Bill Shankly & Dixie Dean
It’s been over 40 years since I left Liverpool, and from a distance, it feels like the rivalry between the club’s fans has soured. Growing up in the sixties, Liverpool had Everton had relative parity. The Blues won the title in 1970 with a side led by the best Everton player of my lifetime, Alan Ball. That side was supposed to go on and reach great heights. Instead, it fizzled out. I would love for a Bluenose to explain why that EFC side never fulfilled their potential. It was not the Blues but Liverpool, under manager Bill Shankly, who rebuilt his 1960s team and laid the foundation for the club to dominate English football for the next two decades.
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Everton enjoyed a revival in the eighties. Since then, aside from a 1995 FA Cup win, they have contributed little to the rich history of the club. Liverpool also experienced the longest title drought in their history, but were regularly in contention and continued to bring home silverware. Since the birth of the Premier League and the globalisation of the game, Liverpool has secured a place in “The Rich Six”, while Everton has struggled in comparison. Has this contributed to the current state of affairs? Possibly. However, let me relay a story that shows the positive side of the rivalry between two great and historic Merseyside clubs.
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It comes via veteran football journalist John Keith. The date was March 1st, 1980. On the morning of a Merseyside Derby, Keith was launching a promotion for his books about Liverpool and Everton. An array of legends was invited to help him with the launch. The Red side included Bill Shankly and Billy Liddell. For the Blues, Brian Labone and Dixie Dean. Dean was a legendary centre forward who, in 1928, set a goal-scoring record in the English top flight of 60 goals in a league season. It’s an incredible accomplishment that is unlikely ever to be equalled.
These legends sat at the top table of the accompanying luncheon. Unexpectedly, Liverpool’s former manager, Bill Shankly, suddenly stood up to address those present. He was a passionate Scotsman who was revered by Liverpool fans. There are clips of Bill Shankly speaking all over the internet. When he spoke, the audience was captive:
“Ladies & Gentlemen, we have in our midst today a man who belongs in the company of the supremely great like Beethoven, Rembrandt & Shakespeare. Dixie Dean’s the name, nobody scored goals under the sun like him, and nobody ever will”.
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Dixie was moved and began to cry. Shanks asked him if he had been to a recent Derby game. The response was not since his playing days in the 1930s. Shankly took Dean to the game that day. It was a dour match with Liverpool leading 2-0 when in the 73rd minute Peter Eastoe pulled a goal back for the Blues. In the excitement, Dean suffered a heart attack and died. His daughter, Barbara, later referred to the fact that it was fitting for her father to pass away at Goodison Park. It was how he would have wanted it to be. Dixie’s last day was moving in so many respects.
Bill Shankly and Dixie Dean’s story serves as a poignant reminder of the Merseyside rivalry built on mutual respect. Instances like Everton’s tribute after the Diogo Jota tragedy continue to show this respect. It flickers from time to time. As we look forward to Saturday’s game, let’s hope these moments can continue. In the meantime, Diego Simeone & Co., the Reds must consider first.