Another Celtic legend from the 1970’s has left us. John ‘Dixie’ Deans passed away aged 79 this week. Dixie was born just 7 years before me and as our Editor Andrew reminded I’m the only regular contributor to Mt90M who actually seen the hit man in the flesh.
Dixie was a steady Scottish league striker for Motherwell between ‘1965-‘1971. He scored 78 goals in 152 appearances. Jock Stein seen something worth a punt in him and for the next 5 years he hit 89 goals in 126 appearances as Celtic completed their first 9 in a row and Deans became a favourite with the Jungle.
His goal scoring record was dynamic. I can still see him gathering the ball back to goal, his sturdy frame punishing defenders as he turned and in his gallus style made for goal and popped it in the bottom corner. He won 3 titles with Celtic, 2 Scottish Cups and a League Cup during the final years of the Stein era.
He is also the only player to score hat tricks in two cup finals in ‘1972 & ‘1974! But as he said himself many times, he scored 89 goals 126 appearances for Celtic. He will also be remembered for the penalty he missed v Inter Milan in the European Cup semi in April ‘1972. I remember the night vividly, I wasn’t there as the British Government thought it might be better for society if I was interned without trial in Long Kesh so we watched it on TV in the Cages.
Celtic were strong favourites after a determined 0-0 in Milan in the snow. On the night a unique European record was established, two semi finals in Europe in the same city, 75,000 at Paradise, 80,000 at Ibrox.
Kenny Dalglish led the line for Celtic and Sandro Mazzola for Inter Milan also Burgnich, Fachetti and Bedin who had played in Lisbon, Celtic had Craig, Cesar, Murdoch, Jinky and Lennox.
Dixie came on after an hour for Dalglish and as fate would have it he was the man selected to take the first penalty in the shoot out. In his typical style he had his back to the goal and quickly turned and strode confidently forward and sent the ball about a mile over the bar at the old Celtic End. it was so far over it nearly cleared the old stand at what is now the Jock Stein end.
After that each player on both sides scored and Inter went through 4-5 on penalties. It was a devastating result for Celtic and Dixie personally.
John Dixie Deans a Celtic legend RIP.
Paddy McMenamin was born in Belfast with Donegal and Tyrone parents. He spent the 70’s in Long Kesh. He has been going to Paradise since the Benfica game in Nov. 1969. He lived in Donegal for 30 years but now lives in Galway. He returned to University at 50 and became a secondary school teacher of history and English
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