DIXIE
DEAN A LEGEND
Amongst the greats
What position
in a football team excites you? Is it the goalkeeper, the centre half?
the midfielder or winger ? I think most people would answer the centre
forward, the man who scores you the goals to win your aims in football.
What if I told you we Evertonians had in our team the greatest centre
forward the country has ever seen and ever will. If you ask any Evertonian
who is the player that makes you proud to be associated with our great
club I think there is only one name that will make your heart go whooooho,
do I have to spell the great mans name out? Well here it is WILLIAM
RALPH DEAN affectionately known amongst the masses as ‘DIXIE’ to his
close friends just Bill. Every parent who has brought up their child
as an Evertonian feverishly and proudly tells of the great mans exploits,
he was that good.
Mr and Mrs Dean had been married for 15 years and lived in Birkenhead
they had four girls at the time, but on the 22nd of January 1907 the
boy they had hoped to have been born. Christened William Ralph two names
forgotten in later years but not the surname DEAN. Dixie’s father was
a train driver his mother a housemaid both lived to reach ninety, quite
an age at the time, I think their sons exploits spurned them on. At
the age of eleven young William went to Borstal !, voluntarily I must
add as the school had better football facilities ,the sport he loved.
He got a job helping the local milkman whilst at school which entailed
him getting up at 4am seven days a week lifting heavy milk churns which
helped build his magnificent physique. William’s dad took him to see
his favourite team across the Mersey just before the outbreak of World
War One. His dad was an EVERTONIAN, the bond and love of our team was
sealed forever.
As a school kid he was a sensation so good he was asked to play in adult
teams ,he was football mad. So obsessed was he ,he once took his baby
sister out for a walk in the pram by Bidston hill ,there he was invited
to play in a game of football (the pram was a goalpost) they played
till dusk. After the game he went home and but forgot the pram .He ran
back to find his baby sister was safe and still asleep. Young Dean left
school at 14 to work as an apprentice boilermaker at his father’s employers
Wirral Railway. He was spotted by Pensby and played for them until he
was 16 then Tranmere persuaded him to sign for them. Dean said on one
condition in that they supplied a new Kit for Pensby, they reneged later
on that deal. Later on Dean thought the then secretary of Tranmere had
no interest in him as a person but to exploit him and make money out
of a transfer deal (how long has been PJ associated with Tranmere?),
Dixie was a man of principals and did not have time for people who did
not. The name ‘Dixie’ was given to Dean by the Tranmere fans because
of his jet-black thick curly hair, not a racist call but a similarity
to coloured people’s hair hence the name ‘Dixie’.To be honest Mr Dean
did not like the nickname, a bit like Bruce Springsteen not liking to
be called ‘The Boss’ which he is.
Dean was paid £4 5shillings a week the normal pay for a third
division professional player. But still allot of money compared to normal
workers pay of the day. Dixie could play with two feet and had a remarkable
heading ability rarely matched to this day. A third of all his goals
scored was with his head. My dad said that Dixie could head a ball harder
than most footballers could kick it. He had a neck on him like Mike
Tyson and the strength. He was a good all rounder in sports, golf and
cricket he excelled in particular. At a later date he even played American
baseball in close season in America. His speed was phenomenal and his
reading of the game second to none he could dribble like a winger, the
complete footballer.
Dixie played with only one ball quite literally. During his Tranmere
days a Rochdale centre half kicked in the crown jewels and subsequently
he was rushed to hospital for a small minor delicate operation .So you
see Hitler wasn’t the only man as the song goes with one Ball. I don’t
think the injury made a balls up of Dean’s career though, unlike Hitler’s.
Whilst at Tranmere young Deans reputation grew he was a real star drawing
crowds wherever he played. Fifteen thousand people would go to Prenton
to watch his goal scoring prowess, in his last season with Tranmere
he scored 27 goals out of the whole total of 44. Many big first division
teams came in to try and sign Dixie but there was only ever one club
he wanted to play for, EVERTON FC.
