| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Raymond John Deakin | ||
| Date of birth | 19 June 1959 | ||
| Place of birth | Liverpool, England | ||
| Date of death | 24 December 2008 (aged 49) | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1977–1981 | Everton | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1981–1982 | Port Vale | 23 | (6) |
| 1982–1985 | Bolton Wanderers | 105 | (2) |
| 1985–1991 | Burnley | 213 | (6) |
| Total | 341 | (14) | |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
|||
Raymond John Deakin (19 June 1959 – 24 December 2008) was an English footballer, whose playing position was left-back.
Born in Liverpool, Deakin began his career at Everton, where he signed his first professional contract in 1977. However, he never made any appearances for Everton's first team, and was released in 1981. He then joined Port Vale, where he spent one season. He was initially a regular in the team, but lost his place in October 1981 and struggled to break back into first-team contention thereafter.[1]
Deakin joined Bolton Wanderers on a free transfer in May 1982.[2] Following three seasons at Burnden Park, Deakin signed for Burnley in 1985. At Burnley, he was ever-present during his first two seasons at the club, and was eventually given the captain's armband. In May 1987, he captained Burnley at the lowest point of their history, when the club almost dropped out of the league, and only survived on the last day of the season.
Following the near-relegation, Deakin stayed at Turf Moor another four seasons, before leaving Burnley and retiring from football at the end of the 1990–91 season.
In 2008, Deakin was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and died on Christmas Eve that year, at the age of 49.[3]