Seasons2019-20Everton News
Dean statue disrespected but undamaged

Video footage posted to social media showed the red incendiary device burning on the front of statue which is used as a shrine and memorial by Blues fans to commemorate their loved ones.
As such, there has been outrage in the City at the act which comes on the heels of an incident at the Liver Building after the reds officially secured the league title.
Fireworks were aimed at the iconic landmark which now houses Everton FC's headquarters and one ignited a fire that caused £10,000 worth of damage.
Everton released a statement indicating they were working with police to expose the culprits and provided assurances that neither the statue nor the wreaths and tributes at the site were damaged.
"Everton is assisting Merseyside Police with enquiries in relation to a flare ignited on the Dixie Dean statue outside Goodison Park.
"We encourage anyone with information relating to this disappointing and disrespectful incident to contact Merseyside Police.
"Following inspection - and cleaning of the memorial and the site - we can thankfully confirm no permanent damage has been done to the statue of our greatest-ever goalscorer - or the floral tributes laid at the foot of the statue."
Per the Liverpool Echo, anyone with information on this incident, or the storage and possession of flares and smoke bombs, is asked to contact @MerPolCC or 101.
Alternatively, you can pass information anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Evertonians have reacted on social media with disgust at these incidents which mark an escalation in acts of vandalism against the club. There is a feeling that a failure by Liverpool's official supporters groups and club officials to roundly condemn the actions of a minority of their fans is leading to more of them.
Matt Jones of The Blue Room podcast and host of Team Talk Radio tweeted: "This sort of thing is the result of half-baked club statements, whataboutery from sections of the media and mental gymnastics from other prominent red voices when it comes to fan misbehaviour.
"It needs calling out and condemning..."
Reader Comments (72)
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2 Posted 07/07/2020 at 06:53:53
I wonder why so much trouble follows them around when they travel abroad, hmmn difficult to work out that, considering they are all such nice folk just having a good time.
Bellends get everything they deserve.
3 Posted 07/07/2020 at 07:13:27
4 Posted 07/07/2020 at 07:20:22
Oh, I forgot, "Worrea pikkin on us for?"
5 Posted 07/07/2020 at 07:30:34
1. The above.
2. Trying to pin the blame for the Liver Building fire on an Everton fan. It wasn't, it was their near rioting during a health crisis.
3. Fake anti semitic news created by RS fans to discredit Everton.
https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/labour-and-everton-fc-investigate-two-over-anti-israel-banner/
4. Footage of a red urinating over the funeral flowers by Dixie.
6 Posted 07/07/2020 at 07:40:29
They should be enjoying celebrating their long-overdue title success instead of that the shit for brains firework crew try to destroy the city centre and trash streets.
I hope when fans are allowed to games again, and they are back in the Champions League they get a nice little group with friendly away ties in Turkey and Rome again, they can blame someone else then when the shit hits the fan can't they.
7 Posted 07/07/2020 at 08:01:46
8 Posted 07/07/2020 at 08:05:16
9 Posted 07/07/2020 at 08:47:12
Seriously what was the point of this?
10 Posted 07/07/2020 at 08:57:10
11 Posted 07/07/2020 at 09:21:40
I just hope there isn't some sort of retaliation because we will get hammered by the media if that happens and will drag us down to their level.
And just when you thought it was impossible to dislike them any more...
12 Posted 07/07/2020 at 09:38:48
Anyway, two things here:
1) If RS fans say it wasn't them, then that means to me they know who did it, so step forward and tell us who it was?
2) "No true Scouser would do that". So true, which proves the theory that RS fans aren't Scousers.
They really are a bunch of Neanderthals.
13 Posted 07/07/2020 at 10:09:01
14 Posted 07/07/2020 at 10:17:09
15 Posted 07/07/2020 at 10:29:53
16 Posted 07/07/2020 at 10:47:12
17 Posted 07/07/2020 at 10:51:05
18 Posted 07/07/2020 at 10:53:07
The unspoken question perplexed everyone. But instead of admitting our own culpability, seeing how our bad attitudes and fear created a situation where people would die,we immediately found other guilty parties to blame and put the victims out of our minds.
Hillsborough brought some empathy for those who died at Heysel. But even that was paltry to the point of insult.
One of the few LFC fans to be honest about the events at Heysel. If they can't face up to that they are never going to take blame for damage to Dixie Deans statues, the Liver Buildings, Rupert's Tower. There are plenty of decent reds however they are mostly mute when it comes
to facing up to their poor behaviour repeatedly it would seem.
