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O'Neil was to sign Windass when managing Norwich. The chairman, Robert Chase did not sanction the purchase and O'Neil walked out. This is a real shame for me. Windass would have been mid twenties at this time and I have felt ever since he has got better and better. His legs might be knackered now but he's clever on the pitch and effects most games he plays in. I feel Hull could have used him more as a supersub this season.

Legend.

Enough said.

Windass has undoubtedly been a great servant of Hull, helping them to the top flight for the first time in their history. Do you feel they have repaid the man who got them into the premier league fairly, by giving him just 5 games this season? Or would a younger Windass have been in the team more regurlarly and that his lack of appearances is more due to his age/fitness?

Tangent, but anyone know why Dean, the young Michael Carrick and the others in that photo are all wearing headbands?

dean windass is a true legend. love the idea of him going to watch guiseley while playing premiership football - is there ANY other top-flight player who watches non-league football? it's a shame but i doubt it

I saw Windass play with Oxford Utd in the 90's. Phenomenal player, lethal from dead ball situations, the skill to turn a full back inside out. So pleased to see he is playing with Oldham.

Hull made a major mistake in not using him. 30 minutes of Windass is still worth 90 of a lot of players. No one can surely say he has been given a fair crack of the whip this season at Hull? What did they have to lose by playing him more?

Go to it Deano.

What did they have to lose????

Maybe their Premier League status and a lot of money... Sentimentality will not keep you up in this league. There is no doubting what Windass has done in the game and that he can still prove valuable for a lower league team.. his fitness was always a bit suspect at times and now in his twilight years it wont be getting any better..

It is wrong to say that Oldham is a side a side "built around Oldham's very own Dad's Army" - there are a few veterans at the club, but Liddell has been used sparingly this season and Crossley and Gregan have been in and out of the team. The rest of the squad is actually built around youngsters - Chris Taylor and Neal Eardley have both come up through the ranks in recent years and have alerted scouts from higher divisions, while the likes of Lewis Alessandra, Deane Smalley and Kelvin Lomax have also established themselves in the first team.
Living abroad, I haven't seen Windass play for Oldham yet - but I must say that the signing of a 39-year-old with a serious lack of match fitness, coupled with the absurdly cheap sale of a quick, promising (if often frustrating) young striker and an umpteenth loan deal for another younger forward leaves the side very short on alternatives up front - Hughes and Windass are the least mobile strikeforce in the league.

Yeh that is a pretty strange photo.. is that Di Canio at the front? Probably some sort of charity or cup final even or something i dunno, but it is peculiar. And to whoever asked if anyone else watches non league football.. i know its not non league, but funnily enough, Paul Scholes supports Oldham, and takes his kids to watch them at home.

This is a great article/blog!... mainly because it does a great job in talking about one of the "true" greats of the game. I am a Bristol City fan and was at Wembley to see City lose to Hull. I was gutted... but on the way back all of us in our car (along with taking comfort in the fact we wouldn't have to face the embarressment of finishing bottom of the Prem league with 0 points) said that there couldn't have been a more fitting match winner than Dean Windass - and that the goal, if scored by Ronaldo or Rooney would be shown over and over again.... (as it is i still haven't seen a replay of it to this day)

Anyway - I doubt he will read this - but if he does - Dean - thanks for being a great pro for so long and providing all of the countrys football fans with so many great memories. You have been an amazing professional and whenever interviewd have come across as an amazing bloke. Good luck to you.... and if you fancy one last move - please give Gary Johnson a call and get yourself hauling that frame of yours around Ashton Gate

The term "legend" is used all to easily these days - but in 30 years time this guy will be fondly remembered by lots of fans as a real legend.

Cheers for the article Fletch ... this is what a blog should be about - loved it

Hey, i dont know him, but since everyone seem to fancy him, well... i guess he is a great bloke.
just wish u could sign for my home club (Eyimba FC) before you finally hang the boot.
gudluck at oldham sha!

This a great job of getting to the heart and spirit of our game. Well done Fletch.

Nothing more to add as #10 has just about summed it all up.

Really Good Article Paul

Thouroughly enjoyed reading it?!

