Page "Sligo Rovers F.C." Paragraph 7

Before the cup campaign of 1939 the clubs committee decided they needed a big name to fill the vacant centre-forward position.

They got in touch with some contacts in England, one of whom was the manager of Everton who suggested that Dixie Dean, who was at Notts County at the time, could be available.

Although coming to the end of his career Dean was still one of the biggest names in football due to his goalscoring feats during his time at Everton where he is still the clubs all-time leaing scorer and also holds the recored for having scored the highest amount of league goals in a single season-60 in 1927-28.

Despite rejecting Rovers initial offer the clubs improved second offer was accepted by Dean and a massive coup was pulled off by the club.

A huge crowd turned up at Sligo Railway Station to give Dean a hero's welcome.

Dean duly scored on his debut, a game against Shelbourne in the Showgrounds on January 29 and went on to score nine more in his seven league appearances for the club, including five in a single game against Waterford.

He also scored in the cup final of that year in the 1-1 draw with Shelbourne though the replay would be lost 1-0.

Dean's runners-up medal was stolen after the game but he did however have it returned to him seven years later when he was back in England.

Dean returned to Ireland in 1978 to see Sligo Rovers play in the FAI Cup final of that year.