Dixie Dean Makes More History By Being Granted Freedom Of Wirral

Everton great William Ralph 'Dixie' Dean is still making history, almost 90 years after he hung up his shooting boots.

This week Dixie became the first sportsman to be granted the Freedom of the Borough of Wirral.

Members of the legendary centre-forward's family were at Wallasey Town Hall on Monday to receive the highest honour that the council can bestow on its citizens.

Dixie’s daughter, Barbara, was the guest of honour at the ceremony, joined by his grand-daughter and grandson, Melanie Prentice and William Dean, and great grandsons and grand-daughter Harvey Dean, Daniel Dean Prentice and Scarlett Prentice.

Also present at the ceremony led by Mayor of Wirral Brian Kenny were the Lord Lieutenant Peter Oliver, representing the King, High Sheriff of Merseyside Billy Hut, Alison McGovern MP, Sue Gregory CEO of Everton in the Community, TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak, Tranmere Chair Mark Palios, Everton ambassadors Ian Snodin and Graham Stuart, plus Everton Broadcast and Liaison Manager Darren Griffiths and the Club’s Football Media PR Manager David Prentice.

After introductions in the Mayor's Parlour, with views across the river of Hill Dickinson Stadium, the ceremony was launched with a choir recital by pupils of the Co-Op Portland Primary School on Laird Street, the school attended by the young Dixie in the immediate post-First World War years.

Making the day doubly significant, Dixie's daughter Barbara was presented with an FA Legacy Cap by Mayor Kenny at the close of the ceremony.

The legacy cap initiative was launched by the FA in 2019, to recognise every player who represented the England national team. A special red velvet cap is awarded and a unique legacy number bestowed. Dixie's number is 515, signifying his position as the 515th player to make his debut for the England national team in 1927.

Before Monday's presentation only 19 individuals had received the Freedom of the Wirral since 1993.

Mayor Kenny explained the process which led to the honour.

"On March 28th last year Alison McGovern called a meeting at Co-Op Portland School with headteacher Debbie Reynolds, CEO of Everton in the Community Sue Gregory and myself to highlight and promote the amazing achievements of the man who still holds the individual record for the most goals in a single league season," he explained.

"As a result of that meeting a detailed written submission was delivered to Wirral Council and at an extraordinary meeting of all 66 councillors on October 13 it was unanimously agreed to posthumously bestow honorary freedom of the borough on Dean, recognising Dixie Dean's outstanding achievements and his profound impact on football and Everton Football Club in particular as a Wirral resident."

Dixie was proud of his Wirral heritage.

Born in Laird Street, Birkenhead on 22 January 1907, he went to school there, played his first football on the Wirral (his most cherished medal was the one he won as a schoolboy), he left school at 14 to work for Wirral Railway, started his remarkable career at Tranmere Rovers – and 383 Everton goals later retired to the Wirral, living in Bebington and Upton.

Evertonians need no reminding of Dixie's remarkable feats.

He scored 383 goals in 433 appearances, won the league championship twice, the FA Cup in 1933 when he became the first footballer to wear the number nine shirt in a high profile fixture, scored 18 goals in 16 England appearances - and in 1927/28 established a league scoring record which is unlikely ever to be beaten when he scored 60 league goals in a single season.

He passed away during a derby match at Goodison Park in March 1980.

In presenting the Freedom Scroll to Dixie's grandson and grand-daughter, Daniel and Scarlett Prentice, Mayor Kenny said: "May this scroll serve as a permanent reminder of the esteem in which Dixie Dean is held by this community - an extraordinary athlete, a proud son of Wirral and now, a Freeman of Wirral."