Then Dixie’s
dream came true ,Tom McIntosh the then Everton secretary came to Deans
house to ask him to sign for his boyhood club .Dixie was not in at the
time. But when he found out from his mum who had called he ran to meet
Mr McIntosh at the Woodside Hotel to discuss terms .Dixie did not hesitate
he signed there and then for a kings Ransom at the time of £3000
. The Tranmere secretary promised Dean 10% of any signing fee, he got
just £30 ,bloody hell PJ must be well over a hundred. The 30 pieces
of silver was given to his mum who in turn donated it to the local hospital,
that was the type of people they were. But at least Dixie’s got his
heartfelt boyhood wish he was going to play for Everton.
This is the bit that really hurts now. At the time Everton ,the club,
gained a reputation of applying grace and artistry to the game. A capacity
to produce play of a very high standard. It was also said at the time
we owe a great deal to Everton. No matter where they play , and no matter
how badly placed in the league table they always manage to serve up
football of the highest scientific order. Everton always worship at
the shrine of craft and science and never do forget the standard of
play they set out to achieve. That’s it I’m sending this to be nailed
on the dressing doors of Bellfield and Goodison . Really I am. When
the young Dean first came to Everton, despite his massive fee, he was
not a first choice player until he scored 7 goals in one reserve game
and could not be overlooked any longer. Dixie made his debut for Everton
against Arsenal in March 1925. In his first full season he scored 32
goals in 38 games .He was the first name on the team sheet after that!Then
we nearly lost our legend.
In June 1926 Dixie took his girlfriend out to North Wales on his motorcycle.
Whilst driving along St Asaph road they were involved in an accident
with a motor cycle combination with two men in .All but the girl was
seriously injured . Dixie was told he would never play football again.
Just 15 weeks later he proved the doctors wrong and was back playing
football for his beloved Everton . Dean had a broken jaw and a fractured
Skull. Metal plates were inserted to help mend the skull . But they
were removed later destroying the myth of them still being in his head
when he rose to power the ball in the back of the net with his head.
But you can forget this if you want to keep up the mystic of the legend
of Dixie.Whilst recuperating in hospital he helped out transporting
corpses to and from the mortuary. One day young Dean was found swinging
from branch to branch in an apple tree collecting fresh ripe fruit for
the hospital patients and staff .The passing doctor looked up at Dean
and said if you can do that you can go back to training for the Blues.
Dixie donned the Royal Blue again and played for the remainder of the
season scoring 21 times in 27 games.
Then came that season 1927 -28.The highlight of Dixie’s whole career
and yes you know why! This is were fantasy football first started but
your whole pot was spent on just one player DIXIE DEAN. In all the history
of football there can no story to match Dixie’s feats in that magical
season.
In the first three games Dixie scored one goal in each .The second game
was against newly promoted Boro who had George Camsell (he who scored
59 goals in the second division and the record holder) another great
centre forward. In the next six games Dixie scored 14 goals ,five in
one match against Man Utd. After 13 games Everton scored 44 goals and
Dixie 23 of them. At the time there was an economic recession but Dixie’s
exploits captivated the sporting country .Everywhere Everton went gates
would go up to see this genius of a man who was just twenty at the time.
Over the Christmas period Everton travelled over one thousand miles
by train playing four matches in a week. God and present players and
managers moan about three games in a week transported in luxury , on
thousands a week and I don’t mean miles !On the second of January Dixie’s
record stood at 37 for the season ,just one short of equalling B.C.Freemans
club record of 38 goals for Everton in a single season. By January the
7th Dixie had broken Freeman’s and the club record with two goals in
the 3-1 defeat of Boro (with two men sent off ,unheard of in those days
) now onto the next record to be smashed.
The division one goal scoring record was 43 held by Blackburn’s Harper
in the 1925- 26 season and there were still lots of games to play. Mr
Dean went to annfield to equal that record scoring a hat trick. In those
days Dixie use to send the reds goalkeeper, Elisha Scott, a package
the night before a derby game containing a bottle of aspirin and a note
“ Get a good nights sleep- I’ll be there tomorrow” signed Bill Dean.
