Peter Lorimer

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Lore & Background

Lorimer was born in Dundee to Janet and Peter Lorimer and was brought up in Broughty Ferry. He attended Eastern Primary School and later Stobswell Secondary School. After playing junior football for Stobswell Boys and Broughty YMCA, he signed for Leeds United in May 1962 after scoring for the Scotland Schoolboys team in a 4–2 win over England. He made his Leeds debut on 29 September 1962 against Southampton, aged 15 years and 289 days, becoming the youngest player to play for the first team. He came to regular prominence in the 1965–66 season, making 34 League Championship appearances and scoring 19 goals. In the 1966–67 season, a free-kick equaliser against Chelsea in an FA Cup semi-final was controversially ruled out by referee Ken Burns and retaken, for the Chelsea players had not retreated the necessary 10 yards. In the 1975 European Cup Final, Lorimer scored to give Leeds a 1–0 lead, only for the goal to be controversially disallowed. He left Leeds in 1979, having scored 219 goals in 616 appearances, winning two League titles, an FA Cup, a League Cup, a Charity Shield, and two Inter-Cities Fairs Cups. He later played for York City, Toronto Blizzard, Vancouver Whitecaps, and University College Dublin. He returned to Leeds in 1983, breaking the club's goalscoring record with 238 goals from 705 appearances, retiring just before his 40th birthday at the end of the 1985–86 season. He made his international debut for Scotland against Austria in November 1969, winning 21 caps and scoring four goals, playing in all three matches at the 1974 FIFA World Cup. His Scotland career was affected by a ban imposed in 1971 after he spent a summer playing for Cape Town City in apartheid-era South Africa.

In Their Own Story

The summer of 1971 brought a brief but impactful detour for Lorimer as he spent a short spell on loan at Cape Town City in South Africa. This move, while showcasing his talent abroad, ultimately cost him dearly upon his return to international football. The Scottish Football Association imposed a ban on him due to playing in apartheid-era South Africa, affecting his national career despite his previous success. Years later, returning to Leeds United in 1983 at age 37, Lorimer faced the challenge of guiding a team that had fallen into the Second Division. Playing under former teammate Eddie Gray, he continued to score, pushing past his previous total to set the club record. He played his final game for Leeds while they were still in the Second Division, retiring just before his 40th birthday at the end of the 1985–86 season. His legacy was secured not just by goals, but by a relentless work rate that saw him win two League titles, an FA Cup, and two Inter-Cities Fairs Cups during his initial tenure.

Reader's Guide

After retiring, Lorimer ran the Commercial Inn pub in Holbeck. He remained a dedicated spokesman for Leeds United, working as a pundit for BBC Radio Leeds, a columnist for the Yorkshire Evening Post, and a summariser for Yorkshire Radio on every Leeds away match. He wrote a column in the club's match programme, his final one being for the match against Aston Villa on 27 February 2021. From April 2013 he held the position of club ambassador. He died on 20 March 2021, aged 74.

Did You Know?

• Lorimer's shots reached speeds of up to 90 mph, and one penalty kick was recorded at 107 mph.
• He earned the nicknames 'HotShot' and 'Lash' for his powerful shooting.
• He was Leeds United's youngest-ever player, debuting at 15 years and 289 days.

The Golden Boot: Record-Breaking Goalscoring

Peter Lorimer is the undisputed all-time leading scorer for Leeds United with 238 goals in all competitions. He achieved this by first scoring 219 goals in 616 appearances between his debut in 1962 and his departure in 1979. His shooting power was legendary, with strikes recorded at speeds up to 90 mph and a penalty kick reaching 107 mph. After a stint in the NASL and Ireland, he returned to Leeds in 1983 at age 37. This consistency earned him the title of club captain for the 1984–85 season and secured his spot as the ninth greatest player in the club's history.

Controversy and Heartbreak on the Biggest Stages

Lorimer's career was marked by two infamous refereeing decisions. In the 1966–67 FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea, he scored a free-kick equalizer that was disallowed because Chelsea players had not retreated ten yards; referee Ken Burns ordered a retake, which Leeds lost. A similar fate awaited him in the 1975 European Cup Final, where his goal gave Leeds a 1–0 lead before being controversially ruled out by referee Michel Kitabdjian. These moments highlighted both his ability to score spectacular goals and the bad luck that often accompanied them on major occasions.

International Duty and the Apartheid Ban

Lorimer earned 21 caps for Scotland, scoring four goals, including appearances in all three matches at the 1974 FIFA World Cup. His international career was significantly hampered by a ban imposed in 1971 after he played a summer spell for Cape Town City in South Africa during the apartheid era. This decision prevented him from further representing his country despite his prior contributions, including his debut against Austria in November 1969.

Life Beyond the Pitch: Ambassador and Voice

He served on the club's board of directors, was appointed club captain for the 1984–85 season, and became a club ambassador in April 2013. He worked as a pundit for BBC Radio Leeds and Yorkshire Radio, wrote a regular column for the Yorkshire Evening Post, and contributed to the club match programme until his final piece on 27 February 2021. He also managed the Commercial Inn pub in Holbeck. Lorimer passed away on 20 March 2021 after being placed under hospice care for a long-term illness.