But he and illustrious teammmates like Derek Dougan couldn’t predict what would happen after the second round win against the Londoners after a replay at London Road.
Deakin scored six goals on a run to the quarter-finals for the first and only time in Posh history. Posh beat mighty Arsenal on the way.
Only when they bumped into a high-class Chelsea side at Stamford Bridge did a memorable run end. “A bridge too far,” quipped Deakin. “The game was over after quarter-of-an-hour.”
Deakin’s two goals at Swansea in a fifth round replay earned that glamour tie against the likes of Terry Venables, George Graham and future Posh title winner Bert Murray in front of over 65,000.
He also scored three goals in a second round tie against QPR, then also of Division Three, one at Loftus Road in a 3-3 draw and then two more in a 2-1 replay win at London Road.
That remains the only time Posh and QPR have met in the greatest KO cup competition of them all, until Saturday (February 5) anyway.
“I remember my goals against QPR in the home game clearly,” Deakin said. “We were 1-0 down in the 89th minute when Derek Dougan nodded the ball down for me to equalise. I can still picture the QPR trainer kicking a bucket of water over after I scored!
“And in the first minute of extra time I cut in from the left and noticed the goalkeeper leaning to his left expecting a cross so I toe-poked it past him.
“Of course at that time we didn’t realise what the win would lead to. Dougan got us past Chesterfield, then we beat Arsenal on an unforgettable afternoon, but (manager) Gordon Clark thought we’d blown it against Swansea in the enxt round when we only drew at home.
“We had a tough Tuesday night in Swansea, but I was luckily enough to score twice. We knew before the game we would play Chelsea if we won so that was a special night in a special season. The game at Chelsea was a disappointment as we picked up an injury in the first minute and they were 3-0 up after 15 minutes!”
Deakin spent 10 years at Bolton Wanderers in the First Division before joining Posh in 1964. He was shocked at the standard of the team he joined.
“I left a First Division side that wasn’t as good as the Third Division side I joined,” Deakin added. “I played up front alongside Dougan and we scored 50 goals between us. I scored over 20 goals the following season after Derek had left.
“The wife and I are Northerners and we thought we’d spend a couple of years down here before moving back, but we loved it so much we are still here almost 50 years later!”
Deakin scored 47 goals in 109 appearances for Posh which included a brief second stint. He finished his career at Brentford, but returned to Posh to set up a youth team under Noel Cantwell.
He also scouted for Chelsea for five years and the ‘Crazy Gang’ at Wimbledon for 18 years while working as a deputy headteacher at Wittering Primary School for 20 years.
He studied for teaching qualifications at Manchester University, while training twice a week at Bolton.
The Posh road to the sixth round of the FA Cup...
Only when they bumped into a high-class Chelsea side at Stamford Bridge did a memorable run end. “A bridge too far,” quipped Deakin. “The game was over after quarter-of-an-hour.”
5. FIFTH ROUND
Another club record crowd (one that still stands) saw Posh draw with Second Division Swansea at London Road in a fifth round tie before Deakin was the matchwinner in the replay (pictured). February 20, 1965. Posh 0, Swansea 0. Att: 30.096. Swansea 0, Posh 2 (Deakin 2). Att: 29,948.
6. SIXTH ROUND
The one and only Posh appearance in an FA Cup quarter-final ended in a heavy defeat at Stamford Bridge (pictured) after Vic Crowe was stretchered off in the opening minutes in the days before substitutes. He came back hobbling and scored in front of the second biggest crowd to ever watch Posh! March 6, 1965. Chelsea 5, Posh 1. (Crowe). Att: 63,635.