When Dixie scored at annfield he would turn to the kop and bow gracefully
in a posture like a matador. He’s a God now in my eyes!. Dixie now had
43 goals with only 13 games left to play to get 17 more goals to smash
Camsell’s record, it wasn’t going to be easy. Defences concentrated
solely on Dixie, sometimes unfairly, he was the centre of attention
all over the country. It must not be forgotten that Huddersfield at
the time was going for the double .They boasted nine Internationals
in their team. By mid March Everton trailed them by four points ( To
the younger Evertonians it was only two points a win then )and Dixie
hadn’t scored for four games!. Only nine more league games to play and
Dixie could only play in seven of them due to International call ups
,could he still do the impossible ?, 17 goals in 7 games Nah no way
!.
On the 24th of March Dixie broke the division one record scoring two
goals in a 2-2 draw with Derby ( there the similarity ends with our
woeful season ),a total of 45 goals.
Easter was kind to Everton they trailed Huddersfield by one point in
the Championship , 60,000 at Goodison to see Everton beat Blackburn4-2
with two more Dean goals. Everton drew with Bury on the Saturday with
Dean scoring the only goal ,the total was 48 goals with just five games
to play. But we were on top of the league on goal difference..The visit
to Sheffield United saw Everton win 3-1 with two of his goals that makes
it 50 goals from 35 games fantastic Gary Lineker eat your heart out!.
Another Headed Goal
But could Dixie get ten goals in the last four matches. The pressure
was getting intense but not to Dixie who had ice-cold blood or sherry
in it, his favourite tipple. Everything was taken in his stride, it
was only a little over twelve months ago that he was not expected to
live never mind making immortality. The next game was mid week against
Newcastle we won 3-0 and that Dean only scored a paltry one goal , loser
!. How is he going to score nine goals in three games, impossible surely
. Villa at home next with the great centre forward ‘Pongo’ ,yes ‘Pongo’
Waring also a product of the Tranmere scouting system. I think we’ll
have to buy that book that or get Tonto to find us some more gems (BRITISH
players only or Scandinavian ) ,and ask Walter to give youth more a
chance .Dixie won the personal centre forwards war 2-1 with Everton
overcoming Villa 4-2.
So how is Dixie going to score seven goals in two games to become a
living legend ? Burnley away and Arsenal at home ,both sell-outs before
a gate opened .Oh and the Championship was still being contended . Everton
went to Turf Moor and turfed Burnley 5-3 and guess who scored four bloody
goals ,yes him again Dixie .Believe it or not he was also injured in
the game pulling a thigh muscle and becoming almost a passenger in the
second half .There was no substitutes then or magic sponges .By the
way where is our magic sponge this season is it hiding or just some
of the players !. Harry Cooke the then Everton trainer was much loved
and respected by his players and he spent the whole week nursing Dixie
at his home to help him through his injury. This story is getting too
much .
Picture it now at Goodison 60,000 expectant Evertonians not just on
Dixie’s Herculean task but the Championship at stake aswell. But wait
one of the goals was reached before the Arsenal game kicked off! Huddersfield
were beaten mid-week and Everton declared champions with the trophy
now winging it’s way to Goodison to be presented to our captain at the
time Cresswell after the biggest game in Dixie’s life and the lives
of every living Evertonian and football fans in general. Imagine what
the great god Sky would have made of this event, box office dream stuff
of fat cat agents or what? Talk all week was of the event to come, like
a pilgrimage to a shrine people came from far and wide on boats trains,
trams, bikes, motorcars, motorbikes, planes and airships to see if the
messiah would deliver. Over sixty thousand converts came to pay homage.
I can remember Big Bad Bob needing to score against Chelsea for the
thirty-goal mark to win the £10,000 on offer from the Express
and feeling that I was there when ‘history’ was being made. We all celebrated
that day as if it was a landmark. Bloody hell imagine the feeling of
expectancy of seeing your hero score twice as many goals as the Latch
.If I get a chance of going into Doctor Who’s time machine this game
is top of the wish list .To walk out of the police box and join the
queuing throngs outside Goodison waiting to gain entry to see if Dixie
could gain immortality. Only problem would be what money could I use?
I know I’d get one of those white fiver’s off Barry Murray (he’s that
tight he won’t part with any money old or new) and live like a king
for the weekend until the doctor takes me back to the present day.
