Every single Evertonian wanted to forget about the disastrous 1926/27 season, as told by the Liverpool Post and Mercury:
The programme of Football League games is a highly entertaining one, and given reasonable weather conditions, I expect a large crowds everywhere. On Mereseyside, Everton begin operations with Sheffield Wednesday as visitors to Goodison Park. The shock which the Walton club sustained last season has not been forgotten, but compensation in the shape of greater success is expected this season.
The first step to eradicate the season from their memories was a match against Sheffield Wednesday, and they did in style – a 4-0 win. The reliability of Dixie Dean in particular was highlighted.
Dean was trustful, discreet in his passing, and always difficult to subdue, even allowing that he missed a great chance early on.
Dixie Dean kicked off the 1927/28 season with a single goal. The next game was an interesting one – George Camsell’s Middlesbrough. George Camsell hoped to replicate his goalscoring form in a higher division. So far, he had scored 1 goal in 2 games, but that certainly did not mean he was low on confidence. Camsell and Dean both scored in the Middlesbrough-Everton game. However, Camsell scored 4 and Dean scored only one, as Middlesbrough beat Everton 4-2. Camsell’s incredible goalscoring run didn’t look like it was going to end.
Everton recovered from the defeat with a 1-1 draw against Bolton, and Dixie Dean scored his 3rd goal in as many games. His goalscoring form continued by scoring two goals in Everton’s 5-2 win over Birmingham.
Dean played like an international, with thrust and incisiveness. Although in the first half, work was cut to waste, for he was not in position to get the passes which too often dropped behind him.
Everton 5-2 Birmingham – The Daily Courier, 12th September 1927
Everton then played Bolton for the second time in the space of 10 days. Like their previous meeting, they could not be separated – a 2-2 draw was the result. Dixie Dean resumed his goalscoring streak, however Everton’s other goal, scored by Dick Forshaw, was allowed under controversial circumstances as Bolton goalkeeper Dick Pym claimed that the ball didn’t cross the line after he, Dean and Forshaw collided with each other and the ball, as well as Pym, seemingly went into the goal. Despite Pym’s protests, the goal stood.
Everton’s next match was another 2-2 draw. This time against the champions, Newcastle United, and Dixie Dean scored both goals for Everton, bringing his tally to 8 goals in 6 games. Dixie Dean then scored another brace for Everton in the club’s third consecutive 2-2 draw, this time against Huddersfield. Dean then scored his third successive brace in Everton’s 3-1 win over Tottenham. However, it was the next game that proved that Dixie Dean was a force to be reckoned with that season.
On October 8th, Everton played against Manchester United, and Dixie Dean’s goalscoring form went to a whole new level – he scored 5 goals in Everton’s 5-2 victory over Manchester United, 4 of which came in the first half.
There was thrills galore and something of everything in this Lancashire duel, but Dean was the specialist. Dean’s progress is marvellous. He is better than ever. His five goals were all real ones, too. Dean’s placing was to an inch, and with the exception, possibly of one, no goalkeeper could have stopped them. [Lance] Richardson was a gallant figure in the United goal, and although he had to pick five of the best out of the net, it can be said his exhibition was sound. Richardson too publicly congratulated Dean at the finish, said, “Dean is far away the best centre-forward I have met.”
“We want goals” was evidently Everton’s motto from the start, and when it was seen that United’s policy of defence was to be that of the “offside way,” it was realised this was not going to pay them. Ding-dong came “Dixie” goals –four of them in the first half. Forshaw, meanwhile, was playing one of the games of his career – obstrusive, if you like – but helping the leader to gather in the harvest. There was no fluke about any of the goals, for Dean manipulated the ball with skill and judgement, and shot with power and precision. Richardson said that two or three went past him like cannonballs. It was, of course, a spectacular treat, but while the leader co-operated with sound judgement with his wings, much of his success was due to the support he received. This was his record for a first League game, and the schedule worked out: first goal, two minutes; second, nine; third, 30; fourth, 43; fifth, 60.
Everton 5-2 Manchester United – The Daily Courier, 10th October 1927
This was Dixie Dean’s first hat-trick for Everton since Christmas Day 1926 (which was also the last time he scored 4 in a game for Everton) and the first time he had scored 5 goals in a game. This was also the first time an Everton player scored 5 goals in a game since Jack Southworth’s famous double hat-trick against West Brom in December 1893.
That game was the pivotal point of not only Dixie Dean’s season, but his career. After 9 matches, Dixie Dean scored an incredible 17 goals – nearly 2 goals a game. In comparison with George Camsell’s 59-goal season, Camsell had scored only 7 after the same amount of matches. However, Camsell had the misfortune of missing the opening four games of the season.
Where was George Camsell this season? After scoring 4 goals against Everton, one would think at the time that he would show no signs of decline. He scored 9 goals after 9 games (4 in 6 since his quadruple) – nearly half of Dixie Dean’s tally. It appeared that George Camsell would not repeat his goalscoring heroics of yester-season, and Dixie Dean was in scintillating form.
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