Star Exhibits
8. Dixie Dean’s first medals from the Blackpool Hospital Cup, and his last medals from the Central League – a time when he had been dropped from the first team to the reserves.
William Ralph Dean was the most popular footballer of his or arguably any other generation, and the greatest goal-scoring machine that the game has ever known. A great footballer, Dean was best remembered for his prolific goal scoring exploits – 383 goals in 433 games – but was also renowned for his genuine sportsmanship.
A gold medal is a tangible statement of achievement for all sportsmen, and representatives of Everton Football Club have been awarded their fair share of such honours. The Collection houses 40 medals covering all of the major competitions won by Everton between 1890 and 1985, and also includes several of Dixie Dean’s five minor medals, including the first and last, which he was awarded at Everton.
Dean earned his first medal in the annual Blackpool Hospital Cup competition. His valiant efforts were rewarded with a 26 mm diameter, gold and enamel medal inscribed: ‘Runners-up 1926, W R Dean’. It was a modest start to a glittering career crammed with goals and embroidered with gold. However, it could have been his only medal, because not long afterwards, in June 1926, Dean fractured his skull in a motorcycle accident.
A gold and enamel Central League medal represents Dean’s last honour following Everton’s clear win of the title with 65 points, 10 ahead of Bolton Wanderers. Included in the Collection, it measures 28 mm in diameter and depicts the Liver Bird on the front. The back is inscribed simply ‘Everton FC, W R Dean’.
Often clashing with the Club directors and habitually finding himself in hot water with Club secretary Theo Kelly, Dean departed to Notts County in March 1938 under something of a cloud. However, he was still awarded a testimonial. The game took place at Goodison Park on April 7 1964 and featured teams of English and Scottish players drawn from the two Merseyside Clubs. The turnout reflected Dean’s eminence as Merseyside’s favourite son because the vast majority of the crowd of 36,870 had never had the privilege of seeing him play.