Three goals against no pushovers Arsenal, the world’s media and my Dad
assemble in what could be real history in the making. Imagine the electric
atmosphere generated by the great man running down the tunnel like some
by gone Gladiator to put Arsenal to the sword (Russell Crow eat your
heart out, this was the man) in the arena called Goodison .I bet there
would have been enough electricity generated by that adoring crowd to
power the Hoover Dam The game kicked off but Arsenal never read the
script, they scored first, the matador of annfield saw the red of Arsenal
now as a bull would. Dixie from the restart ran towards the Arsenal
goal and struck a blow to the insolent bullish Arsenal, a thunderous
twenty yarder was unleashed and the 58th goal of this fantastic season
was registered ,it was also Everton’s 100th of this tile winning campaign.
The crowd was expectant now that they would not be denied the right
of “ I was there”.
Midway through the first half Dixie was brought down in the box , penalty
!, now who do you think was to take it? The crowd bayed “Give it to
Dixie !”,this was his calling every where he played even in Internationals.
Dixie placed the ball on the penalty spot , a silence of a graveyard
descended. How many people turned and looked away or covered their eyes
we’ll never know, but they were hugged by strangers as a long lost relative
when Dixie delivered the record equalling goal.
The miracle was on ,but so was Arsenal’s resilience to stop Dixie .
An own goal made the scores level at half time.
In the second half Arsenal played the off side trap (and copied it later
on in the eighties and nineties) to try and strangle Dixie’s birthright.
More clock watching must have been done by the crowd that second half
than any bored school pupil ever has . The minutes ticked away like
a man on death row ,“come on Dixie !”all thoughts centred on the greatest
centre forward we’ve ever seen to do the impossible . Just five minutes
were left on the referee’s watch when Everton took a corner. An Alec
Troupe special! Time stood still, then moved into freeze frame as Dixie
leapt up like a salmon above the surrounding packed penalty area and
headed the ball into the Arsenal net. The ticking bomb inside Goodison
exploded ,people in the city centre ( in Chester ) knew Dixie had accomplished
the impossible the noise was that great . All the pigeons and birds
in Merseyside flew up into the air as one , as if just been shot at
and blotted out the sun , John Wayne turned to a fellow Roman and said
that truly he is the messiah . Oh what joy an explosion of gratitude
of being there and seeing the miracle happen, the game was held up for
several minutes as Dixie was exhalted on high. Mission accomplished
immortality.
Oh the game finished 3-3 Arsenal sneaked a late goal whilst everyone
was shaking hands with Dixie. The Championship trophy was presented
to this special Everton team. Never forget the fact that this side provided
the ammunition for Dixie, without his surrounding team mates this achievement
of scoring the sixty might never have been attained. Dixie’s name was
now on everyone’s lips he was a celebrity. An agent from America came
over to get Dixie to play over there. A fantastic offer of £150
and twenty pounds a week was baited to the great man. But Dixie said
it was not about money “I don’t want to leave Everton at any price”.
I hope Young Francis Jeffer’s gets a copy of this. At end of this historic
season Everton did a tour of Switzerland playing Basle, Berne , Zurich
and Geneva winning all four games to packed stadiums . Dixie scored
five more goals making his tally to 100 for the season .At the end of
the season supporters presented him with a silver plate inscribed with
all the teams he scored his goals against (29 games in all) it was Dixie’s
most cherished possession.For the anoraks Dixie’ scoring record was
as follows for that scintillating season, never to be repeated unless
they change the rules.
Five goals in one game, four in another five three’s, fourteen two’s
and eight singles.
I
SAW DIXIE SCORE 60.
The following season Dixie carried on where he left off scoring goals
as if by order. In the fist two games he scored two hat-tricks but was
plagued by injury that season due to the over zealous attention of defenders
but still he went on to score 26 goals in 29 games maintaining his Everton
career record of a goal a game average. 168 goals in 169 games to be
precise. Later on it was revealed that the famous Madame Tussaud’s had
made a wax model of Dixie, now that’s when you knew you had made it
at the time .It stood next to the great cricketer Jack Hobbs later Knighted
so why wasn’t Dixie for his achievements? We’ll never know.
