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Players Index Page Last Updated
2 January 2023
 
"Footballer, Gentleman, Evertonian"
 

Billy Dean

Everton FC

16 appearances, 18 goals, one missed penalty

P 16 W 10 D 1 L 5 F 48: A 25
 66% successful

1927-1932

captain: none
minutes played:
1440

Timeline
  William Ralph Dean
 

Dixie; He was nicknamed Dixie, because of his dark skin. Dixie was a reference to the Deep South of America where so many black people lived. Dean, despite his boisterous manner, was an intelligent and deep thinking man and he thought Dixie was an insult - more to the Deep South than to him. He could not abide it.

Birth 22 January 1907 in 325 Laird Street, Birkenhead, Cheshire [registered in Birkenhead, March 1907].
Attended Laird Street School and Albert Memorial Industrial Borstal, both Birkenhead.
Baptism 3 March 1907 at St James' Church, Laird Street, Birkenhead

According to the 1911 census, William is the youngest of six children and the only son to William and Sarah Emma (née Brett). They live at 325 Laird Street in Birkenhead. His father is a loco engineman.

According to the 1921 census, William is an apprentice fitter for Wirral Railway and the family, still the only son of six children now live at 313 Laird Street.
On 8 October 1930, in a court case against Dean, his address was stated as being Wellesley Street in Birkenhead. He was charged with dangerous driving on 21 August after he knocked down a woman who was boarding a tramcar, of which he was aquitted
Marriage (left): to Ethel Fossard, Sunday, 19 July 1931 at St James' Church, Birkenhead [registered in Birkenhead, September 1931] They had four children, William J. (1932), Geoffrey David (b.31 January 1935), Ralph L. (b.24 September 1936) and Barbara A. (b.1945). Ethel died in 1974.
"William Ralph Dean, Everton and England centre forward, took to himself a bride in Miss Ethel Fossard, at St. James's Church, Birkenhead, early yesterday morning. After the ceremony, and when the party had disentangled themselves from the close attentions of their numerous well-wishers, they journeyed to Chester in four motor-cars, arriving at the city about 10.15, where they partook of the wedding breakfast at the Bars Hotel, the chef having provided a beautiful wedding cake." - Liverpool Echo, Monday, 20 July 1931
At Christmas 1933, Dean was living at Caldy Road in Walton, when his prized possessions were stolen, his international cap and a presentation clock.
According to the 1939 register, William, an ex-professional footballer, is married to Ethel, and they are living at 193 Rutland Road in West Bridgford. with two of their sons, Geoffrey and Ralph.
On 4 April 1940, Dean was summoned to court for non-payment of taxes on his sports outfitters shop (opened in Birkenhead, July 1934). Now living at New Ferry in Cheshire, he owed £22 1s. 5d.. The case was adjourned to see if Dean could sell his business that had been making a loss since the outbreak of war.
Death 1 March 1980 in the Main Stand at Goodison Park, Everton, aged 73 years 38 days [registered in Liverpool, March 1980]. Following a heart-attack, watching the Merseyside Derby. Living at 2 Larkhill Avenue, Upton, at the time
Funeral at St. James' Church on Laird Street. However, he is buried in St. Luke the Evangelist Churchyard in Silverdale, Newcastle-under-Lyme
Probate "DEAN, William Ralph of 2 Larkhill Av Upton Wirral Mersey died 1 March 1980 Probate Liverpool 6 November £22940."

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990], Barrie Williams'/Tom Lawton's "Get In There!" [2010] &

Biographies Dixie Dean: The Official Biography of a Goalscoring Legend - Nick Walsh (Macdonald and Jane's, 1977)*.
Dixie Dean of Tranmere Rovers 1923-25 - Gilbert Upton (The Author, Southport 1992)#.
The Fabulous Dixie - Phil Thompson (Quarry, Wirral 1990)
Dixie Dean: The Inside Story of a Football Icon - John Keith (Robson Books, 2003)

*William Ralph Dean was one of the game's greatest goal-scoring centre-forwards throughout the twenties and thirties; In 1936 he topped Steve Bloomer's long-standing scorer's record. Tranmere, Everton, Notts County and Sligo Rovers all figure in his story.
#Dean made his debut for Tranmere in 1923 at the age of 15. This biographical treatment covers those early days before he achieved folk hero status at Everton. - A Football Compendium, Peter J. Seddon (1999).

