SANDY'S DIVING HEADER AND CRUMBS

Alexander Dewar Brown (24 March 1939 – 8 April 2014) was a Scottish footballer, best known as an Everton player where he played from 1963 until 1971. The Scottish utility man was signed from Partick Thistle for £38,000 in September 1963. Brown had represented the Scottish League earlier that month. Harry Catterick saw his ability to read the game and played him in front of the back four when it was needed. Superbly athletic, tough and fiery in true redhead tradition, he was a central figure in the infamous “Battle of Goodison” against Leeds in November 1964, when he was dismissed for punching United play-maker Johnny Giles before tempers raged so tumultuously, on both the pitch and the terraces, that the referee led the teams to the dressing rooms for a cooling-off period before the action resumed.

The athletic hard man played in several positions and was most effective as an overlapping full-back. He also played as an emergency attacker and scored against Real Zaragoza in a European game during the 1966–67 season. In fact he played in every position of the field during his Everton career, including in goal. This came after international keeper, Gordon West, was sent off in a game against Newcastle United. He played four games on Everton's way to the 1966 FA Cup Final but didn't play at Wembley and missed out on a winner's medal. He did achieve silverware though, picking up a League Champions' medal for the 1969-70 season with Everton. 

Scoring in a Merseyside Derby is something that many footballers will dream of; but not into your own goal! At Goodison Park in 1969, the Everton defender, found the back of his own net in style. To add pain to his embarrassment, a harmless looking cross drifted into his own penalty area and tough guy Sandy Brown, typically, took responsibility to deal with the danger by sprinting towards the ball and planting a diving header into his own net, making him the "toast" of Merseyside.

Many pundits including Saint and Greavsie, celebrated the goal in later years, with Danny Baker referring to it is "the own goal by which all other own goals are surely measured" in his video 'Own Goals and Gaffs'. In total, Sandy  played 251 games in all competitions for Everton, scoring 11 goals (in the opposition net).

After leaving Everton in May 1971, he made a further 21 appearances for Shrewsbury, moving again the next season to Southport (well known for "retirement"), playing 19 games during the 1972-73 season. He then moved to Northern Premier League Fleetwood F.C. for the 1973-74 season, playing a further 54 games. After he retired from playing football, Brown worked in a biscuit factory. He died in April 2014 following long illness.

Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1957–1963	Partick Thistle	105	(6)
1963–1971	Everton	209	(9)
1971–1972	Shrewsbury	21	(0)
1972–1973	Southport	19	(0)
1973-1974	Fleetwood F.C.	54	(1)
International career
1963	Scottish League XI	1	(0)