Best Ever British Striker

[Sporting]

Sorry.

[Amor de Cosmos]

s'OK. Just trying to avoid the repetition thing. Dean's Wiki page is worth a read.

"Dean felt he received no formal education: "My only lesson was football ... I used to give the pens out on Friday afternoons ... the ink, and the chalks. That was the only job I had in school ... I never had any lessons." When he turned 11 he attended Albert (Memorial) Industrial School, a borstalschool in Birkenhead, because of the football facilities on offer... The Dean family home had little room for him due to the family's size; Dean was happy with the arrangement, since he could play on the school's football team. Dean falsely told fellow pupils he had been caught stealing, since he wanted to be "one of the boys".

[After school] Dean took a night job [on the railway] so that he could concentrate on his first love, football: "The other two apprentice fitters, they didn't like the night job because there were too many bloody rats around there, coming out of the Anglo-Oil company and the Vacuum Oil Company ... rats as big as whippets. So I took their night job, and of course, I could always have a game of football then." Dean would kick the trespassing rats against the wall.

[torres]

Everton also won the FA Cup in 1933 so it certainly was a bit of a rollercoaster ride.

[Baptiste]

Worth noting he decided against signing for New Brighton, if he had, I may be supporting a different team right now…

[Amor de Cosmos]

Yeah. He was clearly a kid who knew what he wanted and his own value.

[Capybara]

I think Dean scored 23 league goals in the relegation season so that's the benchmark until/unless we find another player scoring more. Moreover he wasn't league top scorer that year.

Leading scorers: https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/engtops.html#index

I don't know if it's a record but George Camsell scored 33 goals in 1927-8 when Middlesbrough finished bottom of the First Division, only 16 points behind the champions. He'd scored 59 in the promotion season the year before.

[Satchmo Distel]

That's more impressive than Dean's 60 in a way, although when you look at Middlesbrough's scores it looks like they just played with no defence. They went down because they drew 9 home games.

http://stats.football.co.uk/results_...gh/index.shtml

Camsell's goals per games ratio is not far behind Dean's and he was playing in a weaker side, usually. He also had a better England record than Dean (18 from 9 games v 18 from 16). Oddly, however, Dean's last cap was in 1932 aged just 25.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/spor...dixie-10227617

I had no idea that Sheff Wed were still just "The Wednesday" up to 1929.

[Sunderporinostesta]

You’d expect me to say Mark Carter or Liam Robinson. But was it not Brian Clough? His record at Boro and Sunderland was incredible.

In div 2 though.

[Sunderporinostesta]

One of the best I've seen live, and who's been unworthy of a mention so far, is Frank Worthington. Top scorer in the top division, in his only full season with Bolton. The grace and skill he showed in a league full of cloggers and heavy pitches, was something to behold.

He’s the best I’ve seen live.

[Gangster Octopus]

He's the best that shaken hands with...

[Capybara]

That's more impressive than Dean's 60 in a way, although when you look at Middlesbrough's scores it looks like they just played with no defence. They went down because they drew 9 home games.

http://stats.football.co.uk/results_...gh/index.shtml

Camsell's goals per games ratio is not far behind Dean's and he was playing in a weaker side, usually. He also had a better England record than Dean (18 from 9 games v 18 from 16). Oddly, however, Dean's last cap was in 1932 aged just 25.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/spor...dixie-10227617

I had no idea that Sheff Wed were still just "The Wednesday" up to 1929.

The goalscoring in the second half of the 20s was largely influenced by the change in the offside law in 1925 from three players to two. Whereas these days clubs manage to adapt to every tweak of the laws by the start of the next season, such a big change took a while in the 20s. No substitutes then either of course, but that remained the case for the next 40 years.

[ale]

As usual shoehorning a NUFC reference into any given thread. But Bill McCracken & Frank Hudspeth are historically credited with changing the 1925 offside law.

[Ray de Galles]

I've noticed a trend recently to talk about Haaland breaking Dixie Dean's record of 63 goals in all competitions rather than Dean's more notable record of 60 goals in the league.

It seems like terribly gerrymandering as Dean only had the league and cup to play in while Haaland has appeared in four competitions, five if you include the Community Shield.

[ale]

Dean record of 60 league goals in 1930 is unassailable. No matter whether people said the same in 1929 when George Camsell got 59 for Middlesbrough-albeit Second Division. Haaland league total isnt actually that much more than previous records by Shearer & Cole.

[Baptiste]

Haaland league total isnt actually that much more than previous records by Shearer & Cole.

Well yeah, but if we give Haaland another 7 games to match the 42 Shearer and Cole had he could probably end up well ahead.

[Satchmo Distel]

Doing it on EPL goals per game ratios, Kane's 29 in 30 is the most impressive prior to Haaland's current one. Whose would be the highest if penalties were excluded? Did Andy Cole take Newcastle's?

I'd assume that defences are stronger now than in the 90s but OTOH Cole and Shearer did not have as much protection (or VAR).

There are really too many variables, considering all this. Haaland just looks to the naked eye like something I've not seen before in this league: the most powerful I've seen without any significant sacrifice of close control or first touch. I'd have to go back to Brazil's Ronaldo or maybe Van Basten for this type of combination in a tall player.

Haaland's all-competition target across European leagues is 73 by Messi according to this:

https://sqaf.club/most-goals-in-seas...-competitions/

Of which 50 were in the league:

https://sqaf.club/most-league-goals-in-a-season/

Messi apparently notched the most in a calendar year:

https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/cris...caedd3d816d104

https://www.sportsadda.com/football/...-calendar-year

[ale]

Doing it on EPL goals per game ratios, Kane's 29 in 30 is the most impressive prior to Haaland's current one. Whose would be the highest if penalties were excluded? Did Andy Cole take Newcastle's?

I'd assume that defences are stronger now than in the 90s but OTOH Cole and Shearer did not have as much protection (or VAR).

There are really too many variables, considering all this. Haaland just looks to the naked eye like something I've not seen before in this league: the most powerful I've seen without any significant sacrifice of close control or first touch. I'd have to go back to Brazil's Ronaldo or maybe Van Basten for this type of combination in a tall player.

Cole didnt take our penalties-was Beardsley. Not convinced why it matters whether goals are accumulated by penalties or not in any case. Have never even understood why a natural goal scorer would turn down the chance to get a free shot at goal from 12 yards.

[ale]

Well yeah, but if we give Haaland another 7 games to match the 42 Shearer and Cole had he could probably end up well ahead.

It be only 4 extra games overall but fair point given Man City still have 3 to play. Though how many of them Haaland actually plays is an unknown.