I used to respect them back in the 1970's when Shankly and Paisley were in charge they had some humility as well as being great managers and I used to enjoy the banter with their fans now they are just reviled and not just by Evertonians.
As an EFC flag states I'd rather die with out history than live with theirs.
19 Posted 07/07/2020 at 11:06:38
We are not them and we will never will be, thankfully.
They are lower than a snakes belly.
Or a rat's ball bag.
20 Posted 07/07/2020 at 11:22:04
21 Posted 07/07/2020 at 11:30:01
22 Posted 07/07/2020 at 11:31:08
23 Posted 07/07/2020 at 11:33:28
24 Posted 07/07/2020 at 11:34:13
25 Posted 07/07/2020 at 11:45:13
26 Posted 07/07/2020 at 12:34:57
Retaliation is no excuse but it seems even our own fans are at times willing to portray it as instigation. I am not excusing the disgusting acts of vandalism by anybody. However, look at the frequency and gravity of acts for a good indicator as to what proportion of fans are imbeciles. It won't take long to find our share, though they clearly exist, are minute in proportion. Theirs, on the other hand....
27 Posted 07/07/2020 at 12:59:15
Have they forgotten the way we behaved after the disaster that was Hillsboro, where there were nearly as many blue scarves tied to the Shankly gates as red scarves the day after the disaster. I still believe our tribute to those fans that died was the most moving of all the tributes paid, when we had a boy and girl dressed in Liverpool and Everton kits and with the numbers 9 & 6 on the backs of their shirts. Seeing that the recent incidents outside Anfield and then what happened at the Pier Head were truly disgraceful, cant be supporters who live miles away, these were caused by local fans. I am still waiting to see Spirit of Shankly apologise to Joe Anderson who predicted what would happen, and the only apology to the people of Liverpool over what happened at the Pier Head was in conjunction with the Red Echo. So I am not holding my breath waiting for them to say anything about the flare set alight on the Dixie Dean statue.
I am old enough to remember when there wasnt this nastiness between the fans, banter yes, but why or where this hateful behaviour has come from I don't know.
28 Posted 07/07/2020 at 13:15:18
29 Posted 07/07/2020 at 13:20:42
It makes me both very sad and absolutely boiling with rage to see how their fans behave. Like others, I would like to think that it is not scousers who are responsible but not sure it really matters where the culprits are from.
Time for Mr Moshiri to show his teeth and take LFC to task, it's got to stop before it's gets out of control. EFC should be insisting on an immediate apology and condemnation. Difficult to see how there will be retribution taken by our supporters unless strong action is taken now.
30 Posted 07/07/2020 at 13:22:45
31 Posted 07/07/2020 at 13:24:10
Even calling them animals is to cast aspersions on animals, who again would rarely behave in such a way, they are scumbags. Like many on here, I have a few Liverpool supporting friends, who equally abhor these actions, and are ashamed that these cretins not only (allegedly) support the same side, but are allowed to steal oxygen on a daily basis.
32 Posted 07/07/2020 at 13:26:10
33 Posted 07/07/2020 at 13:32:16
34 Posted 07/07/2020 at 13:36:11
35 Posted 07/07/2020 at 13:57:04
Paul above is right. We do have our fair share of dickhead fans as well. If you are getting gates of 35 to 40,000, you're gonna get a minority of idiots. What I don't like is how the media suppress their wrongdoings. Spitty back on Sky. The alleged Suarez racist incident then the t-shirts, Sakho and the banned substances, bricking the Man City team bus, fireworks at Barca's hotel, Pier Head (38 mins before Sky News even mentioned it the following g day) and so on.
36 Posted 07/07/2020 at 13:59:01
Merseyside and both sets of fans should be very careful as each crazy act and the reactions to them divide the two groups even further. I'm no lover of the other side or of its supporters, but at the same time, I don't want to face a similar situation that we sadly see in Glasgow and other cities, when the two clubs meet.
We all label the other sides fans, as this or that, but we know that those descriptions are simply not true or accurate, they have a bigger share of idiots than we, but we still have them.
There are many reasons for our negative reactions towards their fans and that club, and many of them are legitimate, but to hold the higher moral ground - if that even exists in the tribalism of football - we must not stoop to the lowest levels of behaviour that those who perform these idiotic acts exhibit.
