Local lad, big part of THREE promotion seasons. Think he pretty comfortably qualifies for that status. Maybe not to get a statue or need stand/suite after him but plenty of legends don’t get that.
Shame it didn’t work out for him as manager. Leap from non league to league 1 was just too much I’m afraid.
Absolute ■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■ that
I wanted Keates to succeed so badly at Walsall, I believe most fans did.
He wasn’t the most talented midfielder we have seen, small in stature, useless in the air but he made up for that with his grit and determination . He gave everything for his shirt and his team, drenched in sweat after every game.
One of the things that surprised me when he became manager was how quiet he was on the sidelines, no animation or signals, just very stoic and emotionless - almost numb. Very unlike the player he was.
If he does get back into management, he’s going to have to change in order to be successful.
Dean was the embodiment of what I want in a Saddler, a player who gave his all, made the best of his talents, played with passion and commitment. Never gave up, always cared and did his best for the shirt. Regular in two promotion winning teams.
He was an awful manager for us, but that will never slate his playing career. Never. He wouldn’t make my all time Saddlers XI, but he’d be in the squad.
Dean I hope you have a long and successful career in football, thank you.
I have to agree with you here. My reservations began as early as the pre season friendly at Rushall that we lost 2-1. I was stood behind Dean and he looked absolutely shell shocked whilst the Rushall bench were very animated; cajoling, encouraging and berating players throughput.
DK is our Solksjaer. Small in stature but gave us great memories as a player… less said about the managerial part the better.
Dean made his career out of sheer effort and determination fair play to him was never the most technically gifted of players when he was younger played against him and Wayne Thomas and Wayne was leagues above back then but Dean went on to have a better career by far.
Not sure ‘you plonker’ qualifies as the bitter invective you are obviously willfully misinterpreting it as. I was tapping into the 80s language that you are clearly still trapped in. I’ll refine it to ‘Rodney, you plonker’ to give it more cultural resonance.
You are utterly and completely incorrect in your assessment of Keates and I take mild offence, not only at your paltry and disrespectful attitude to a player that gave us absolutely everything during his entire tenure, but your fake umbrage at having your absolute bobbins exposed and mocked.
Furthermore, learn to read what is put in front of you. I was careful to write that Keates was notably the one chasing lost causes at 2-1 down, not that he was the only one to show determination. Who would deny the effort of Barras, or indeed any of the team?
You are talking crap, take the criticism, take the ridicule. Keates is a Walsall hero and legend. End of.
Well if he was a real bona fide legend surely he would deserve a stand/suite/statue.
You seem to me to be saying you think he is a legend but not a legend enough to have something named after him 
“Legend” is something that is banded around and given out far to easily in todays world to so many undeserving cases a bit like the honours list charade in which you can get a "Kighthood" just for farting in the right direction. Dean Keates a legend? I think ill get me coat, i`ve had enough of this madness.
Meanwhile we have the Bonser Suite, but nothing to recognise a single former player or manager. Your argument falls apart there.
That`s a great post WS and i agree with everything you say about his attributes which he had in abundance. No one loved his fighting spirit on the field more than i did plus the fact the pride you felt from him being a local lad.
But a legend ?
Oh thank you kind Sir for only taking mild offence and your load of woolly headed babble speak tripe you use to try and enforce your point really is something to behold and i am sure will provide many on here with much chortles and amusement.
Young man, calm down and try and understand that everything is subjective, we all see things differently and as such have differing views, and thank god for that.
And your “End of” assertion just tells me you appear to be a closed minded thoroughly unpleasant person so carry on with your beliefs and i will carry on with mine.
That`s crap and you know it.
To my knowledge the only legend to ever be recognised by the club was Gilbert Alsopp with the old GA terraced stand. H.L Fellows (ex director?) was also recognised but this was before money and selling commercial rights was a thing.
Just because he has nothing named after him, doesn’t mean he isn’t a legend!
Depends on your definition of legend , is David Kelly a legend for example or just a great , the whole of that eighties team were greats , same as the team that Graydon built and a lot of DD’s team. But legend is a different level that there arev probably only a handful in our history
I’m 27, so in my time supporting Walsall Keates is most certainly considered a legend. My earliest Walsall memories were of Keates and Wacka … some of my best memories were of that League 2 season where Keates was instrumental in us winning the title. How can he not be considered a legend? I don’t get it.
Name the rest. I’ll wait.
Well, it’s not though is it. You’re full of ■■■■
Can you come and host my next event please, you bundle of joy and happiness, you…
According to my Grandad, H.L Fellows was the man who, ultimately as director, gifted Fellows Park to the club in his will, meaning we owned our own ground. Hence it was named in his honour, and it should have set us up for the future…
If this is true, it’s pretty ironic that Bonser allowed a stand at Bescot to be named after a man of such selfless generosity for so long 