Inside The Dressing Room: Brian Deane's City Memories

[davieG]

https://www.lcfc.com/news/1859407/inside-the-dressing-room-brian-deanes-city-memories - Include pictures and Podcast

 

Former Leicester City forward Brian Deane looks back on his time at the Club for LCFC Radio’s Inside The Dressing Room podcast.

The former England international striker arrived at Leicester in November 2001 and would go on to make 56 appearances for the Foxes, scoring 19 times.

Deane started his career at Doncaster Rovers, before joining Sheffield United for the first of three spells with the Blades, for whom he scored the Premier League's first ever goal in 1992.

Further spells at Leeds United, Benfica and then Middlesbrough followed, before he became a Fox just after the turn of the century.

Deane scored the first ever Premier League goal during the first of his three spells at Sheffield United.

In a career of firsts, Deane also scored the first goal in a competitive game at King Power Stadium in 2002, scoring twice in a 2-0 win over Watford.

He experienced a Premier League relegation and then a promotion in his two seasons at City, going on to play for West Ham United, Leeds United and Sunderland before ending his playing career back at Bramall Lane.

For the final episode of the first series of LCFC Radio's Inside The Dressing Room podcast, Deane sat down with presenter Dan Bates to discuss how he came to play for the Club and why it holds such a special place in his heart.His arrival at City

Deane linked up with former manager Bassett at Filbert Street during the 2001/02 season.

Deane said: "I was at Middlesbrough and Steve McLaren took over and within two days he pulled me into his office and said I wasn't in his plans. I'm a fighter and when he said that, it really hurt. I went away crushed and I thought 'I'm going to prove him wrong'. I spoke to Dave Bassett and he was doing a rescue job to a degree. I was happy to come down there, it was something different and an interesting time for the Club. In the end I had a few other options but I fancied Leicester. I looked at who the squad was and thought 'they're in the Premier League, this is an opportunity to try and help keep the Club up'."

 

Bonding through the ups and downs

Deane believes the players all formed a strong bond during what was a testing time for the Club.

Deane said: "There was some adversity in the fact that the Club nearly went to the wall, but I think a lot of us grew up when that happened. We were all of a sudden staring into an abyss with the possibility of the Club going into liquidation. The stadium had just been finished but the finances weren't in place and the boys all got together on the training pitch and said 'listen, we've got to get the Club out of this' and we took it upon ourselves. We said 'we are good enough to get out of this division and we've got to push each other on'. I'll never forget that. We bonded in a way that I've not had to bond with other squads. We were a tight group, we had really good camaraderie in there the whole time from when I moved there."

 

Fond memories

Deane looks back fondly on his time at City, which included a Premier League relegation and a promotion.

Deane said: "I had a great time. There were some testing times, but overall, any time I think of Leicester it's with a smile on my face because I loved coming and living down there, I loved my teammates, we had such a laugh. It was brilliant time in my life and I was really sad to leave if I'm honest. I found a flat in Glenfield and just had a brilliant time. It was one of the happiest times of my career both on and off the pitch."

 

Finding the net

Deane celebrates scoring against Preston North End, one of his 19 goals for the Club.

Deane said: "I love scoring goals, it's as simple as that. That's what I always got the most joy from. The goals against Southampton, the goals against Everton, the other goals that I scored, [they are] great memories from me."

 

The jokers in the pack

Matt Elliott was one of the jokers in the dressing room, according to Deane.

Deane said: "There are too many to mention! Imps (Andy Impey) cracks me up even to this day, I spoke to him yesterday. He used to come in every morning from London and everyone north of Watford he used to call northern. He was a funny character and different people were funny in different ways. The likes of Gerry [Taggart] and Matt [Elliott], those guys are just funny the same way, I could spend all day with them. Alan Rodgers, a scouser, very funny guy and the young guys like Jordan Stewart. It was a great changing room, one of the best."

 

A special place to be

Next stop: West Ham United. Deane moved to the Hammers after leaving Leicester in 2003.

