Brian Deane was almost a prototype Peter Crouch (very tall, maligned by all except the fans whose club he played for, delicate touch for a big man) and there was genuine derision from substantial quarters when Graham Taylor picked him for a squad which was on its way to Australasia for a flesh-pressing tour in the summer of 1991. Deane, whose reputation had grown through Sheffield United's rise to the top flight, was called up because a number of clubs asked Taylor to let their players rest, and he won his first cap as a sub against New Zealand in Auckland, partnering the previously isolated Gary Lineker.
He started the next game - a 2-0 win over the same opposition in Wellington - as a partner for Ian Wright but didn't make the full 90 minutes, before being unsurprisingly restored to his club with his reputation as a genuinely effective beastly centre forward not tainted, although few believed he was of international class. A decent domestic season prompted Taylor to ordain him again for a friendly in Spain in September 1992, but his late sub appearance achieved little as England lost 1-0. He went on to become a terrific centre forward for numerous clubs - including Benfica - and his goalscoring record was never less than fruitful for whoever's shirt he wore. However, his elevation to the England squad majorly smacked of desperation to find a big forward on Taylor's part and it was difficult to take his selection wholly seriously. (Matthew Rudd) |