Wirral's highest accolade bestowed on 'Dixie' Dean
The Mayor of Wirral was joined by relatives of one of the area’s best-loved sportspeople last night as the great William Ralph (Dixie) Dean was posthumously awarded The Freedom of the Borough at a ceremony at Wallasey Town Hall.
Dixie’s daughter, Barbara, was the guest of honour at the ceremony joined by other members of the Dean family, friends and representatives of Everton and Tranmere Rovers football clubs, who he played for so gloriously in the 1920s and 1930s.
Dean was born on Laird Street in Birkenhead in 1907 and attended Laird Street School – which is now known as the Co-op Portland School - before his professional football career began at Tranmere Rovers.
He truly made his name at Everton scoring a remarkable 349 goals in a 399 game career, including famously the 60 league goal season in 1927-28 in just 39 matches; a record which still stands to this day.
Dean married his wife Ethel at St James' Church in 1931 and later moved to Larkhill Avenue in Upton where he lived until he died in 1980, while watching Everton play Liverpool at Goodison Park.
In his speech last night, the Mayor of Wirral, Cllr Brian Kenny, recalled the words of another local football great to describe Dean.
Dixie Dean was the greatest centre-forward there ever will be. His record of goalscoring is the most amazing thing under the sun. He belongs in the company of the supremely great like Beethoven, Shakespeare, Rembrandt…
But that is not just me talking, who said it? It was someone I wouldn’t usually refer to – Bill Shankly.
I am proud to represent the area in the north end of Birkenhead where Dixie was born and raised. While many famous footballers often choose to move elsewhere when they find fame, Dixie continued to be a resident of Wirral throughout his life.
As a lifelong Evertonian I couldn’t be more proud then that, during my year as Mayor – and with the unanimous support of my fellow councillors – it was agreed to posthumously bestow the Freedom of the Borough, recognising Dixie Dean’s outstanding achievements and his profound impact on football and Everton football club in particular.
As he concluded his speech, Cllr Kenny also reminded the invited guests that though Dean will long be remembered for his 60 league goals, it should be noted that over the course of that incredible 1927-28 season, Dixie actually scored 82 goals in all competitions.
Also last night, on behalf of the Football Association and Everton football club, Cllr Kenny presented a red Legacy Cap to Dean’s daughter Barbara in honour of Dixie’s international career with England. Dean scored 18 goals in just 16 appearances for the national team between 1927 and 1932.
