Around the world to honour a legend

Jul 6 2007 by Paula Owens, Liverpool Daily Post

Matt Dean

SINCE childhood, Matt Dean had heard stories about his famous footballing relative, but it wasn’t until he took a 12,000-mile trip to the UK that he realised just what a legacy his grandfather had left.

And now, the Australia-raised grandson of goal-scoring legend Bill “Dixie” Dean has landed a role on a film to celebrate the Merseyside icon.

Matt Dean, 42, the son of Dixie Dean’s eldest son William and his wife Kathleen, emigrated with his parents and brother Simon from Chester in the 1960s.

The English and drama teacher, who arrived in the UK last year to investigate his grand- father’s sporting past, is now working at a Liverpool school.

He said: “As soon as I stepped off the plane in England and mentioned my grandad’s name I was astonished at how people reacted.

“Everyone, men, women and children, knew about Dixie and although my father had told me a lot about him I was amazed at how revered he is, not just by Evertonians but by Liverpool supporters and even people with no great interest in football.”

He added: “At one of the schools I taught at when I first arrived in England I was breaking up a fight between two kids when one of them picked up a chair leg which just missed my head.

“The next day the same lad came in with an autograph book, asked me to sign and said: ‘I didn’t know you were Dixie’s grandson’.”

Soon after arriving on Mersey- side, Mr Dean contacted writer and broadcaster John Keith who wrote Dixie’s biography, Dixie Dean: The Inside Story of a Football Icon. The pair set out to make a film about the centre forward’s life and career.

Mr Dean said: “I couldn’t believe there had never been a film about my grandfather so John and I decided we’d try to put that omission right.

“We’ve now linked up with Toxteth-based Tabacula Films to make a 90-minute drama documentary about Dixie which will not be just a football story. It’s a human interest drama.”

The film will be directed by Ian Lysaght and is due to be completed next October on the 80th anniversary of Dean’s 60-goal season of 1927-8.

It will be narrated by Liver- pool-born actor Ian Hart and stars including Maradona and Pele are expected to contribute.

Mr Dean, production consultant on the documentary, said: “I’m extremely proud. My grandfather was a very good-looking guy, the David Beckham of his day, and was a pin-up boy for the ladies.

“What comes shining through his story, apart from his brilliant ability to score goals, is his personal integrity and consideration for his team-mates.

“The year I’ve spent in Liver- pool has been the best of my life. I respect both Liverpool and Ever- ton, but am supporting Everton for obvious reasons. I was thrilled about how they finished the season, not having the huge budget other clubs have.”

Tabacula Films needs to raise around £200,000 for the film, which has the working title Dixie Dean: The People’s Legend.

One idea is to get Everton fans to invest in the film, inviting them to contribute the same amount as Dixie Dean’s weekly wage, £8. Fans would then be rewarded based on the film’s success. Anyone interested in investing in the production can contact Tabacula on 0151 709 8521 or 07714 324595.

paulaowens