I scored the first ever Premier League goal now I own a team in Kosovo
IT took Brian Deane just five minutes to score the Premier League’s first ever goal in 1992.
And it just so happens that the most successful team of the Premier League era were on the receiving end.
The Premier League began when the 22 clubs that formed The Football League broke away at the end of the 1991-92 season.
Backed by Sky Sports, and a huge £305million deal, it was the beginning of a new era that would change the game in this country forever.
Sheffield United took on Manchester United at Bramall Lane, when just as the Red Devils were getting warmed up, Deane nodded past Peter Schmeichel from a flick on following a long throw.
For good measure, Deane added a second half penalty as The Blades recorded a famous and historic 2-1 win.
It was a strike that put him in the record books.
Speaking on the 30th anniversary of the formation of the Premier League, Deane revealed: “I just can’t believe it’s been 30 years.
“In the second half, I scored a penalty and also had a goal disallowed. So I could have ended up with the matchball, which would have been nice!
“We had no idea the Premier League would grow into what it has done, it’s a real monster of a league. It’s the best league in the world, it’s the most covered. It’s changed the face of football in this country.
“It’s really taken off, so I’m glad it was me rather than Alan Shearer or Gary Lineker or Les Ferdinand or Ian Wright. It’s me and something I’ll always be remembered for, and so that’s fantastic.”
League legend
In that season Deane would score an impressive 14 league goals, while providing 10 assists.
The following summer, the 6ft 3in centre forward would move to Leeds for £3million – a record signing for The Whites and a record sale for Sheffield United.
He spent four campaigns at Elland Road, before returning to the Steel City to aid Sheffield United in the old Championship, which was then called Division One.
A spell at Benfica came before four seasons at Middlesbrough, where the target man would score 19 goals in 95 games.
His last appearance in the Premier League came during the 2003-04 season with Leicester City.
The journeyman also enjoyed stints at West Ham United, Sunderland and Australian club Perth Glory, before returning to Sheffield United for a third time and hanging up his boots in 2006.
But he wasn’t done with the beautiful game…
In 2012, Deane took a punt on Norwegian football.
He became head coach of newly promoted top flight side Sarpsborg 08 FF.
In his first season, he would guide them to safety.
In his second, they would finish mid-table and reach the semi-finals of the Norwegian Football Cup.
Despite an impressive two years in Scandinavia, when Deane came back to our shores he admittedly struggled to even get an interview for another managerial role.
Team owner
Instead, in 2019, Deane went one better and became part-owner of Kosovan Football Superleague side, Ferizaj.
The 55-year-old has 50 per cent shares in the club, who pay League Two wages in a culture that’s a million miles away from what he knows.
“Each time I go I understand a bit more about the country and its history,” Deane told the Daily Mail soon after he bought his stake.
“It’s very different to how most perceive it; to how I perceived it. It’s a southern European country with a young population and a cafe culture. You can get a beautiful fillet steak for around a tenner, amazing value for money.
“When I started going out there, about three years ago, you’d drive from Pristina to Ferizaj and see very little, maybe the odd business producing marble, and now the space is filling up and you’ll see KFC and Burger King.
“They are very pro-British and pro-American. In their view we saved them with the NATO campaign. That’s why you’ll find kids named after Tony Blair. They love English culture and they look up to us. They respect me as an Englishman.”