h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

'Dixie' Dean was the best player of his generation any where in the world. Most people will groan and probably say "here goes another Evertonian going on about their past again", which is probably true, but unless your an Arsenal fan at the moment there is very little chance your past isn't going to get a mention(and Everton actually have alot of present stuff to be excited about, with another legend Wayne Rooney, but that will have to wait at least 10-15 years ).
Probably the most significant thing about Dean was that he is the highest goal scorer in English (and probably world) history with 60 goals. This is a record which has lasted over 70 years (The previous record was held by a Middlesborough player with 58/59 goals, but I can't remember his name). I am not 100% certain of his statistics so I'll come back to the gritty details of Dixie Dean's successful career, but it is fair to say he was instrumental in Everton's title success's of the 1920's and 1930's, and was a good promoter of the club in his later years. He died at Goodison park in 1980 after an Everton Vs Liverpool Derby.

Terran - Go to the H2G2 Everton FC at A843996

Dixie Dean - one of the greatest strikers in the history of the English game. 60 goals in a season is unlikely to be seen again in this country. Do you remember how many games there were that season? There can't have been as many as there are now.

The future certainly looks good for Everton - at the moment because you've got yourself a manager who's managed to motivate the team properly... the young Rooney will be a star in the future if the management keep on acting in the sensible way that they are doing now.

Top 6 finish this season? Maybe even top 4? Wouldn't put it past them. As a Liverpool fan, it's both annoying to see you back and also great to have some competition between the two sides from the best footballing city in England again!

The thing to remember about Bill Dean's record (he loathed the name Dixie), was the fact that it was sixty league goals. He actually scored over eighty in all competitions. But a favourite Billy Dean story.
In 1932 Everton were playing at Spurs in front of fifty odd thousand in the old first Division. Billy got the nickname 'Dixie' from his dark skin and thick black curly hair. Everton won a throw in and Billy jogged over to take it. As he picked the ball up someone in the crowd shouted "Wait 'till after the game, then we'll get you, you ni**er ba***rd!". This eminated from a large bank of fairly packed Spurs terracing. A nearby policeman was going to go into the crowd to arrest the man when Billy said "No officer, I'll deal with this.' Billy then stepped into the Spurs crowd and knocked the man out with one punch. He emerged back onto the pitch to take the throw-in with a mighty roar of approval from the Spurs fans.
Eric Cantona eat your heart out!

That was 60 goals in 39 games, not bad compared to the premiership record of 34 in 40 games.

TSF

Yeah, and the defences were a bit rougher back then as well.

Terran - *Go to the H2G2 Everton FC Fan Club at A843996*

So was the attack - re post 3



TSF

I heard that Babe Ruth met Dixie Dean and was amazed to learn just how little he earned. Which was indded a tiny amount, both compared to the Premiership stars of today and Babe himself.

Right here are some more incredible statistics : -

-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
-200 goals for Everton in 198 games
-300 league goals in 310 games
-379 league goals in 437 games
-349 league goals for Everton
-37 hat-tricks in his career
-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 goal
-In the 1929/30 season Dean scored in 12 successive league matches – another unbeaten record (unless Arsenal have one player who did that last season, I may need to check up on that)
-highest scorer of goals in Mersey Derby matches with 19

This all despite his serious injuries which he got from a motorcycle accident at the age of 19, only shortly after joining Everton. Its a shame that he never got to play in an era of real international competition, because he would have torn defenses apart for England.
With the pitiful wages he would have got, this just adds to the incredible player he was.

The previous player to hold the record for most goals was George Camsell of (then) second division Middleborough, who were promoted on the strength of those goals. The record lasted one season, as Dean stepped up the following season and scored the world famous 60 goals.


Heres one for the scots :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.

And finally, at the height of his goalscoring, the marking was getting ridiculous. So much so, that Dixie ran off the field during play, his marker asked where was he going Dixie replied "For a pee, you coming or what?".

Pele eat your heart out

Terran

That – was a comma I think. I'm not sure why it did that?

Oh, and he's got a statue outside Goodison Park (I knew there was something I missed)

Terran - Go to the H2G2 Everton FC Fan Club at A843996

> highest scorer of goals in Mersey Derby matches with 19

Hmmmm... I thought Ian Rush beat that? Or did he equal it?

I think he equaled it, but I'd have to check that one

Terran

In that 1927/28 season, he scored 7 hat-tricks.