Stars of the ’70s, No 12: Dixie Deans

Published on 19/10/2012 00:00

BORN John Kelly Deans, but nicknamed “Dixie” in honour of the great Everton centre-forward Dixie Dean, the striker was a controversial signing when Celtic manager Jock Stein bought him for £17,500 from Motherwell in the aftermath of the shock 4-1 defeat by Partick Thistle in the 1971 League Cup final. With a reputation for onfield indiscipline, he was serving a six-match ban at the time.

But for the next five years, Deans chalked up 132 goals in just 184 games. The six he stuck past Scotland goalkeeper Alan Rough against Partick Thistle is a post-war Scottish record, while he is the only player to have scored hat-tricks in two major Scottish finals - the 1972-73 Scottish Cup final and the 1974-75 League Cup final, both against Hibernian.

In a match against St Johnstone, Deans had both his front teeth knocked out. Instead of going off, he carried on playing with blood trickling on to his jersey.