DEAN MADDEN

Reading

Up until he met Samragi, Dean was content to just read his mathematics and computing text books. But he has since taken up an interest in popular fiction and world history (thanks to Samragi!). He enjoys reading thrillers, from authors such as Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Tom Clancy, John Grisham, Thomas Harris, Robert Ludlum, Michael Crichton and Mario Puzo.

Dean is enjoying catching up with all the history he should have studied at school! He is currently interested in early British History, the Romans, and the twentieth century :)

Manchester United

Dean used to watch all of the man utd games on tv, usually with Cody on his lap, and last season would go to the games with being closer in Derby. But since the Glazer takeover he has changed his allegiance to the breakaway club 'FC United of Manchester'!

Keeping fit

Dean and Samragi have been regularly going to the JJB gym in Derby, and Cannons in Yeovil before that. They have lost some of the puppy fat since the wedding, and are enjoying leading healthier lives. The fitness comes in handy for chasing Cody around the house.

Dean enjoys running, rowing, weights and swimming at the gym. He has lost 15kgs (33lbs) since he started, and now weighs in at the light-middleweight limit :).  Between July and November of 2004, Samragi has also lost over 10kg.

Work

Dean works as a Software Developer for The Spirit Group, a managed pub company.  He works on a pricing system using languages such as OpenROAD, C and ESQL

Childhood

Until he was three years old, Dean lived in the Sholver area of Oldham. The family then moved to 'Lees Street' in the village of Bardsley in Oldham. Dean's parents still live there to this day. When he was five, his brother Ashley arrived and through the years they caused a lot of mayhem in and out of the house, from breaking furniture, kicking footballs into windows, having wrestling matches in the living room and making their mothers life hell :)

The Madden family had lots of pets through the years.  Before Ashley was born, Sootie was the pet cat who had kittens in the living room.  There were two budgerigars: Smokie and Squirt, a rabbit called Rambo, a hamster and numerous goldfish.  The most loved has to be Hannibal, the wonderful dog who was raised from a puppy until he died of old age.  Another cat called Mr T was also taken in after wandering to the house one day.

Dean's first school was 'Hathershaw Infants', which closed after three years to make way for the new 'Broadfield Primary' school which he joined. He enjoyed his time at the school very much, playing football every day at both break times. His favourite teachers included Mr Holt and Mr Wolfendon, he began to realise he had a 'knack' for mathematics during the last two years here. 

Dean enjoyed spending time with his cousins Brett, Carl and Tracey Peake and their mother Patricia.  He often visited his Uncle Stephen, and Grandma and Grandad from his mothers side, before they passed away.  His Grandma from his fathers side sadly passed away in late 2000.  He enjoyed visits from his uncle Barry through his childhood, who later married Liz and is now a policeman and father to Rebecca and Karl.

When he was eleven he moved to Hathershaw Comprehensive school, he didn't particularly enjoy himself there but says it's part of what has made him what he is. He made some good friends and is grateful for the effort of some teachers, including Mrs Whitehouse and Mr Bell. During this time he enjoyed his kyokushinkai karate lessons at the Bardsley Community centre!

Five years later he had completed his GCSEs and went on to the newly built 'Oldham Sixth Form College' to study Maths, Physics and Chemistry. He had a great time there and learnt a great deal in his subject areas. After getting an A-grade in Mathematics, he decided to go on to study this at degree level at the University of Manchester.

He was joined here by his friend from senior school, Sajid Rahman. They enjoyed playing pool when not dozing in lectures, but somehow managed to successfully graduate.

Around this time he made contact with half-brother Joe Hague, from his fathers side.  Joe now works as a finance manager for a Ford showroom and is sadly a Liverpool fan!

It took Dean 9 months to find a job after graduating, it was March 1999 when he was offered a PC Support Role at Oldham NHS Trust. He enjoyed his time there and made lots of friends, including Mohammed Nawaz and the sadly recently deceased Richard Ashton.

After 18 months he realised he wanted to make a career for himself in computing, and wanted to get himself qualified for a programming role. He did a years Masters degree in Internet Computing at the Scarborough campus of the University of Hull. He is now happily married to Samragi and looks forward to starting his own family.

Other

Dean loves watching movies, he'll watch anything with Al Pacino or Robert De Niro and his favourite films include Heat, Desperado, Goodfellas, The Matrix, Pulp Fiction and True Romance.

Dean also enjoys watching boxing and WWE wrestling. His favourite current boxers include Lennox Lewis, Roy Jones, Ricky Hatton, Oscar De La Hoya, Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales. His favourite wrestler is Chris Benoit.

His favourite television shows include The Simpsons, Malcolm in the Middle and Scrubs, as well as boxing matches, and also English, Spanish and Italian football!

His musical interests range from heavy metal to soft rock. He listens to Nirvana, Metallica, Manic Street Preachers, Sheryl Crow, Rage against the machine, Sepultura, Rob Zombie, Alanis Morissette, U2, Ocean colour scene, Pearl Jam, Avril Lavigne and Neil Young.

He is an avid reader of world news, hates George Bush and is awaiting a socialist revolution :)

The favourite places he has visited so far are Dublin, London, Scarborough, Weymouth, Bath, Salisbury, Porthcurno, Lands End and Portland.

Dean's idols are Muhammed Ali, Che Guevara and Tony Benn!