Criticise the idiots by all means but we should try and refrain from tarring every fan of theirs with the same brush. We have some very tough times to face as a community in the coming months and years, therefore, it is very important that we all do a little bit to repair the damage that has been done to the relationship between both sets of fans in recent times.
That applies to any LFC fans too, who should realise that seeing them winning things is unpleasant to us as Evertonians, but it isn't half as unpleasant as the constant over the top berating and barracking of our club by many of their fan-base. Live and let live, should be the motto, but both sets of fans and the rest of those involved in the game should condemn the excessive use of inciteful language or actions that only help to divide us.
A healthy rivalry should not be allowed to continue along this path to a hate-filled one. I for one hope it isn't too late to alter course.
37 Posted 07/07/2020 at 14:13:16
HI Mike[28] and Derek [32] I have been described as a 'snowflake' by some on this site, so I feel I should attempt to live up to my reputation, I don't find the remark aimed at the performance of Everton's midfield either 'Brilliant', or appropriate, for a thread of this seriousness. [No offence intended]
38 Posted 07/07/2020 at 14:58:55
39 Posted 07/07/2020 at 15:09:52
40 Posted 07/07/2020 at 16:20:13
They say we are bitter, they cannot even enjoy their success without resorting to type.
41 Posted 07/07/2020 at 16:27:10
42 Posted 07/07/2020 at 18:33:13
I thought even our fans had suffered collective amnesia in regards to the vandalism of Prince Ruperts tower, I am sure I am right in saying it was vandalised twice.
For a bit of balance I think some Liverpool fans helped clean it up, a welcome gesture to embarrass the morons who had let their club down.
Its amazing what some kind of apology like that can do, imagine say if the Spirit of Shankly or the friggin club had volunteered to clean up the Pier head the next day ?
It would have reversed a lot of this spitefulness, maybe set an example for the fans who are vandalising/ disrespecting the Dixie statue and flowers.
43 Posted 07/07/2020 at 18:54:35
44 Posted 07/07/2020 at 19:44:19
Should never have been entitled to it in the beginning.
Anfield Dons or something.
Bastards.
45 Posted 07/07/2020 at 20:07:45
At the feet of somebody else.
A senior official has a prepared statement blaming Everton FC for "failing to provide adequate protection for the statue of Dixie Dean" before adding " had Everton erected a 2 metre high fence, dug a protective moat and hired 24 hour armed guards then this incident would not have occurred."
There we are, in light of that it was simply not their fault.
46 Posted 07/07/2020 at 23:16:57
My brother, who is a red, told me that they (whoever they actually is) believe they were not RS supporters that put the flare there. sort of says it all really.
47 Posted 08/07/2020 at 08:21:53
48 Posted 08/07/2020 at 09:22:02
These acts like firing red flares into the Everton offices, Liver Building and attaching red flares onto Dixie Dean's statue are the acts of cowards.
Only a brain dead moron would see anything funny in it. It is a dangerous trend, will cause hatred and social disharmony. I hope they find them and stick the bastards in the stocks for a few days.
49 Posted 08/07/2020 at 10:34:20
50 Posted 08/07/2020 at 11:10:15
51 Posted 08/07/2020 at 11:43:16
52 Posted 08/07/2020 at 13:57:54
To the idiots who went and vandalised the Dixie Dean statue; seriously assess your life and actions.
You're the same people who simply fuel the nation's false opinion on Liverpool fans that we're ‘outraged by everything and ashamed of nothing.' You're not Liverpool fans and you're the same people that have soured our celebrations following the long wait for a league title by shooting fireworks at buildings and attacking police. If the statue of me grandad was attacked in this manner you'd be calling the perpetrators scum and a disgrace. There is a word for that. Hypocrisy.
If you even remotely knew the history of Liverpool FC you'd know that my grandad and Dixie Dean were great friends. You'd know that my grandad visited Dixie weekly long into his retirement to chat about football and keep his spirit high. You'd know my grandad was with Dixie the day he died. You'd know he was devastated at losing him. And you'd know he read the eulogy at his funeral. You'd also know that we as the Shankly family are great friends to this day with the Dean fmily is including the truly amazing Melanie Prentice David Prentice Scarlett Rose Prentice and Danny Prentice
You see they had respect for each other my grandad and Dixie. Fierce rivalry yes. But respect. They came from a different era that has sadly long disappeared. It's ok to be rivals. But do yourselves a favour and go and get some respect. For yourselves and others!
