Thanks for the goals and all the incredible memories, Dixie | OneFootball

Another part of the childhood for Celts of my era passed away with the sad news of the death of former striking sensation John ‘Dixie’ Deans this morning…

16.09.1972. Photo imago/Colorsport Dixie Deans (Celtic Glasgow) Scottish First Division 1972/1973.

From my personal perspective, Dixie was a hero and was largely responsible for far and away the most memorable day of my Celtic-supporting life as a youngster…

On Saturday, 6 May 1972, I rolled up to Hampden as an excited but slightly nervous 11-year-old for my second Scottish Cup final. The first one – against Aberdeen two years earlier – hadn’t exactly gone to plan, as had my first League Cup final against Partick Thistle the following autumn, so it was very much ‘three strikes and yer oot’ as I balanced precariously on a crush barrier high up on the slopes of the traditional Celtic End amongst a crowd of 106,102, like the date a number I can sadly trot out to this day.

Dixie Deans celebrates. Celtic – Scottish Cup winners 1972. Photo The Celtic Wiki

I needn’t have worried. Inspired by an engine room of Bobby Murdoch and Tommy Callaghan at their majestic best, Jock Stein’s Celtic produced perhaps the final great 90 minutes of that incredible era, destroying a wonderful Hibernian side by six goals to one.

The hero was Dixie, with a hat-trick, the first man to achieve such a feat on Scottish football’s showpiece occasion since the Bhoy from Croy, Jimmy Quinn, for Celtic against Rangers all of 68 years earlier.

Jimmy Quinn is the Celtic hero.

To add to that wonderful sense of irony which football so often throws up, just under three weeks earlier Dixie had suffered the heartbreak of missing the penalty kick on his European debut for Stein’s Celtic which saw them miss out on a third European Cup final in six years to, who else, Inter Milan, in a shootout.

The prize was a meeting with holders Ajax and their array of superstars in Feyenoord’s De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam for the greatest prize in club football. Can you just imagine how special that would have been?

Lou Marari and Dixie Deans

Anyway, by that time Dixie was my own personal favourite and hero. I cried for him that night, the first of two goalless but very different European Cup semi-finals I was privileged to be taken to by another hero, my dad, over those special years. And perhaps because of that huge disappointment for him and the vilification in the media – remember the cartoon of the guy finding the ball on the moon? – then the events at Hampden took on even greater significance.

Three very different goals, but the highlight for me was his second, which made it 3-1 early in the second half, where Dixie seemed to beat several Hibs defenders and the goalkeeper twice before knocking the ball into that huge Hampden net and enjoying an impromptu forward-roll celebration in the corner nearest us. Incredible times. He duly completed his first Celtic hat-trick, before Lisbon Lion Jim Craig, in his final match before moving to South Africa, set up a double for Dixie’s strike partner Lou Macari as Celts equalled the record winning margin of James Kelly’s Renton…set in 1888!

Celtic goal-scoring heroes Jimmy McGrory and Dixie Deans. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Dixie never looked back from there. Over the following seasons there were spells when, partnering the genius Kenny Dalglish, he was simply unstoppable, a hat-trick here, four goals there and a double pretty much everywhere it seemed.

And, of course, that day in November 1973 when the wonderful Jimmy McGrory almost saw his own club record tally of eight fall before his very eyes, Dixie sticking six goals past Alan Rough to create a post-war marker of six against Partick Thistle, whilst missing opportunities to extend that yet further.

Having set up the opener for Kenny, Dixie had been denied a goal in the 1973 Scottish Cup final when Gentleman John Greig punched his netbound effort off the line, George Connelly converting from the spot, but he was back on target against Dundee United with the clincher in the following year’s final.

Hibs 3 Celtic 6 – Scottish League Cup Final, 26 October 1974. Hampden Park, Photos The Celtic Wiki

In the League Cup, where Celts strangely enjoyed a hoodoo in so many successive finals, Dixie, quite incredibly, repeated his hat-trick performance against Hibernian in the final of October 1974, the most memorable of that treble in the 6-3 victory being his McGrory-esque human torpedo header from Jimmy Johnstone’s wayward cross-shot which had the little redhead looking to the skies in disbelief.

Hibs 3 Celtic 6 – Scottish League Cup Final, 26 October 1974. Hampden Park, Photos The Celtic Wiki

Just seven days earlier, the duo had been on fire as Hibernian were destroyed 5-0 in a League match at Celtic Park. Guess what? Dixie scored a hat-trick that day also. He remains the only player to score hat-tricks in two major Scottish Cup finals.

Having represented Scotland at Junior level whilst with Neilston back in March 1965 – watched by both new Celtic PR Manager Jimmy McGrory and Linfield as he scored in the 3-2 win over the Six Counties at Rugby Park on the same day Jock Stein made his home debut as Celtic boss, such form in the autumn of 1974 saw Dixie gain his senior international debut at the relatively late age of 28, facing East Germany then Spain at Hampden with partner-in-crime Jinky.

That would be a final flourish for both, as the dream of 10-in-a-row spluttered early in the new year. Dixie’s final season at Celtic would be 1975/76, the first of the 10-club Premier League era, as Jock battled to recovery from a near-fatal car crash in the summer.

Jock Stein with Dixie Deans. Hibs 3 Celtic 6 – Scottish League Cup Final, 26 October 1974. Hampden Park, Photos The Celtic Wiki

Stein’s teams and his expertise in identifying striking talent were on another level, Dixie just the latest example of that in October 1971 when he took the currently-suspended 25-year-old striker from Motherwell in the aftermath of that League Cup final defeat by Partick Thistle.

In true Roy of the Rovers style, Dixie made his debut at the end of the following month against the Jags at a packed Firhill and opened his account in the 5-1 revenge attack, scoring in his first six matches in the Hoops. He would manage 27 goals from 26 starts in that maiden season, culminating in the 6-1 win at Hampden, before following that up with 33 in each of the next two. Ironically, my first recollection of a Dixie goal was scored against Celtic, on my first visit to Fir Park in November 1969, as Motherwell lost 2-1.

Celtic v Hearts – 25 December 1971. Dixie Deans scores Celtic’s third goal. Photo The Celtic Wiki.

It was another game at that same venue, where Dixie had excelled for so many years in the claret and amber, which gave me the opportunity to meet him for the first time. Prior to the Scottish Cup tie of January 1976, I was approached by the Celtic View for their competition of the time which gave youngsters the opportunity to meet their favourite player.

Dixie Deans with a young Matt Corr

So it was then the following month that I rolled up to have my photo taken with the great man before the home match with Hearts. God only knows what Dixie made of the gangly, spotty teenager with the wide Oxford Bags, platform shoes and big, mental hair. But he was too much of a gent not to laugh. In any case, I wouldn’t be the last guy with such hair who would be in awe of his presence.

After his release from Celtic in the spring of 1976, and a spell with Luton Town, Dixie effectively ended his career in Australia, and it was there that he was memorably photographed with another hero, a certain Bob Marley.

Celtic legend Dixie Deans with music superstar Bob Marley. Photo The Celtic Wiki

That photo would be Dixie’s pride and joy in his later years, frequently shown to guests as he toured the hospitality lounges at Celtic Park. It was there I met him for the final time, introduced by his great pal Tommy Callaghan as he signed a copy of my Harry Hood biography.

Well thanks for a million memories, Dixie.

You’re at peace now pal and Tommy and yourself will no doubt be catching up once again.

Oh, and you’re still my hero, by the way.

Hail, Hail!

Matt Corr

A young Matt Corr. Photo taken at Fir Park January 1976

Follow Matt on X  @Boola_vogue