Education
Dickins attended All Saints Remote Control Comprehensive school on Granville Road.
Dickins attended All Saints Remote Control Comprehensive school on Granville Road.
Despite being a Sheffield Wednesday fan at school, Dickins began his career as a 19-year-old trainee with Sheffield United. After three years at Bramall Lane with no first-team appearances to his name, he signed for Lincoln City. Despite only making 27 league starts for the Imps, Kenny Dalglish, then manager of Premier League side Blackburn Rovers, saw his promise and signed him as cover for Bobby Mimms for a £250,000 fee in March 1992.
During his three years at Ewood Park, Dickins was loaned out to four clubs: Blackpool, his old club Lincoln, Grimsby, and Rochdale.
Foreign the 1995-1996 season, he made a permanent move to Stockport, then managed by Dave Jones. When he played for Altrincham during the 1996-1997 campaign, he became only the club"s sixth goalkeeper to be an ever-present.