Its nice to hear about how down to earth he seems and the great passion that he has for the game, I mean knocking 40 and still "just wanting to play football" is brilliant?! Most have had their money by then and just want to call it quits?!
I really like the image of him trudging off to watch a spot of local football on a cold turesday night like the rest of us saddo fans so all over the country for the love of our clubs no matter how big or small they are?! That truely is a love for the game by Windass?! like to know how many other footballers would do that?!


Also totally agree with Windass' comment of -

"Some young footballers need to go out and earn £140 a week on a building site, then when they do earn money in football they will appreciate it,"

a truer word cannot be said?! some of them dont realise how lucky they are?!

Keep Up the Good Stuff Mr Fletcher

Enjoyable read,

Anyone got any idea what the bandana's in the photo are about.
I thought it was Windass pratting about at first and then realised that they were all wearing them!

In answer to the bandana questions:

Middlesbrough v West Ham

19 May 2001: Dean Windass of Middlesbrough comes out with his Cancer Awareness Week bandana during the Middlesbrough v West Ham United FA Carling Premiership match at the Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough.

Mandatory Credit: Mark Thompson/ALLSPORT

I had the delight of watching Dean Windass play for Aberdeen during his time. I worked as a Steward at the home matches, and, I have never seen a more committed player.

It is such a shame that he has not gathered the respect his is due, yes, his temprament has let him down in the past, but, I have also seen very few as gifted players as Deano.

Good luck in the future for whatever you turn your hand to.

The great thing about Deano is that you would see him at Sunday League matches in his City shell suit supping a pint of Guinness after the match. Said hello lots of times, hes got absolutley no pretentions. He just seems to love the game. My Uncle (Pete "Flash" Flanagan RIP) has a bar named after him at Hull KR, and would love Hull to do something similar for Windass.

A free spirit.

He's right about the building site thing, too. Some of the over paid drama queens in the PL ought to spend a few months laboring in the real world.

The PL has brought many benefits to English football but on the downside, characters like Windass have almost disappeared.

rediculous name! - top bloke!... remember him at aberdeen. he looked 40 then.! bit hit or miss but scored sum screamers!

Jamie Carragher always finds time to watch his local side (Bootle) play. Went down to watch them play Whitley Bay in the FA Vase recently and although he wasnt there that time (he unfortunately had a premier league match to play in) there was plenty of liverpool signed shirts and photo's in the clubhouse with Carra had apparently brought down. he must be one of the highest profile players to still go and watch his local team. You can tell from interviews etc that he's is still down to earth though!!

Seen him a few times and hes been nothing other than ordinary. Let alone one of the "true greats"

Think that perhaps rises him to a platform he has never been on, nor will he

jono1983 - you are correct.

Dean Windass is clearly not a "true great" as a footballer or based on footballing ability - that i would leave alone for - Maradona, Zidane, Pele, Cruyff, Eusebio, Best, etc.... nor is he a Shearer, Lineker, Barnes, etc.....he isn't even as good at football as an Ashley Cole, Jermain Pennant, joey Barton, etc (who are very good footballers but who often signify everything that people dislike about modern day players)

The reason i wrote it as "true" great rather than "true great" is not because i am an imbecile and think Windass is as good as Pele but simply because his story, his professionalism, his down-to-earthness, his likeability make him a truly great character whom i would be proud if my children used as a role model rather than P Diddy or Lee Bowyer, etc.).

It os for that reason that i called him a "true " great ... as he remains, i think, a brilliant example of what can be achieved with hard work - and that you don't need to become a complete nause as soon as you have a micro amount of fame or few quid in the bank. He has remained grounded, always given 100%, at 39 is still in better shape than lots of the younger guys (even though he has always looked fat)....and to boot has scored a load of very high quality goals

That is why he is great.

I am sorry that my point wasn't clearer before... but i really thought people would have the ability to see behind the statement rather than think i needed locking in an institution for thinking Dean Windass is the greatest player to walk the earth ever...

Woah, Thats a big tongue.

re: 4. kkttmmvv:

I'm guessing that was the game on September 15th 2001 and the headbands were in memory of September 11th attacks?

