Forty years after the Golden Vision, Young joins homage to Golden Child

Everton v Newcastle Utd: A former Goodison favourite believes the latest Blue-eyed boy is worthy of the worship

It was television that gave Alex Young his everlasting image, but as he watched his own screen on Wednesday night he knew something indelible was being created by Wayne Rooney. The Golden Child has won the heart of The Golden Vision. Rooney-mania broke out on the back pages of the newspapers on Thursday morning after the precocious Everton striker's England debut against Turkey. Yet exactly 40 years ago, Young inspired the kind of hero worship at Goodison Park that his teenage successor is now whipping up.

The Scot was the driving force behind an Everton side that became champions of England in 1962-63, and eventually became canonised when a play was written about him. The Golden Vision was screened by the BBC in 1967 as part of their celebrated Play for Today series. Four decades on, people still pay homage to him.

The quietly-spoken Young was stopped in the street by Evertonians of an older generation when he was in Liverpool last week for a dinner to commemorate the club's 100th year in the top flight. He has little doubt that people will be doing the same to young Rooney in 40 years' time.

Indeed, Young observed the growth of Rooney's fame at that dinner – even though England's newest football icon was tucked up in his bed at home. "His mother was at the reception to collect an award on his behalf as the Young Player of the Year – people were queueing up for her autograph," Young smiled. "So, she just signed it 'Wayne's Mum'." Rather than trading on her son's fame, Mrs Rooney is the protector of it, as Young readily acknowledges from his own brief conversation with The Kid. "I spoke to him after an Everton game and just said, 'Well done', but I could tell that he's not a brash lad, he's the type who is uncomfortable in certain situations. He is only really comfortable when he goes on the pitch – that's when the real Wayne Rooney comes out."

The real Rooney certainly came out to play at the Stadium of Light. Impudent back-heels and bursting runs embellished the 17-year-old's first full England appearance. Young was watching in his home in West Linton, a small town in Peebleshire, where he runs his own soft-furnishings business, and knew he was witnessing the dawn of an era. "David Moyes has been correct to protect him, but Wayne is such a talent that I don't think it will be possible to hold him back much longer," reflected Young. "Most young lads are held back because they don't have the physique, but Wayne is so strong he can hold his own in a man's world."

The Golden Vision may have scored 22 times when Everton won the old First Division title in 1963, but it was his peerless passing and dribbling that became fixed in the minds of his devotees, and that is what excites Young about Rooney as much as the goals. "Against Turkey, he was dropping off and giving simple passes before making lovely diagonal forward runs. He was showing them where he wanted the ball but didn't get it all the time, and Sven Goran Eriksson needs to tell his experienced players to give it to him."

Young has watched the development of Rooney with interest. Even though he returned to Scotland after his playing career, he has never lost his affinity with Goodison. There is a lounge there named after him – "usually you have to die for that to happen" – and he was given a testimonial two years ago when Everton played Espanyol.

"Everton is my team," he says. "The club has spent a long time in the shadows, which is why everyone is so excited now that Wayne has come along. Walter Smith did a great job of keeping Everton from being relegated over the last few years, but he was hampered by lack of money. However, David Moyes has got something extra out of the players. He can take the club forward and he's also fortunate he has Rooney. I met the lad after a game against Tottenham when he came off the bench and created an equaliser. He does that. He makes an impact.

"The majority of strikers control the ball and lay it back, but Wayne turns and attacks, the way he did when he scored that wonderful goal against Arsenal. That takes bravery, because most people don't want to do that – it looks bad if you lose the ball – but this lad terrifies defenders."

So did the Golden Vision. Young's total of 89 goals in 273 League appearances between signing from Hearts in 1960 and departing for Glentoran in 1968 may seem modest by today's standards, but the Scot believes he would thrive if playing today. "I never took penalties, and free-kicks were left to big defenders in my day. I only took one for Everton, against Manchester United, and I scored. You rethink your career 40 years later and wonder why you did didn't do something in a game. However, I'm glad I went to Everton. The fans are magnificent, and I think Wayne will stay there too."