 8, 2018) was a Scottish professional footballer. He played as a striker (a player who scores goals). Gilzean was famous for playing with Dundee and Tottenham Hotspur. He also played 22 international games for Scotland.
Alan Gilzean helped Dundee win the Scottish league championship in 1961–62. With Tottenham, he won the FA Cup in 1967. He also helped them win two League Cups (in 1971 and 1973). Plus, they won the 1971–72 UEFA Cup. He passed away in 2018 after getting a brain tumour.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Starting at Dundee
Alan Gilzean started his football journey with a local team called Coupar Angus Juniors. He then joined Dundee in 1956 when he was 17. He played for their youth team, Dundee Violet, before signing as a professional player in 1957.
He made his first big game appearance for Dundee in August 1959. Alan quickly became a very important player for the team. He scored an amazing 169 goals in 190 games for Dundee. His goals helped Dundee win the Scottish league championship in 1961–62. They even reached the semi-finals of the 1962–63 European Cup. In 2009, Alan Gilzean was one of the first players to be added to Dundee's Hall of Fame.
Becoming a Tottenham Hotspur Star
In December 1964, Gilzean moved to Tottenham Hotspur. He joined the team for a transfer fee of £72,500. He played his first game for Tottenham just one week later.
Alan Gilzean had a brilliant career at Tottenham. He changed his playing style from being just a goalscorer to a smart and creative forward. He worked very well with another popular player, Jimmy Greaves. Fans called them the "G-Men" because they scored so many goals together.
One memorable game was in the 1965–66 FA Cup against Burnley. Alan scored three goals, which is called a hat-trick. He helped Tottenham win that game 4–3 with a late goal. He was also part of the team that won the 1967 FA Cup Final.
Later, Alan formed a new and successful partnership with Martin Chivers. This duo helped Tottenham win many trophies. They won the League Cup in 1971. Then, they won the 1972 UEFA Cup Final against Wolverhampton Wanderers. They won another League Cup in 1973. Fans at Tottenham called him "The King of White Hart Lane."
The 1973–74 season was Alan Gilzean's last as a professional footballer. Tottenham played in the UEFA Cup final that year but lost to Feyenoord Rotterdam. Tottenham held a special match for Alan in November 1974. This was to celebrate his ten years of playing for the club.
Playing in South Africa
After leaving Tottenham, Gilzean played football in South Africa. He spent three months with a team called Highlands Park.
Playing for Scotland
Alan Gilzean first played for the Scotland national team in November 1963. This was in a game they won 6–1 against Norway. Before that, he had played for Scotland's Under-23 team.
He played for Scotland 17 times during his time at Tottenham. In total, he scored 12 goals in 22 international games for Scotland. These games were played between November 1963 and April 1971.
Life After Playing
Managerial Role
After playing in South Africa, Gilzean came back to England. He became the manager of Stevenage Athletic. He managed the team for one season, from 1975 to 1976.
Personal Life
Interestingly, Alan Gilzean once said that he didn't really like football. He also said he didn't plan to continue in the sport after he stopped playing. Later, he worked for a transport company in Enfield, which was close to Tottenham's stadium. His son, Ian, also became a professional football player. Alan Gilzean passed away on July 8, 2018.
Honours and Achievements
With Dundee
- Scottish league championship: 1961–62
With Tottenham Hotspur
- FA Cup: 1967
- FA Charity Shield: 1967 (shared)
- League Cup (2): 1971, 1973
- UEFA Cup: 1972
Individual Awards
- Inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame: 2009
- Inducted into the Dundee FC Hall of Fame: 2009
- Inducted into the Tottenham Hotspur Hall of Fame: 2013
See also
In Spanish: Alan Gilzean para niños
