But when he joined the Zebras, who in a quirk of coincidence were founded the year he was born - 1946, his goaltouch returned.
Deans, who has died in Scotland aged 79, was one of the marquee recruits of the newly launched National Soccer League. Signed on a $25,000 contract he did not disappoint, finishing top scorer with 16 goals in the inaugural 1977 season.
Deans went on to help the club lift the NSL Cup in 1979, scoring on route to the final although he did not play in it.
Before he returned to Scotland he also had an unexpected encounter with reggae superstar Bob Marley, although as Deans later revealed in his autobiography Marley was the starstruck one.
The pair were introduced during a training session and Deans recalled: "I didn't know him from Adam. Our manager said he was a musician and a keen footballer but the name didn't register. I remember he was quiet-spoken, almost shy, and his hair was long and looked, frankly, as if it was matted together and needed a good wash."
Marley revealed, "I'm a big Celtic fan. I would love to go to Scotland to see Celtic Park and maybe even kick a few balls there.
"I love reading about British football teams and Celtic has always been my team. I can't tell you how much I envy you having played at Celtic Park."
Deans, whose nickname came from the similarity of his surname with legendary Everton goalscorer William 'Dixie' Dean, had joined Celtic in 1971 after a prolific spell at Motherwell.
Capped twice by Scotland, he scored a hat-trick for Celtic in the 1972 Scottish Cup final and 1974 League Cup final, both wins over Hibernian with scorelines of 6-1 and 6-3 respectively.
Deans also scored six goals in a 7-0 defeat of Partick Thistle in 1973 finishing with 124 goals in 184 Celtic games.
But he is also remembered for missing from the spot in the penalty shoot-out defeat by Inter Milan in the 1972 European Cup semi-final.
After short spells at Luton, Carlisle, Partick and Irish club Shelbourne before finding new success at Adelaide.
After leaving the Zebras he returned to Scotland and had latterly been involved in matchday hospitality at Celtic.
"Dixie was a great Celt and one of the finest goalscorers ever to have played for the club," said Celtic chairman Peter Lawwell.