Herbert Chapman the great Arsenal manager of the time came to Goodison
to try and prise Dixie away with a blank cheque. Dixie was not interested
and thankfully so was the board who would have been hung by the crowd
anyway. Michael Ball comes to mind now but sorry not you Franny; we’ve
been good to you Franny with all your injuries and sick pay. But it
was not all rosy and after two more season’s the unbelievable happened
we were relegated Dixie like all Evertonians was devastated he hadn’t
played in many matches due to injury and couldn’t stop our decline.
We licked or wounds and re-grouped and started in earnest to rectify
the wrong that Everton was in the second division. We won our first
four games to massive crowds in the division ,such was still the pulling
power of Everton.
On November 8th Dixie broke another record at the age of just 23 he
scored his 200th league goal in only 199 games. Everton beat Wolves
4-0, two goals by Dixie to set the record.Everton went on to win the
league in the 36th game out of 42 with a record of winning 28 games
at the end of the season scoring 121 goals, 39 by the great man. At
the end of the season Dixie had also scored his 200th league goal for
Everton in just 198 appearances, wow. In the same season Everton reached
the semi -final of the cup being beaten by WBA 0-1 at Old Trafford in
front of 70,000 with 20,000 locked outside.
Everton came back to the first division with a bang by the end of October,
just listen to this, they had beaten the reds 3-1 at annfield (Dixie
a hat-trick), Sheffield Utd 5-1 away, Sheff Wed 9-1 at home, battered
Newcastle 8-1 and scored a total of 44 goals in 13 games, oh to be an
Evertonian then .By the end of the year we had scored a total of 78
goals. In 32 games the team had passed the hundred mark and had 10 games
left to pass Villas record of 128,unfortunately we only scored a further
15 to make the total of 116. But we had a little consolation prize in
winning the league after our first season back in the top flight where
we belong.
Something was missing in Dixie’s trophy cabinet, a FA cup winners medal,
this was to be rectified in a glorious cup run in 1933.This was to be
the hat-trick of success ,two successive league championships and a
visit to the twin towers.
The third round tie was Leicester away, a 3-1 success with one for Dixie,
then it was Bury at home same score, then Leeds beaten 2-0 at home Dean
again scoring one. Then the sixth round draw gave us Luton at home a
slippery one at the time they were in the third division and everyone
knows about cup upsets (thank you again Lawrie Sanchez), we struggled
through 6-0. Westham next in the semis at Wolves. Dixie was the captain
of Everton now and had scored in every round up to now.
Westham fought hard but lost 2-1 and Everton were in the final with
Man City the opponents. Both teams played in Blue but ours is royal,
never the less the FA had two kits to be worn in the final one red the
other white. And Dixie would never play in red so we wore white, the
red flag to the bull in Dixie again, wasn’t our Dixie great eh!.
For three weeks before the cup final the team refrained from drinking
alcohol. Can there be a greater sacrifice of any man .Everton meant
business . Dixie incentive win bonus was £30 in vouchers to be
spent in nominated stores ,what would the present players think of that
? .
The 1933 Cup final was also the first final to have numbers on their
shirts 1-22 and guess who was handed the first number nine jersey ,Dixie.
How fitting it was that the greatest centre forward that Britain has
ever seen was the first to wear the number nine .It was fate !.The night
before the big game the Everton team was tucked up in bed before twelve
after a supper of tripe and onions. I know now what Everton’s fiendish
plot was they were to put the wind up City literally. The Northern hordes
descended down to Wembley in forty special trains to meet at Euston
station in a cacophony of sound ,banging drums ,ukeleles and banjo’s
they were determined to have a great day out whatever the outcome. Now
onward to Wembley joined by the fellow supporters who travelled down
in charabangs ( coaches to our young fans )and cars.
Exclusive
Photos of Dixie's Statue
Before the match the Duke and Duchess of York ( no not Fergie, the then
Duchess is now the Queen mum ) were sat next to the mayor of Merseyside
who proceeded to point out the names of the Everton players to the Royal
members .The Duchess when the mayor pointed to Dixie to say who he was
cut the helpful mayor down with the words “ Even I know who Dixie is.”
