Dean writes his own headlines

DEAN WINDASS . . . national newspaper columnist.

DEAN Windass has revealed the inside track on life at Boundary Park in his weekly column for a national newspaper.

Following the 39-year-old’s loan move to Athletic, ‘To Hull And Back’ had to be renamed ‘To Oldham And Back’ which doesn’t have quite the same impact.

“Don’t call me gaffer,” said the new gaffer. “The lads call me Shez,” remarked Windass.

“It’s a first, but that’s what Oldham manager John Sheridan is called. I must admit I’ve been uneasy with it. I always have the respect to say ‘manager,’ ‘gaffer,’ ‘boss’ . . . whatever he likes. Shez likes Shez so Shez it is.”

Windass has been reunited with Mark Crossley, his team-mate from Middlesbrough, and says ‘Big Norm’ is one of the very few who will remain a friend for life.

In an earlier column, Windass said it is well known in football that you have to be “daft” to be a goalkeeper.

But he revealed Crossley is one of the hardest trainers he has played with and one of the few ’keepers who volunteers to face the strikers for shooting practice.

Windass said: “At Hull if you grabbed Boaz Myhill or Matt Duke before they got to the canteen, they would say they had done enough and didn’t want to get injured.

“We would have to practice with one of the young ’keepers who would get sick of seeing the ball fly into the net.”

Windass cannot understand reserve goalkeepers who sit on the substitutes’ bench for months on end.

“This season has given me an insight into life on the bench and it drove me mad.”