Deane said: "Everybody rallied around each other and that was the special thing about Leicester, it was a joy to go in. You left all of your troubles outside of training and outside of the games. I can't speak highly enough of that squad. It was a great lesson in my life, the beginning of the time where I thought I needed to show some leadership qualities as well and that was a great opportunity for me to do that."

[SemperEadem]

Very sound man

[Spudulike]

That first match at the new place on Freeman's Wharf feels like a lifetime ago. It was a hot day with many fans arriving late due to a suicide from a bridge on the M1. We found out post match that Matt Piper was 'injured' and we all knew that he'd been sacrificed to pay off the debt. Little did we know how serious the clubs financial situation actually was. Brian Deane was far too good for the Watford defence that day. 

 

Sat in the Family (Lineker) Stand with my Dad and 8 year old son who I promised to take to the first game at the new place as I couldn't get him a ticket for the last at Filbert St. The lad has loved the club ever since and has kept my enthusiasm going. 

[Corky]

Superb for us in 2002/03, really stood up when it mattered. His partnership with Dickov one of my favourite double acts over the years.

[dayday]

I always remember when Deane scored for Sheff Utd in there 5-2 hammering over us in 1990, it was a strange day as I think Sheff Utd fans had all the East stand, pens 1,2 and 3.

 

Before the match we use to drink in the old WMC on Burnmoor st now the symphony room, and literally the whole pub was taking over by blades fans.

 

To be fair they was alright and didn’t cause any trouble, anybody else watch that game that day?

 
As for Brian Deane, he was such a handful upfront and when he signed for us it was a very exciting signing even though he was getting on

 

He didn’t disappoint and did well for us.

[Ric Flair]

Cult hero was Brian Deane. A lad I went to school with became his assistant out in Norway and said he is a salt of the earth.

[Collymore]

Imagine you  were facing a full strength Bayern side and you had the power to choose any player from any era at Leicester apart from the strikers who are chosen at random for you.

 

You are nervously waiting to see who Mahrez and Izzett will be feeding balls through to and then it comes through, a front two pairing of Brian Deane and Dickov. I would be still quietly confident and although unfashionable to some,  theyre arguably up there with the best striking force in the club's history.  I remember Deane being unplayable  on his day. True raw strength and power who'd out muscle anyone. Dickov complemented him perfectly.  

Edited 11 October 2020 by Collymore

[dhermon]

I wonder how'd a Deane + Vardy partnership would of worked ....

[Fox92]

Loved the Deane and Dickov partnership. Both scored some great and important goals for us, particularly in 02/03.

  

34 minutes ago, dhermon said:

I wonder how'd a Deane + Vardy partnership would of worked ....

Imagine Dickov and Vardy together  Two right little bastards. Defenders would hate us even more.

Edited 11 October 2020 by Fox92

[TonyN11]

Nov 2002 at Millwall. 

Superb challenge on Dennis Wise ...

 

"Wise has received death threats from City fans since being sacked by the club for an assault on a team-mate during a pre-season tour. When the teams met on Saturday at the New Den, Wise was the victim of a wild challenge from Brian Deane, who was sent off for the foul, before scoring the goal that secured Millwall a 2-2 draw."

 

Think this superb tackle was made during the first few minutes. 

[TonyN11]

13 hours ago, Spudulike said:

That first match at the new place on Freeman's Wharf feels like a lifetime ago. It was a hot day with many fans arriving late due to a suicide from a bridge on the M1. We found out post match that Matt Piper was 'injured' and we all knew that he'd been sacrificed to pay off the debt. Little did we know how serious the clubs financial situation actually was. Brian Deane was far too good for the Watford defence that day. 

 

Sat in the Family (Lineker) Stand with my Dad and 8 year old son who I promised to take to the first game at the new place as I couldn't get him a ticket for the last at Filbert St. The lad has loved the club ever since and has kept my enthusiasm going. 

I missed that match but took my 8 year old son to the Reading game for his first 'Leicester Experience'.

We were 2-0 up after 10 mins (Deane and Dickov pen). I warned him "it won't always be like this"

Game finished 2-1

[Durnerz]

Loved him up front with Dickov. A top player that season for us and scored some vital goals.