The match kicked off in a tremendous atmosphere Everton totally outclassed
City and won in an entertaining match 3-0 .Of course Dixie scored in
an effort reminiscent of Andy Gray’s against Watford at the same venue.
The Queen mum presented Dixie ,the captain, with the winners cup he
gestured as if drinking from it to the masses of Evertonians , well
they had not had a drink for three weeks I’ll bet they had a few that
night and the next. When they recovered from what is commonly called
a hang over the team boarded the train back to Merseyside on Monday
to be greeted by scenes never before witnessed in football at Lime Street
station .Over 50,000 were at the station alone to greet their hero’s
.As the motorcade made its way through the city centre Dixie held the
Cup up like an all conquering Caesar and his sceptre, like Jason with
the fleece , Hercules with the Hydras head ,Neptune with his trident
and Arthur holding up Excalabur. This was Dixie’s greatest moment ,tears
ran down his face he was the proudest Evertonian alive . All his childhood
dreams had become a reality . As the chariot ,I mean motorcade moved
towards Goodison over half a million people lined the streets throwing
petals at their hero’s feet. There were 50,000 at Goodison alone to
meet them at their journey’s end. Such an outburst of love and passion
has never been seen since that magical day not even when the Pope visited
Merseyside. Don’t forget we were in the middle of a recession and Dixie’s
hero’s made the hard life experiences forgotten for a little while.
The following season Dixie was still breaking more records than a one
armed juggler in a record store. By September Dixie had scored his 300th
goal in 310 games and he still only 26 . But tragedy struck and Dixie
would need a operation to remove two pieces of bone from his left ankle
,he was out of action for months. I wonder if he asked for a transfer
when he got back from injury like Franny .In the 1935 season Dixie was
involved in a game widely perceived as the greatest game ever played
the 4th round FA cup replay against Sunderland. Another huge Goodison
crowd was present ,60,000,to witness the event that would leave another
lasting memory for life on the Evertonian lucky enough to get in. Dixie
never scored unbelievably in this game but pulled all the strings .
There was 15 minutes to go Everton were winning 3-1 but Sunderland fought
back to equal the score and extra time ensued. Everton would score three
more times and Sunderland one more .The whistle blew, Everton had won
a thrilling tie that had everything 6-4 was the final score. This was
a game talked about for generations afterwards it was that great.
The hard tackling and physical demands were taking their toll on our
Legend and in October of 1937 Dixie was to play his last match for Everton
his 399th game against Grimsby Town . This echo’s Tony Cottees departure
from Goodison on 99 goals why not be left to leave after one more game
or goal for these great servants. I like round figure’s like myself.
A young upstart named Lawton was being nursed at the time to take over
from Dixie in fact they played together for a while. The lad was to
be Everton’s next centre forward .I believe he never made too bad a
job of it
Dixie
was left in the reserves much to the dismay of his adoring subjects
and there was uproar when he was sold to Notts County for £3000,
ironically 13 years after he signed for the same fee. The same feeling
of unbelief would be repeated when Bally left Everton. It was revealed
later by Dixie that the then club secretary Theo Kelly drove Dixie out
with his autocratic disagreeable attitude to him and the other senior
players. Mr D’s not driving Franny out is he ? only joking Michael !.
Outside
Goodison Park
Dixie was constantly injured in his County career and later left to
join Sligo Rovers in Ireland in 1938 but he left his heart at Goodison.Dixie
played 11 games for them and scored 11 goals to maintain his goal a
game record. Dixie returned to Birkenhead with his family just before
War broke out and took up a job in the local Abattoir. In 1940 Dixie
joined the army the Kings Regiment obviously Dixie played in games to
entertain the troops and he had his Indian Summer of accolades. After
the War Dixie took over a pub in Chester ‘The Dublin Packett’ it became
Chester’s biggest attraction for 15 years . I think it had something
to do with the proprietor.
