Peter Lorimer – An Obituary
Former Leeds United hardman Peter Lorimer passed away on Saturday at the age of 74.
Lorimer was known for his venomous shot and hard-working attitude. He made 618 appearances for Leeds between 1962 and 1979. He then returned to Elland Road in 1983 for a second spell lasting three years.
The midfielder made his debut for Leeds back in September 1962 at the age of just 15. It was his only first team game of the 1962/63 season, he didn’t make another appearance the following season and played only once in the 1964/65 campaign.
The 1965/66 season was Lorimer’s first season in the first team and it was a great one for him as he finished the club’s top goalscorer with 19 goals. Leeds finished second in the First Division and reached the semi finals of the Fairs Cup.
Lorimer had his most prolific season in the 1967/68 season, scoring 30 goals as the club won the Fairs Cup, League Cup and reached the semi final of the FA Cup. He was now a crucial member of Don Revie’s Leeds side that were starting to become one of the best sides of their generation.
Leeds won the First Division title in 1968/69 that meant they qualified for the European Cup the following season. Later that year, Lorimer won his first international cap for Scotland against Austria. Leeds would go all the way to the semi final in the European Cup in 1970 before losing to Celtic.
Lorimer spent a short time in South Africa playing for Cape Town City in 1971. As a result of playing for Cape Town City, he was banned from the Scottish national team and missed out on many caps.
When Lorimer came back to England, he became Leeds’ top goalscorer in the 1971/72 season with 29 goals. Leeds won the FA Cup and almost won the First Division title. He was part of the Leeds side that lost the 1973 FA Cup Final to Second Division Sunderland and was an integral part of Leeds’ midfield.
Leeds won the First Division title in 1974 and a month later Lorimer was part of the Scotland side that played in the World Cup in West Germany. He played in all three of Scotland’s games where they were very unfortunate to go home unbeaten. Yugoslavia and Brazil qualified ahead of Scotland on goal difference.
Lorimer left Elland Road in 1979 and spent time in the North American Soccer League with Toronto Blizzard and the Vancouver Whitecaps. In between his first two seasons at Blizzard, Lorimer spent a season with York City.
In 1983, Lorimer made a surprise return to Leeds and spent three years whilst the club were in the Second Division.
The name Peter Lorimer immediately conjures up images of Leeds United’s most successful time in their history. Great players such as Jack Charlton, Allan Clarke, Billy Bremner played alongside him as they lifted more silverware than ever before or since.
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