When the Hill was cramped and blue and bristling with city wit, Mick Deegan would fend his space and strain to see those household faces working the pitch, assured and at home. Mullins, Hanahoe, Doyle. Passing years have not dulled their time.
Growing up in Finglas, he was steeped in suburban football and nothing seemed more natural than dreaming of playing for Dublin, despite the early summers spent visiting his grandparents in Galway and Offaly.
"Strangely enough, there wasn't really a lot of football in my family. It was more hurling. And I played everything when I was growing up; hurled a bit but I always knew I would give myself to Gaelic," says Deegan.
His local club, Erin's Isle, invited that, with its close knit, archetypal parochial pride and inherent community feel.
"I have played with them throughout my career, from when I started school. I must have been about seven and lads like Charlie (Redmond) have been there for as long as I can remember," he explains.
He was like any other kid growing up on his street; life revolved around yard soccer, Match of the Day and Gaelic training at the weekends. In 1982 he found himself in Croke Park watching Joe McNally taking kick-outs from goal and playing defence alongside Eamon Heery as Dublin eased their way to that year's minor title with a comfortable win over Kerry.
"I joined the senior panel three years later," he says, adding, in a tone which hints at humourous resignation, he "has been there ever since."
Two Sundays ago, he and Heery sat on the bench together, anxious and watchful as Tom Carr barked the orders from the line.
"I don't like watching games from the bench anyway but, OK, if you look at it we effectively had six newcomers out there - three debut lads and three lads who had just one championship game behind them. We didn't play up to scratch but it was an experience and we survived it. The main thing was that we weren't winning ball at midfield, which is crucial in nearly all field sports," says Deegan.
He was itching as he watched Kildare ponder over choice avenues of attack, and even when he was thrown in, it was apparent that four or five lads just weren't performing to scratch: "Maybe we got away with it. Kildare played a good brand of football all afternoon. That said, we had two goal chances which we didn't put away, so we can only get better."
At training on Tuesday night, he went through the old routine; the slagging in the dressing room, a few light laps and a kick-about before the talk turned serious. It is a pattern as regular as breathing now but when his name was called on the starting 15 a tremendous heart rush of anticipation followed. That feeling never lessens.
He has so many vivid memories to recall and has probably participated in more big-game parades than any one player has a right to.
In 15 years, Dublin football has been shaped by traumas and glories, rows and super stardom and controversy, and through it all, Mick Deegan has remained a quiet constant, those socks at knee-length, ready to serve.
Ask him to view it all from afar and, understandably, he puts a loyal slant on it: "Well, Dublin in the 80s lost two All-Ireland finals in '84 and '85, we won a League in 1987 and lost an All-Ireland semi-final in 1989 we should maybe have won. Meath and Cork were coming good then, but really, our record wasn't so bad. There are always big expectations of Dublin, it's like they are the Manchester United of Gaelic or something.
"And Dublin have been very consistent in the 1990s. I mean we went to three All-Ireland finals and won two National League titles. For the lads, it was tough you know, we'd been on the go since 1989 and there seemed to be so many nearly times that we felt we just had to keep going until we won."
He reflects upon it all in the same laid-back, unassuming manner. Confesses a little astonishment at how quickly it seemed to slip after they finally smashed the Ulster stronghold in September 1995. As he sees it, Mickey Whelan came in and did his best to instill his beliefs on players who weren't ready for the change.
"It was a difficult thing to do with a bunch who had been together for so long. Plus we went from having four selectors who were essentially young men to Mickey who was in his mid-50s and there were problems. It happens," he explains.
He watches and respects what Tom Carr is attempting to do for Dublin yet feels unable to adequately assess it yet. Winning is where it's at.
"We're on the right track, we've brought in young players and things. But we'll see on Sunday," observes Deegan.
At 32 he knows that sport has been good to him. In recent winters his Saturdays have taken him up the motorway to Belfast, to kick soccer with Crusaders in York Street.
"It came about through Tony O'Connell of Bohemians. Himself and Charlie and myself played junior soccer with Tolka Rovers and, later on, he got involved with Crusaders. He asked my to play a few games one Christmas about four years ago and I have been going back since," he says.
Like virtually every other inter-county player in Ireland, he occasionally grows a little wary of the pressing demands the game places on him. Erin's Isle ran as far as the All-Ireland club final this year and Dublin training has been unforgiving. Championship looms into view and family, business and sport all revolve in another summer of juggling.
"We trained four and five nights a week at times and then you have club games to take into account. Sure, it's a big sacrifice and maybe players do deserve to be looked after in some way. It will happen, but I'll be long finished. It's the one drawback of the game. Sometimes, you ask, `what do I do it for?"'
The GAA has announced that tickets for the Canal End and New Stand will go on sale today from the shop outlet opposite the Hogan Stand stiles from 11.30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. and on Sunday from 9.30 a.m. until sold out. The terrace tickets are £6.00 and stand tickets are £12.00. The Hill and the Hogan Stand are sold out.