Many famous people would drop in to see our legend including the likes
of Lester Piggot .Then Mr Moores, the Everton chairman at the time,
gave Dixie the call to come back to his real home on Merseyside and
gave him a security job at Littlewoods. He did this for several years
until he retired at 65 on a pension. The seemingly wrong doings of leaving
Everton without a golden handshake was put right with a testimonial
match held at Goodison in 1964 a game between the English players and
Scottish players from the reds and Everton teams . Would anyone remember
him that much to turn up ?.Well over forty thousand turned up for a
player who last played for his team 26 years ago, what a tribute to
the man. Over £10,000( a tidy sum then ) raised and put in trust
for our special number nine. After his retirement a was often employed
as a after dinner speaker. In 1974 his wife died suddenly of a heart
attack he then went to live with his daughter Barbara. In 1976 Dixie
was asked to present the footballer of the year trophy in London following
his presentation to a player who played for Scunthorpe ,Southampton
and Hamburg and later on managed England, Newcastle and Fulham, Dixie
himself received a silver salver with the words inscribed ‘ To Dixie
Dean .60 goals in a season, more than most teams score today’. In November
1976 Dixie had a thrombosis and an amputation of his right leg was the
only alternative. Dixie would joke he had been in more theatres than
Morecambe and Wise He managed to get about in a wheel chair then whilst
watching his beloved Everton from the main stand he died , where else
would he die I suppose .This mans life could not be scripted better
by a Hollywood writer.
Dixie Dean of Everton Being Iintroduced
to Spanish Goalkeeper Zamota
To the sceptics of the great mans exploits and how would he fare today
I will say this, the ball Dixie headed and kicked was made in leather
stitched up with a lace protruding ,as it got wet it got heavier and
more difficult to control. The present day players would not kick such
a ball let alone head it if they did they would want extra money for
the headaches ensued and to go to the hairdressers more often . Defenders
of the day were more physically contacting and players given less protection
those days by the referee . Conditions of pitches were far worse and
treatment of injuries dated. My dad who saw Dixie score that magical
60th goal says to me that Dixie could head a ball harder than most players
could kick it.If a midfielder from Portugal can command £40million
how much would Dixie be worth now ?
Exclusive
Photos of Dixie's Statue
Some titbits
The sixtieth goal was scored in the Park End it wasn’t sucked in as
that famous Bayern night in the Gwladys Street End but dragged in by
hysteria and thought power. 15,000 Uri Gellers willed it in.
At the height of his golscoring the marking was getting ridiculous so
much so Dixie ran off the field during play, his marker asked where
was he going Dixie replied “For a pee, you coming or what?”
Dixie didn’t like fuss but when the Pathe News, a popular feature in
cinema’s at the time, wanted to film him they said they would have to
put powder on his face to take the shine away Dixie said “ I’ll put
a shine on your face mate! If you put powder on my bloody face ”.
Before a match Dixie would have only a glass of sherry mixed with two
raw eggs. I’m sending that magic potion to Goodison aswell.
After a game at Spurs, Dixie was the last to walk off and a fan shouted
to him “We’ll get you yet, you black bastard! ” a policeman overheard
this but was pushed aside by Dixie saying “It’s alright officer I’ll
handle this” Dixie jumped over to the fan and punched him sending him
flying. The policeman who saw the incident winked at Dixie and said
“that was a beauty but I never saw it officially”. Cockney police are
dead helpful.
Dixie once scored a total of 18 goals in nine consecutive games.
Dixie would walk into his favourite pubs around Walton and Scotland
Rd and buy all the old folk a drink, a bit like Duncan Ferguson really.
Dixie got married to a girl called Ethel Fossard in the summer of 1931
spent their honeymoon on a tour of the racetracks around Britain. They
had three sons and a daughter. Sadly none of the lads took up football.
They rented a house off Everton not far from Goodison, can you see a
superstar today doing that!
In the 1932-33 season Everton played Chelsea in a game that at half
time the players just turned around and kicked off again due to fading
light. There were no floodlights then. Everton won that game 7-2 Dixie
scored four with his head.
Dixie Dean is the only English player ever known to walk off after a
England v Scotland game to a standing ovation at Hampden, he was that
good.
The great American baseball player of the time, Babe Ruth, whilst in
London made a point to meet Dixie to shake his hand. Such was the attraction
of the great man.