Playing Career

Played for Birkenhead Schools and Moreton Bible Class. Ehile he was an apprentice fitter on the Wirral Railway, Dean played his junior football with Heswall FC and Pensby Institution FC, from where Tranmere Rovers FC signed him as a fifteen year old in November 1923, originally as an amateur and scored 27 goals in thirty league appearances. Despite interest from The Arsenal FC and Newcastle United FC, Dean joined Everton FC in March 1925 for £2500, and despite a bad motor-cycle accident in Holywell in the 1926 spring, which fractured his skull, only returning in the October, he would play 399 league matches, and score an astonishing 349 goals. The New York Giants 'Soccer' team offered £10,000 for Dean in July 1928, offering £25 per week in wages. [Real] Madrid CF even courted Dean's services in January 1932, again offering £25 per week. Even Burnley FC in September 1937 were rumored to be after him. In all cases, Dean was not interested. Dean was eventually transferred to Notts County FC on 11 March 1938 for a £3000 fee. After struggling with an ankle injury, he had his registration cancelled by Notts County FC in early January 1939 after nine league games and three goals. Instead of giving up un football, he then accepted an offer to sign for Sligo Rovers FC on 20 January 1939. In the meantime, however, County still owed £1000 of the original transfer fee, so on 1 February 1939, after the Notts club had sent deputation, Everton allowed a £500 rebate. Which was duly paid. Dean made seven Irish league appearances, scoring ten goals. He finished his career in the Cheshire County League with Hurst FC on 23 July 1939, after which he retired, totaling 379 goals in 437 league outings. He had had numerous operations on his ankle, removing loose bone.
 
Club honours Football League Champions 1927-28, 1931-32; FA Charity Shield winners 1928, 1932; Football League Division Two winners 1930-31; FA Cup winners 1932-33; FAI Cup runners-up 1938-39; League of Ireland runners-up 1938-39;
Individual honours Football League (six appearances, nine goals);
Sunday Pictorial Trophy
(for scoring sixty league goals) 1927-28; Lewis's Medal (for scoring 200 league goals) 1931; Hall of Fame Trophy 1971; FWA Silver Salver 1976; National Football Museum Hall of Fame 2002;
Distinctions Holder of the Football League seasonal scoring record (sixty in 1926-27).
In 1928, Dean fronted an advertising campaign for Wix Cigarettes.
His statue
(left) was unveiled outside Goodison Park in May 2001.
Height/Weight 5' 10½", 12st 7lb. [1928 to 1930].
  Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990]

England Career

Player number One of five who became 512th player (515) to appear for England.
Position(s) Centre-forward
First match No. 152, 12 February 1927, Wales 3 England 3, a British Championship match at The Racecourse, Mold Road, Wrexham, aged 20 years 21 days.
Last match No. 182, 17 October 1932, England 1 Ireland 0, a British Championship match at Bloomfield Road, Revoe, Blackpool, aged 25 years 269 days;
Major tournaments British Championship 1926-27, 1927-28, 1928-29, 1930-31, 1932-33;
Team honours British Championship shared 1926-27, 1930-31;
Individual honours England's Top Goalscorer 1926-27 (12 (=record)), 1927 (12(=record)), 1927-28 (4), 1928 (5);
Distinctions Dean was the youngest player to score their first ten goals (until 2005), and but certainly the quickest, taking just 98 days to so.
He is also the quickest to reach the 15 goal milestone, taking just a year and 96 days.

Beyond England

Dean was obliged by ill-health to give up his employment as a Chester licensee, The Dublin Packet, in 1962, after which he worked for the Littlewoods Pools. In November 1976, due to his declining health, Dean had his right leg amputated because of a blood clot. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.85/86.


