Ex Rover called Dixie?

[Hotdogs4$ale]

Was drinking with a lovely Scottish guy in the Horse and Groom last night called Dixy/Dixie? just found out he used to play for Donny back in the day. Would say he's probs in his late 40s, early 50s. Anyone remember him in the red and white hoops?

[Filo]

That would be Ray Deans, a decent Snooker player a few years ago as well, gave me 100 start in a snooker game at the Thorpe Marsh club, I broke off and he cleared the table

[SingingPostman]

Was drinking with a lovely Scottish guy in the Horse and Groom last night called Dixy/Dixie? just found out he used to play for Donny back in the day. Would say he's probs in his late 40s, early 50s. Anyone remember him in the red and white hoops?

At a guess it could be Ray Deans who signed for us from Clyde early/mid 80's. I believe he stayed in the area and was running a painting & decorating business.

A very raw talent but he looked like he had something.  Injury prevented him from developing.

Pity. The Clyde fans thought he'd go south and be their next star export after Pat Nevin.

[GazLaz]

Does anyone remember a young lad we had in 96/97ish called John Ramsey? Played 1 or 2 games I think.

[craigdrfc]

Think Ramsey was one of the youth players who for lumped in the first team for the fateful relegation season.

[craigdrfc]

By the way, how good would that Ray Deans/Alan Brown partnership have been under Bremner if they had both stayed fit !!!

[BillyStubbsTears]

If they had stayed fit, with the Snods, Billy Russell, Glenn Humphries, Willie Boyd and The likes of John Buckley and Jim Dobbin coming in, we'd have reached Tier 2 20 odd years sooner than we did.

[Biarge Bob]

Seem to remember, when Rovers went to watch Ray Deans, at Clyde, he got sent sent off in the first few minutes for "missing" the ball & putting the goalkeeper in the net.

[graingrover]

Dixie Dean was a prolific centre forward ... pre WW2 who played for Everton getting 350 goals for them . When Ray Deans joined Rovers the knickname Dixie was stuck on him .. but not the goals tally.

[Savvy]

Anyone remember his screamer against Rotherham at Belle Vue!!! Cut in from the Kop end wing just unleashed a 30 yarder into the top far corner!!! Bliss!!! Used to have a perfume stall on Donny market with his missus for a good few years!!!

[The Red Baron]

Anyone remember his screamer against Rotherham at Belle Vue!!! Cut in from the Kop end wing just unleashed a 30 yarder into the top far corner!!! Bliss!!! Used to have a perfume stall on Donny market with his missus for a good few years!!!

I don't remember him scoring a corker like that at Belle Vue, but I do remember him getting one just like that at Millmoor in 1985. We won 3-2- great day out!

[Savvy]

This one was definately at Belle Vue RB! You don't forget goals like that easily!!!

[BillyStubbsTears]

TRB

Great day at Millmoor, that one. Duggy's bullet header as well as Ray Deans's 30-odd yarder. And Kevin Kilmore chipping our keeper (Willie Boyd?) only for the ball to stick in the quagmire of a six yard box, allowing us to clear it.

Avoiding getting my head stoved in when I got the 299 bus back to Conisbrough, only to find it full of febrile Rotherham fans was just the icing on the cake.

[Snods Shinpad 2]

Forced to retire aged 20 according to this. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Deans 

Also had a better scoring record than Brian Deane who was starting out for us around the same time.

[The Red Baron]

This one was definately at Belle Vue RB! You don't forget goals like that easily!!!

Ray Deans scored only five goals during his Rovers career. Two were at Belle Vue- against York in a 3-0 victory on 14th April 1985 and against Newport in a 3-2 win on 27th April. I seem to recall him scoring a header against Newport. Was it the York game you were thinking of?

[BillyStubbsTears]

If you didn't see him play, you missed a good un. In my 40-odd years, there is no player who I am more wistful about. His injury was a tragedy for us and for him. He could have been a top class star.

Built like a brick shithouse, brave, powerful, strong in the air and with a shot like a traction engine, quick brain and decent feet. AND he was only 18 when he was playing for us.

Best analogy I can think of for younger fans. He was like a cross between Chris Brown from 2003 and Chris Brown from 2013.

[roversdude]

He was a good un that's for sure
I hang my head in shame for forgetting about him
We certainly had our scouts working well in jock land back then, we seemed to have a conveyor belt of tartan players

[Lesonthewest]

He was a raw talent was Ray but he would have been some player, crying shame he was struck by injury at such a young age, easy to forget how young he was as he played like a seasoned pro. Was at Millmoor for his finest Rovers hour too, had no idea he stayed in the area though.

[Savvy]

This one was definately at Belle Vue RB! You don't forget goals like that easily!!!