Boomshakalak

Loved the first comment, then you bettered it with the explanation. Let me know which institution your going to as I would be happy to discuss the "true" greats of the game. We could probably be anal and put a team together of them. Fortunately, there are still some, although not enough it would seem sometimes to balance out the trash in the game.
Windass, if not a class player, is a class act, excepting the odd red card (did he really lay into a corner flag?). Although that says it all really.

Dean Windass, a wonderful controller of the ball, and annoyingly looking a lot fitter than me.

Dean Windass has made many people in Hull very happy after that wonderful volley. Even in the awful 90's, he lit up Boothferry Park.

Couldn't agree more

LEGEND!

The pun was ripe for the picking:
'Oldham by name, Oldham by nature.'

Dean Windass, at 39, appears to have a great future ahead of him! Good article.

I remember Dean playing for Bradford against Oldham a few seasons ago, in a match that Oldham had to win to stay up. Since Bradford were mid-table and nothing left to play for 10 of their players didn't bother to contribute to the game, the exeption was Dean Windass, who tried (in vein) to single hanadly relegate us. The team who went down that season was Torquay and look where they are now.

Dean Windass is a true pro and a footballing hero to many (my friend who supports Aberdeen still raves to this day how good he was). Although yet to score for Oldham, his touch and awarness on the pitch has already paid off for us with a number of assists and its only a matter of time before he breaks his duck, hopefully in front of the cameras this weekend against the league leaders.

A fantastic strike by Windass at Wembley got Hull City into the top tier for the first time in their history.

For Tigers fans, that's enough to earn him 'great' status.

All you other guys can call him whatever you want.

Windass didn't score against Portsmouth, it was a Pamarot own goal.

saw deano play for boro at highbury.

while he was rubbish at football that day he was absolutely world class in driving strike partner Alain Boksic to the verge of a mental breakdown

Boksics was used to playing with papin et al at marseille and hadnt accounted deanos "economy of movement" as pass after pass was wasted

the greatest sublime-ridiculous forward partnership i ever saw...bravo deano

im a bradford fan and i have got to say windass is a footballing genius..... with a very bad attitude. he single handidly kept us in league 1, but caused many dressing room rifts with his "i am" attitude, but was undoubtidly one of our best ever strikers. good luck dean- wish you'd of re-signed for us instead of going to oldham

Well done deano, picking the right team to play for!!

It's good (and refreshing) to see a player wanting to play for the first team at another club, rather than sitting it out at a premier league outfit and collect the money.
I remember a few years ago a certain Man U player (went by the nickname of chocky i think !!) refusing all advances made by lower league clubs, even though it was obvious his main career at that team had passed by and that he was only a squad player (when squads didn't exist !!)

Just wish Paul Scoles would realise his boyhood dream, his talents would be best served every week under shezza than as a bit part player under Mr Ferguson, come on in Paul the time is right.

number 23

Pffft, True role model?

He was sent off THREE times in one game. And as for his antics on Fifa Fair play day towards John Finnigan, just shows what an imbecile he was. He scored a few decent goals but many footballers, both average and poor, have. Im surprised someone has even bothered to mention him on ´óÏó´«Ã½ let alone written a full blog about him.

And im surprised no ones mentioned the Marlon King incident from last year?

The mans a total imbecile and liability

Windass was a legend at Aberdeen, he was a real character, always giving 100% for the cause. Players like Dean and Di Canio are few and far between in the modern game. the game is poorer as an entertainment as a result.There was talk of him returning to Aberdeen recently,I would bite your hand off for that to happen. A great pro and a real character. Legent status at Pittodrie. All the best Deano.

Great article...and now you can add Deano the keeper and legendary staus at BP after that game against Leicester. Could of easily been 3 pionts but fair play to Windass can't keep him out of the news at the mo!

I think Deano may have been referring to Corporal Jones as the character from Dad's Army - mustache and flat cap!

Just to add a comment to the debate about Windass the footballer. There's no doubt that he has (or had) above average ability, although his temperament could let him down on occasions. But his technique was there for all to see at Wembley last year. Not many footballers could have scored a goal like that on a big stage in those circumstances.

He reminds me very much of another Hull legend, Ken Wagstaffe, who also displayed coolness and technique when it mattered. (similar build too ;OD) Waggy could and should have played at a higher level than the old Division 2.

What windyarsey did next? I don't know...Get sent off 4 times in one game???