A PHOTOGRAPH thought to be the first showing goalscoring legend Dixie Dean in a football kit is to be auctioned in London next month.

The picture postcard features the Birkenhead Boys’ team in the 1920-21 season, with a young Dixie centre-front.

Appropriately for a man who went on to score 349 goals for Everton – including 60 in one season – a ball is at his feet.

Dean, who was born in Birkenhead on January 22, 1907, would have been 13 or 14 at the time.

He started his senior career with Tranmere Rovers in the 1923-24 season and signed for Everton in 1925.

The picture is expected to fetch up to £800 at a sports memorabilia auction in association with auctioneers Sotheby’s on October 28.

It follows the discovery last month of a photograph of Dean, right, in an Everton strip, which will be sold at the same auction. Auctioneers think it is the earliest shot of the player wearing his Everton colours.

The photo shows him lining up with his new teammates and players from St Francis Xavier’s college, against whom Everton FC played in a traditional end-of-season game.