Ray Deans scored only five goals during his Rovers career. Two were at Belle Vue- against York in a 3-0 victory on 14th April 1985 and against Newport in a 3-2 win on 27th April. I seem to recall him scoring a header against Newport. Was it the York game you were thinking of?

That must have been the one RB!!! Thanks for the research! I knew it was a derby game and was convinced it was the Roverum!

[BillyStubbsTears]

Savvy

You sure it was the one at Millmoor? He picked up the ball on the right touchline, near the half way line, cut inside and leathered the f**ker into the top corner at the Tivoli End.

I was mildly elated.

[Hotdogs4$ale]

Thanks for the info fellas. Played killer with him and a load of my family. He didn't mention playing for Donny, and I certainly enjoyed his company. Quite an
 imposing character and is certainly very popular in the Horse and Groom. Had a great laugh with him. Real shame injury ended his career at 20!

[The Red Baron]

If you didn't see him play, you missed a good un. In my 40-odd years, there is no player who I am more wistful about. His injury was a tragedy for us and for him. He could have been a top class star.

Built like a brick shithouse, brave, powerful, strong in the air and with a shot like a traction engine, quick brain and decent feet. AND he was only 18 when he was playing for us.

Best analogy I can think of for younger fans. He was like a cross between Chris Brown from 2003 and Chris Brown from 2013.

We also lost Alan Brown (Chris's dad) to a career-ending injury at around the same time. What a strikeforce we could have had. I think we might have reached Tier 2 twenty years earlier than we did.

[The Red Baron]

Does anyone remember a young lad we had in 96/97ish called John Ramsey? Played 1 or 2 games I think.

John Ramsay. He made a total of 14 appearances for us, although only two of them were starts. Quite skilful, though rather lightweight and probably (like several others) thrown in the deep end too early. He came from Sunderland and later played for Blyth Spartans.

[donnyplant]

He can also be found in the Doncaster Town Cricket Club, where his young lad plays for the juniors. I think he also coaches the juniors.

[Savvy]

Savvy

You sure it was the one at Millmoor? He picked up the ball on the right touchline, near the half way line, cut inside and leathered the f***er into the top corner at the Tivoli End.

I was mildly elated.

No, the goal I was referring to was definately at Belle Vue and probably the main reason I can remember it is because it was one of the few occasions when we were stood under the mainstand terracing, instead of the popside!

[BillyStubbsTears]

Savvy

TRB is usually right about these things and he reckons Deans didn't score for us at BV against Rotherham. Could it have been the goal that Neil Woods scored against Rotherham? New Years Day 87?

[The Red Baron]

Just to clarify, Ray Deans made a total of 22 appearances for Rovers, scoring five goals (all in the League). He made his debut on 5th March 1985 in a 1-1 draw at Cambridge United and played his last game on 21st January 1986 in a Freight Rover Trophy game at home to Mansfield.

His five goals were scored at Burnley (12/3/1985), Rotherham (23/3/85), home to York (14/4/85), away to Swansea (19/4/85) and home to Newport (27/4/85). His only appearance against Rotherham was in the game at Millmoor on 23rd March 1985 when he scored the winner in our 3-2 victory.

In 1984-5 we lost 0-1 at home to Rotherham (in front of 10,389) and in 1985-6 the home game was a 0-0 draw. In 1986-87 we beat Rotherham 3-0 on New Year's Day 1987 with two goals from Neil Redfearn and one from Tommy Gaynor, the last being a mazy dribble from the half way line ended by Gaynor rounding the visiting 'keeper and knocking the ball into an empty net.

[Savvy]

Savvy

TRB is usually right about these things and he reckons Deans didn't score for us at BV against Rotherham. Could it have been the goal that Neil Woods scored against Rotherham? New Years Day 87?

Billy,  I'm not arguing with the fella, I've already conceded that I may have got the opposition wrong, what I'm quite clear about is the venue! As I stated previously, you don't forget goals like that one!!!

[BillyStubbsTears]

Savvy

No problem pal

TRB. What was the game that Neil Woods popped one in from about 40 yards out? Wasn't that at home to Rothetham?

[JonWallsend]

Gents, I consider myself something of an anorak on Rovers in the 1980's and more accurately a bit of an anorak full stop.
These are the facts*. Ray Deans goal at Millmoor was struck into the Railway End from about 20 yards. It was a gluepot of a pitch and he absolutely leathered it with very little backlift to put Rovers 3-2 up.
The goal against York was where he picked it up just infront of the Pop side, cut inside, going towards the family stand and again leathered it across the keeper from about 20-25 yards. Was a Sunday game, relatively sunny day in April. Won 3-0.

*Rotherham definitely, recollection of York more than likely.