Veteran keeper Jamie Young announces immediate professional retirement
After 228 ALM games, numerous individual honours and a 2021 ALM title, Jamie Young has announced his professional retirement, with Melbourne City moving James Nieuwenhuizen into its backup role.
Melbourne City goalkeeper Jamie Young has announced his immediate retirement from professional football, calling time on a career that saw him log 228 A-League Men appearances for Brisbane Roar, Western United, and City be named the league’s best keeper in 2018 and win a league title with United.
Young, 39, moved to England as a youngster, commencing his career in the youth setup of Reading and representing the Three Lions at U18, U18 and U20 levels. After a decade in England, he returned to Australia and signed with his hometown Roar in 2014, starting a seven-year stint that saw him named the league’s best keeper and take out back-to-back Gary Wilkins Medals in 2018 and 2019.
Re-uniting with John Aloisi at United for the 2020-21 season after previously playing under him at the Roar, the veteran custodian helped serve as the defensive bedrock for the side that won a title in the first of his two years in green and black, before he moved across town to join City for the 2023-24 campaign.
City’s first-choice shot-stopper last season, he was moved to a reserve and mentorship role for 2024-25 as the club consciously shifted towards its youthful keeping stocks, backing 21-year-old Patrick Beach through the ups and downs of his first full season.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to play the game of football for the last 24 years and I’m glad that I could finish it here with Melbourne City, the best Club in Australia,” Young said.
“I’ve fought as long as I could to play and I think now the is the right time to retire. I’ve loved playing the game of football and have been lucky enough to play all around the world and meet some incredible people.
“I look forward to now watching the progress of the A-League from afar. I’d like to thank Melbourne City again and I’m proud to have represented the Club, just as I have with Brisbane Roar and Western United”
Recognised by his peers for being named to the PFA’s team of the season in 2017–18, 2019–20, and 2021–22, Young has utilised the lessons of a long playing career off the field, undertaking a PhD examining the psychology of sports coaching and, specifically, the coach-athlete relationship.
He won’t completely hang up the gloves just yet, however, it’s anticipated that an NPLM Victoria side will unveil him as a last-minute addition for the 2025 campaign on Friday.
Though the A-League Men’s transfer window will remain open until February 12, City coach Aurelio Vidmar has indicated that the club won’t seek to add a veteran presence to replace Young, with 21-year-old Goulburn Valley Suns product James Nieuwenhuizen set to step up as the back up to Beach.
“As a footballer you just want to play all the time there's always certain levels of frustration because you just want to play. Unfortunately, this year we've been pushing Beachy along. And maybe that contributed to the decision. But it is what it is, he's made the decision.
“What Jamie did very well, he helped young kids come along. He's got a fair bit of experience, so he's taught him a lot of things in the last 18 months.
“But in saying that, we're not going to do any business in the window. We're pushing ahead with Beachy, pushing ahead with James, and we’ve got a younger goalkeeper underneath that who's been playing NPL and been training with us for quite a while -- Lachie Charles.
“So long term -- they're still young and learning, obviously -- there's a fair bit of depth in the goalkeeping ranks here.”