Harlee Dean

Harlee James Dean (born 26 July 1991) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for League One club Reading. He began his career at Dagenham & Redbridge, and had a number of spells on loan at non-league clubs in the Essex and Hertfordshire area, before moving to Southampton in 2010. He joined Brentford on a permanent transfer in 2012, and spent five seasons with the club before signing for Birmingham City.

A centre back, Dean captained the Hall Mead School team for five years and forwent his A-levels in order to join the youth team at Dagenham & Redbridge. Dean received his maiden call into the first team for a League Two match against Morecambe on 7 March 2009, but remained an unused substitute during the 2–0 defeat. After being called into five early 2009–10 season squads without making an appearance, Dean made his professional debut on 31 October 2009, coming on as an 81st-minute substitute for Scott Doe in a 1–1 home league draw with Port Vale and setting up Josh Scott for the equaliser. It proved to be the only appearance of Dean's Dagenham career and he departed the club on 27 August 2010.

Dean lives in Brentford and has one child. He is a West Ham United supporter. While chatting to fans outside Griffin Park after a match on 21 November 2015, Dean witnessed a young supporter being hit by car and ran back into the ground, where he found club doctor Matt Stride. The pair returned to the scene and Stride took charge of the situation until an ambulance arrived. For their actions, Dean and Stride shared the Football League's Unsung Hero of the Month award.