53 Posted 08/07/2020 at 14:20:21
Emlyn Hughes didn't know what he was starting all those years ago.
54 Posted 08/07/2020 at 14:36:06
I know who called you a 'snowflake' in their comments. My first thought when I read that was 'well, it's better to be.a snowflake than a pompous ass'.
55 Posted 08/07/2020 at 14:54:14
56 Posted 08/07/2020 at 15:01:17
57 Posted 08/07/2020 at 16:16:22
58 Posted 08/07/2020 at 16:22:13
59 Posted 08/07/2020 at 16:58:42
Plenty of posters saw how John was treated - I guessing including you. It evidently still upsets him. so since no-one spoke up to support him I am happy to do so. I wouldn't expect you to of course, as that would require a backbone.
60 Posted 08/07/2020 at 17:02:02
61 Posted 08/07/2020 at 17:12:15
62 Posted 08/07/2020 at 17:16:22
63 Posted 08/07/2020 at 17:17:43
64 Posted 08/07/2020 at 17:19:27
65 Posted 08/07/2020 at 20:29:44
66 Posted 08/07/2020 at 21:33:59
I reiterate what I say above. Fine words from Shankly's Grandson, which optimise the relationship I still have individually with family reds and good friends. But only on an individual basis. As collective fan bases we have now drifted so far apart it more resembles the Merseyside-Manchester bitter rivalry than the "fierce but respectful" one we used to have with each other.
Sadly, this was initially driven by the events of history and the subsequent footballing paths our clubs took. Linked to this, it is now fuelled by the media frenzy and band wagon jumping associated with Liverpool FC that goes beyond even what we saw in their hey day of the 70s & 80s.
Jeff, my 48 years may not match your 68, but maybe I too should have calmed down by now. I can't!!
67 Posted 09/07/2020 at 00:41:53
I was there that day. With me mates. Happy for them. Happy for the city. In the full belief our European Cup was just a matter of (little) time.
The first real nail in the coffin. Apart From a brief sparkling during the 'friendly final' (sic) of 1984 and the solidarity following Hillsborough, it's been getting worse ever since.
I had a piece prepared about how the Liverpool Team deserved their title and played good football. How I didn't really mind Klopp, apart from his constant moaning and blame shifting. In the end, I couldn't be bothered. In the end, it was not worth the effort.
68 Posted 09/07/2020 at 13:23:07
"Some fans are just football mad, quite literally. The reds are a clear demonstration of that. A cause of Hillsborough as unpalatable that sounds. They were not the sole cause. Similar thing in Madrid turning up with no tickets.
It's almost like a bizarre type of psychology reminds of Eminem's Stan, about a fan who was manic and killed himself and girlfriend because the star didn't treat him right. It's all about perception. Football is meant to be a hobby not an obsession. You can criminalise people but it doesn't stop people who lost sense of reality.
There is some psychology supporting fans would let the other teams fans suffer harm and not help them. It's just crazy. The red fans personnify that. Bit like the blues fan shadow boxing whilst carrying a young child, probably his son, to help Everton player who got into s scuffle with the European side. He was banned from Goodison for life and I think got a short prison sentence.
Football clubs in the Premier League need to speak out or it's s case of monkey see monkey do. Ie black lives matter and destroying statues." Try again shall we?
69 Posted 09/07/2020 at 13:24:39
70 Posted 09/07/2020 at 13:35:08
Some of us have posted full articles on this site and received no feedback whatsoever, it doesn't mean that the articles weren't read or that they were deserving of a comment by the reader.
Because you have posted a comment on a thread doesn't mean you automatically begin a debate or that readers will respond to it.
However, by highlighting your original post, your final paragraph raises some questions, the destruction of a statue by people who have in their opinion, just cause to do so, is not remotely similar to mindless acts of vandalism, so it really isn't a case of 'Monkey See, Monkey do!'
71 Posted 09/07/2020 at 14:34:33
Are you the poor man's Kelvin Mackenzie craving attention, making racist monkey comparisons? Here is your response: you are ignorant and racist
72 Posted 09/07/2020 at 15:57:29
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1 Posted 07/07/2020 at 06:53:52
There's enough of this type of thing happening in the political arena at present. It definitely has no place in football. Or are those responsible so feeble-minded that they think it's okay to copy what they're seeing in the media almost every day?