There are few players more loved across Yorkshire than Brian Deane. The 6ft 3in former Doncaster, Sheffield United and Leeds striker has an idea why. “Clubs recognise when they have somebody who not only has a lot of endeavour but has a level of skill,” he says. “So I don’t really have anywhere I’ve gone that I can’t go back. I think generally the fans are good with me everywhere. It’s just a case of mutual respect.”
Deane has a wider place in English football history, though – and one with particular resonance at this time of year. The 55-year-old is perhaps best remembered for scoring the Premier League’s first goal, for Sheffield United against Manchester United on 15 August 1992, but he also got its most recent Christmas Eve strike. The only Premier League fixture played on that date came in 1995 and Deane again haunted Alex Ferguson, capping a 3-1 Leeds win at a raucous Elland Road with a header from Tomas Brolin’s assist.
On Sunday Chelsea travel to the West Midlands to play Wolves on Christmas Eve amid claims that match-going supporters were an afterthought after the fixture was moved back a day to fulfil TV requirements. Intense dialogue between the league and the relevant supporters’ trusts took place and Deane has “sympathy” for travelling fans in a situation he believes will benefit the home side.
“I feel for the fans,” he says. “Looking back at that game, there’s a distinct advantage if you’re playing at home. The disruption is something that can play on your mind. You know from a financial point of view it’s not always easy for people and it’s a hell of a gesture by Chelsea to put on coaches for the fans.”
Deane brims with pride recounting what made Christmas Eve the great leveller in his case. “On paper Manchester United were the best team in the league and they went on to do the Double,” he says. “I was playing up front with Tony Yeboah. Having Gary Speed, people like Rod Wallace and Gary McAllister, meant we weren’t any slouches for anybody, and Elland Road was a very intimidating place to come to on a Christmas Eve morning.
“We were really up for it. Sometimes you’re in the tunnel, you can see when you look at the opposition. Manchester United did approach the game very professionally but we had the extra incentive of knowing that I don’t think our fans would have forgiven us if we’d lost. We were playing for more than just the three points.”
Did it faze him, playing a day before Christmas? Deane says he would have played on Christmas Day if asked. “It was football first. Now, it would never happen because there are people who are playing who don’t want to be out on Christmas Day. But it really didn’t really bother me.” He believes those with children (he became a father after his career ended) were affected in a different way when it came to preparation.
The Christmas period is quieter for Deane these days and he seems to prefer it that way. He counts Michael Thomas, Andy Kiwomya, Rod Wallace and Tony Agana among his friends from football. He is looking forward to spending the festive period with his family. “I have time for reflection, [to think about] the people who aren’t with us any more. So there’s going to be relaxing as much as possible and taking stock. We are watching a little bit of football on television, but it’s very doubtful I’ll be getting out to games.”
Deane managed the Norwegian side Sarpsborg 08 for two seasons from 2012–14, taking them to a cup semi-final and providing the springboard for the club to establish itself in the top division. “I’m fortunate I had a long career playing for 21 years,” he says, reflecting on why he went into coaching. “I did it because I wanted to answer some questions for myself, which I did. So I think for me now, what’s important is having a stress-free life.”
He is also determined to help others. Deane works with alumni of professional clubs to facilitate soft-skills workshops through the company he co-founded and chairs, Phoenix Sports, helping people to transition to the IT/cyber/digital sector through football-centric confidence-boosting sessions. “I think the problem sometimes is that this generation, we don’t get access to them,” he says. “Just to pass on some of the knowledge and look out for some of the pitfalls, which is sad because having been in that space myself, I know exactly how it works.”
Having grown up in the working-class Chapeltown suburb of Leeds to a Nevisian family in a childhood he describes as “full of happiness”, his misgivings about the pitfalls of being in a negative spot during your football career are far outweighed by the tranquillity he now experiences. You sense losing his Christmas Eve spot in history is the least of his worries.