Whilst on a end of season tour in Nazi Germany, Dixie seeing all that
was wrong under this tyranny refused to salute Adolf Hitler (one ball
was all that Dixie had in common with Adolf) and told his team mates
to do the same. The first sporting team ever to do so, Everton champs
again in the cause for Europe’s freedom
When the Legend fell to ill health best wishes were sent to him from
all over the world. Some would be addressed simply ‘ to Dixie Dean England
’and they would find there way to their destination .Everybody knew
who Dixie was, not at least the Post Office, as famous as father Christmas
he was Dixie.
While we cast our minds back again to Dixie all we have had is some
small memorabilia of the great man and a function room named after him.
Fifteen short months ago another great Evertonian saved our club and
one of the first things he set out to do was to make Dixie’s home a
better looking venue to visit .The shrine that is Goodison Park was
starting to look like the wreck of the Titanic and looking tired. It’s
smiling again now even it is for a short while till we hopefully move.
But something was missing and Bill Kenwright and his board have delivered
it now and that is a statue of the greatest scoring Evertonian ever
and a player who helped made this club a household name throughout the
land.
Dixie Dean & Joe Mercer
Bill and his board only a few weeks ago paid the biggest fee at Christie’s
for a FA cup winners medal, £17,500, because it was Dixie’s. Bill
before the auction said to me “ Don’t worry Ian, Dixie’s medal is going
nowhere but home”
Dixie has passed away many years now but it has took till today for
this visionary board to come along for a fitting statue to be made,
I thank them for this great gesture. If we move ,as I say, then Dixie’s
statue can come too with all our memories. Don’t forget this isn’t the
first time we have moved, but true there are many many more memories
attached to Goodison than our previous home. I don’t think Dixie and
his mates in heaven will want us left behind in this ever-demanding
business that sadly is football now.
When A fellow Evertonian dies we always say they will be playing with
Dixie now in heaven , no finer a tribute to the man .As I say a true
legend and a gentleman to boot. There will never be another William
Ralph Dixie Dean, a one off in life’s hall of fame. The statue is just
a token of the great mans memory always synominous of when we think
of our great club. What a player and what a man. He’ll be embarrassed
now in heaven when he sees his statue and the club he loved so dearly
as a kid.
For
the record this is what Dixie achieved. It’s phenomenal he was a goal
machine.
60
league goals in one season 1927-28
100 goals scored in 1927-28
100 league goals before he was 21
200 league goals in 199 games at 23 years old
300 league goals in 310 games
379 league goals in 437 games
349 league goals for one beloved club Everton
37 hat-tricks in his career
200 goals for Everton in 198 games
More than 20 league goals for nine consecutive
seasons
More than 30 league goals in four seasons
Averaged 0.94 goals a game
473 goals in 502 matches
16 International caps scoring 18 goals
Who
tell me will ever hold a candle to the above? I'd like to thank the
skills of Tom Murphy, the sculptor, who has honed our hero in Bronze
in the famous pose were Dixie runs onto the pitch with the ball under
his arm before that Arsenal game that made him a true legend. Sadly
not many people remember the name of Camsell who scored 59 goals in
the second division I must add because of Dixie. On Friday May 4 Th
2001 I will be there with my dad to witness fittingly the anniversary
of Dixie scoring the magical sixty 73 years ago (actually it’s May 5th
but were away at Chelsea) with the unveiling of his statue
I hope that I have done Dixie some justice in this short article, a
small insight to this giant amongst men. Oh for a Dixie now ! I would
like to dedicate this article to my Dad , William Macdonald another
Bill my other hero, who like I say seen history being made when Dixie
scored the 60th goal . It’s because of my dad that I write such things
about Everton and care so much, he introduced me to these roller coaster
fortunes of the club way back in the late sixties when I was just a
small child. If Joe Royle , Alex Young , Bob Latchford and Graham Sharp
, all of whom I seen play, were not half as good as Dixie then he must
have been some player . And he was!.
Your sincerely Ian Macdonald EISA. (05/05/03)
I
SAW DIXIE SCORE 60. Exclusive
Photos of Dixie's Statue Everton
History
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