After nine matchdays, Dixie Dean was 10 goals ahead of George Camsell. Dean hoped to continue his goalscoring streak against Liverpool. Before the match, the Daily Courier said:
As for the centres, Dean and [Liverpool’s William] Devlin – well, there is only one “Dixie,” and if he cannot score today, no other Everton forward will.
The game ended 1-1. And most importantly, Dixie Dean’s goalscoring streak came to an end. Although, contrary to what the Daily Courier predicted, an Everton forward did score – Alec Troup. The man who was credited to ending Dean’s run was James Jackson.
The first of the great clashings of the season between Everton and Liverpool was drawn at Goodison Park on Saturday, the scoring being 1 goal each. The first point – a wonderful one – was notched for Everton by Troup, while [Dick] Edmed equalised for Liverpool. There was an attendance of 60,000. [James] Jackson, the Liverpool centre-half, has forced himself into the limelight by completely subduing Dean, England’s centre, who was given no rope. Dean’s record of scoring in every match this season was smashed. Liverpool played the spoiling game very successfully, and their tried and trusted defence never wavered before the fierce onslaught of the home forwards. Riley, who deputised for Scott in the visitors’ goal, was of the heroes of the tussle. His coolness was remarkable.
Everton 1-1 Liverpool – The Daily Courier, 17th October 1927
So Dixie Dean’s run came to end. Did he bounce back in the next game? No, because he didn’t play; Dean was on international duty. He was given a rest and was replaced by 19-year-old Pendletonian, Tommy White, who Everton signed from Southport a few months earlier. Tommy White certainly didn’t let the Everton supporters down by scoring two goals in Everton’s 7-0 victory over West Ham.
Two games later and no goals didn’t appear to be much of a problem for Dixie Dean as the lead over George Camsell was only cut to 9 goals. However, he made up for what he missed by scoring consecutive hat-tricks against Portsmouth and Leicester, with the Liverpool Post and Mercury praising his “deadly shooting, clever distribution, and all-round effectiveness” in the latter. The scoreline was now Dixie Dean 23-10 George Camsell after 13 matchdays.
The next 7 games were very mixed. Dixie Dean’s goalscoring record was: 2, 0, 2, 0, 3, 0, 1. He was off-and-on after failing to score in three of those seven games.
His season stilled looked promising after scoring a brace in Everton’s 3-0 win over Derby. However, early signs of his form faltering was showing.
Dean did not play well – that is to say, he did not play well judged by his own high standard. He had a merry first half, but he was played on hard by two tough backs […] and there were three occasions when the ordinary Dean would have scored; instead of which, he had not a goal to show for these incidents. There was an occasion when he feinted to beat a back, and having done so, saw the goalkeeper had gone out of his goal. A dribble beyond the goalkeeper was easy, but Dean had seen a full backdrop into goal; therefore, he was justified in making a drive instead of a place shot – this hit the upright. Another time, he drove straight at [Harry] Wilkes, the goalkeeper, and yet one could not say he played badly; it was only a question of the Dean-degree!
Derby County 0-3 Everton – The Liverpool Post and Mercury, 14th November 1927
Everton then lost 1-0 to Sunderland, mainly because Sunderland seemingly worked out the Blues’ gameplan. According to the Liverpool Post and Mercury, Dixie Dean was constantly surrounded by the Sunderland defenders and the Everton players continuously gave him the ball, but Dean couldn’t find any space to escape from the Mackems.
Everton bounced back by beating Bury 3-2, and Dixie Dean bounced back by scoring 2 goals. But then Dean failed to score again in Everton’s 0-0 draw against Sheffield United. He was also at fault for Everton not winning in the dying minutes after he handled the ball before setting up Alec Troup to score – it was immediately ruled out. Like in the Sunderland game, the Sheffield United players surrounded Dean throughout the game and he couldn’t find a way to get past them. It appears that Dixie Dean was finally sussed out.
However, Dixie Dean didn’t let his previous performance get to his head by scoring a hat-trick in Everton’s 3-2 win over Aston Villa, however he had to thank their goalkeeper for all of the goals.
After ten minutes’ play, [Tommy] Jackson stopped a straight drive from Dean, but fumbled with the ball, Dean dashing up, knocking the ball out of his hands, and placing into the net.
Dixie Dean’s first goal in Everton’s 3-2 victory over Aston Villa – The Daily Courier, 12th December 1927
Eight minutes later, [Ted] Critchley eluded the backs, and running in hit the crossbar. Jackson knocked the ball down, but once again, Dean was too quick for him, rushing the ball into the net.
Dixie Dean’s second goal in Everton’s 3-2 victory over Aston Villa – The Daily Courier, 12th December 1927
It was against the run of the play that Dean scored the winning goal for Everton five minutes from the end. [Warney] Cresswell placed a long lofty clearance kick down the centre, and Dean was standing with his back to the Villa goal, he backed headed over Jackson into the net. Dean was placed onside by the Villa backs running up as he was waiting for the ball, and Jackson, in coming out of goal, showed fatal hesitancy in not jumping at the ball when Dean met it with his head.
Dixie Dean’s third goal in Everton’s 3-2 victory over Aston Villa – The Daily Courier, 12th December 1927
I wonder how vital those goalkeeping errors will be…
Another game, another blank for Dean as he failed to score in Everton’s 4-1 win over Burnley after he struggled to get past Burnley and England captain, Jack Hill. He did, however, score a goal in the Christmas Eve fixture against Arsenal.
8 goals in 7 games for Dixie Dean. A great goalscoring run for any forward. Why are matchdays 14-21 worth mentioning? Because in those matchdays in the Second Division the previous season, George Camsell scored 21 goals – the equivalent of a hat-trick in each game. The 21 goals included 4 goals against Portsmouth, Fulham and Swansea; and 5 goals against Manchester City (he once scored 9 goals in 2 games – against Swansea and Manchester City). So in hindsight, 8 goals in 7 games was not good enough.
A dip in form from Dixie Dean meant that at Christmas, he and George Camsell were level-pegging with 31 goals each. This was never going to be easy.
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