Dickie Deacon
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Half-Back
Biographical Text
Richard 'Dickie' Deacon was a wartime guest player for Exeter City during 1944/45 when, as the situation eased, a number of games were organised to constitute the first football played by the club since 1939.
Originally from Glasgow, Dickie grew up in County Durham and joined Wolverhampton Wanderers from Cockfield as an eighteen-year-old in 1929 before spending two seasons with West Ham United between 1932 and 1934. Moving across London to Stamford Bridge, he featured in nine reserve games for his new club (scoring three times) before trying his luck in Northern Ireland with Glenavon.
Seeing out the 1930s with Northampton Town and Lincoln City, Dickie had settled in Darlington at the outbreak of war prior to joining the Royal Navy. Briefly stationed at the Navy's Armament Depot near Exeter, he is recorded as playing for Exeter City against the Royal Marines in February 1945.
Returning to County Durham after the conflict he enjoyed a long spell as Darlington's trainer and, living nearby until his death in May 1986, is buried in Darlington North Cemetery alongside brother John who had a short spell on the books of Liverpool. A third brother, Jimmy, enjoyed a more distinguished career with Darlington, Wolves, Southend and Hartlepool.
[Additional information from Chelsea Graves and Ancestry].
Originally from Glasgow, Dickie grew up in County Durham and joined Wolverhampton Wanderers from Cockfield as an eighteen-year-old in 1929 before spending two seasons with West Ham United between 1932 and 1934. Moving across London to Stamford Bridge, he featured in nine reserve games for his new club (scoring three times) before trying his luck in Northern Ireland with Glenavon.
Seeing out the 1930s with Northampton Town and Lincoln City, Dickie had settled in Darlington at the outbreak of war prior to joining the Royal Navy. Briefly stationed at the Navy's Armament Depot near Exeter, he is recorded as playing for Exeter City against the Royal Marines in February 1945.
Returning to County Durham after the conflict he enjoyed a long spell as Darlington's trainer and, living nearby until his death in May 1986, is buried in Darlington North Cemetery alongside brother John who had a short spell on the books of Liverpool. A third brother, Jimmy, enjoyed a more distinguished career with Darlington, Wolves, Southend and Hartlepool.
[Additional information from Chelsea Graves and Ancestry].
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