Shankly & Dixie Dean
Just 102 days to go until FreeStand Films present the premiere screening of the William Ralph Dean documentary “Dixie, The Goal King” at New Brighton Floral Pavilion. Our writer and co-founder writes…
Bill Shankly pulled no punches when asked about his fellow football legend Dixie Dean.
“He was the greatest centre forward there will ever be”, declared the iconic former Liverpool manager. “His record of goalscoring is the most amazing thing under the sun. Nobody has scored goals like him...and nobody ever will.”
From a man who never resorted to cheap praise such an accolade emphasises the magic of William Ralph Dean, whose nickname of Dixie became synonymous with goals, goals, goals and more goals. But is also poses the question of what it takes to be a goalscorer. What are the basic qualities required for a player at the sharp end of the team? A driving hunger to score must surely be the first essential. And there’s
no doubt Dixie had that.
“The first thing that comes into my head when the referee blows to start the game is getting that ball into the old onion bag as quickly as possible”, he told me.
And as he scored 440 times in 497 games in his club and representative games he certainly rattled a few onion bags! Like all great marksman - and there was nobody greater than Dixie – an ability to score from any given situation, with either foot and from headers, was paramount. And while heading was his trademark skill it’s revealing that his 60 record-setting League goals for Everon in 1927-28 comprised 40 shots and 20 headers, 31 of them in 20 away games and 29 of them in 19 home matches.
Gilbert Upton, that great historian of Dixie’s first club Tranmere Rovers,
recalled:
“Dixie was brilliant in the air for a man who stood less then six feet but was also superb on the ground. At Tranmere they used to say his great goals started on the halfway line. He wasn’t just seen as a goal poacher hanging round the penalty area. He could also create goals for himself. The cry ‘Give It To Dixie’ started at Prenton Park.”
In other words, Dixie also had that invaluable quality of anticipation, perhaps best illustrated in an Everton game at Aston Villa when, with two goals already under his belt, he went to meet the ball as it was punted upfield.
“It was a bright sunny day and I had my back to the goal”, Dixie recalled. “I was about to turn and hit the ball when I noticed a long shadow coming beside me which to me meant it was the keeper. So instead of turning I jumped and back headed the ball …and it sailed into an empty net. Even the Villa fans applauded.”
That is the very definition of anticipation and why Dixie Dean was master of his trade. So don’t miss our film premiere of ‘DIXIE: The Goal King’. Tickets at £32 with concessions £27. Held at New Brighton Floral Pavilion – Friday January 22, 2027. Contact the box office on 0151 666 0000 or online at floralpavilion.com.
VIEW Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeUJMEwJcUY&t=19s
screening-with-special-guest-graeme-sharp/
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