The Numbers
parties Apps comp. apps unused mins goals ave.min comp. goals
tbc 16 10 0 1440 18 80 min 5 0 tbc none
1
minutes are an approximation, due to the fact that many matches rarely stick to exactly ninety minutes long, allowing time for injuries and errors.
P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv pts% W/L
16 10 1 5 48 25 +23 3 2 3 1.563 65.6 +5

When The
18 Goals
Were Scored
0-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 41-ht ht-50 51-55 56-60 61-65 66-70 71-75 76-80 81-85 86-90 injury extra
time
0 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 3 3 2 1 0 1 0 0
6 12 0

Venue Record

Venue P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv pts% W/L
Home 5 3 0 2 12 9 +3 0 1 2.40 1.80 60.0 +1
Away 11 7 1 3 36 16 +20 3 1 3.273 1.455 68.2 +4

Competition Record

Competition P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
British Championship 10 4 1 5 13 19 -6 3 1 1.30 1.90 45.0 -1
Friendly 6 6 0 0 35 6 +29 0 1 5.833 1.00 100.0 +6

Tournament Record

British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1926-27 2 1 1 0 5 4 +1 0 0 2.50 2.00 75.0 +1
BC 1927-28 3 0 0 3 2 9 -7 1 0 0.667 3.00 0.00 -3
BC 1928-29 3 2 0 1 5 4 +1 1 0 1.667 1.333 66.7 +1
BC 1930-31 1 0 0 1 0 2 -2 1 0 0.00 2.00 0.00 -1
BC 1932-33 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 0 1 1.00 0.00 100.0 +1
BC All 10 4 1 5 13 19 -6 3 1 1.30 1.90 45.0 -1

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 10 4 1 5 13 19 -6 3 1 1.30 1.90 45.0 -1
10 4 1 5 13 19 -6 3 1 1.30 1.90 45.0 -1

Match History

 Club: Everton F.C. - 16 full appearances (1440 min) 18ᵍ F.A. International Selection Committee - 16 full appearances (1440 min) 18ᵍx

apps match pic match details comp res. rundown shirt

Age 20
1 152 12 February 1927 - Wales 3 England 3
The Racecourse, Wrexham
BC AD 10
60
cf

one of five who became the 512th players (515) to appear for England.
the twentieth player from Everton FC to represent England
the 87th player to score on his England debut

2 153 2 April 1927 - Scotland 1 England 2
Hampden Park, Glasgow
BC AW 69
88
cf
3 154  11 May 1927 - Belgium 1 England 9
Stade DC Bruxelles, Bruxelles

tour
AW 36
47
70
cf

the 29th hattrick scored by England - the youngest player to score an England hattrick

4 155  21 May 1927 - Luxembourg 2 England 5
Stade de la Frontière, Esch-sur-Alzette
  AW 18
65
72
cf

the thirtieth hattrick scored by England - the fourth player to score two England hattricks
the ninth player & youngest to score ten goals

5 156  26 May 1927 - France 0 England 6
Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir, Paris
  AW 24
75
cf

the thirtieth hattrick scored by England - the fourth player to score two England hattricks
his twelve goals in 1926-27 makes him top goalscorer for the season for the first time

6 157  22 October 1927 - Ireland 2 England 0
Windsor Park, Belfast
BC AL   cf
7 158  28 November 1927 - England 1 Wales 2
Turf Moor, Burnley
BC HL   cf

his twelve goals in 1927 makes him top goalscorer for the year for the first time

Age 21
8 159  31 March 1928 - England 1 Scotland 5
Empire Stadium, Wembley
BC HL   cf
9 160  17 May 1928 - France 1 England 5
Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir, Paris

tour
AW 27
64
cf
10 161  19 May 1928 - Belgium 1 England 3
Olympisch Stadion, Antwerpen
AW 35
64
cf

the third player & youngest to score fifteen goals
his four goals in 1927-28 makes him top goalscorer for the season for the second time

11 162  22 October 1928 - England 2 Ireland 1
Goodison Park, Liverpool
BC HW 2177 cf

the seventh penalty-kick missed by an England player & youngest (only the tenth awarded)

12 163  17 November 1928 - Wales 2 England 3
Vetch Field, Swansea
BC AW   cf

his five goals in 1928 makes him top goalscorer for the year for the second time

Age 22
13 164  13 April 1929 - Scotland 1 England 0
Hampden Park, Glasgow
BC AL   cf
 

Age 24
14 175  28 March 1931 - Scotland 2 England 0
Hampden Park, Glasgow
BC AL   cf
 
15 180  9 December 1931 - England 7 Spain 1
Arsenal Stadium, Highbury
Fr HW 68 cf
 

Age 25
16 182  17 October 1932 - England 1 Ireland 0
Bloomfield Road, Blackpool
BC HW   cf
 

  

 
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