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Articles by Rex Mitchell

About Rex Mitchell

Rex Mitchell is a Brentford supporter from childhood. This has not prevented him having a distinguished Fleet Street career as a sports reporter and later deputy football editor. A widower, Rex is a bit of a bandit golfer off his official handicap of 20 and is currently chairman of his local bowls club. More Posts

The Greatest Comeback/David Bolchover

This life of Béla Guttman is not just the one of the best sporting biographies I have ever read but general biography too. The subtitle From Genocide to Football Glory says it all. I suspect many will be unfamiliar with name of Bela Guttmann. He is best known for being the manager of the Benfica [...]

May 15, 2019 // 0 Comments

Was it ever thus?

I am sure I have quoted Jock Stein’s observation after his Celtic disposed of Leeds in the old European Cup that English football overrates itself. Over the years of watching English domestic and international football I have felt this. We are good – especially the media – on [...]

May 2, 2019 // 0 Comments

Ajax 1 Juventus 1

Every twenty years or so Ajax Amsterdam produces a wondrous side which is then rapidly decapitated when the big boys come a-buying so there is the briefest of windows to savour their football. I’m old enough to recall the 70s side that won the old European Cup three years in succession beating [...]

April 11, 2019 // 0 Comments

The Mavericks

A friend of mine gave me a book called The Original Stan the Man, the autobiography of Stan Bowles. It’s mainly a series of anecdotes about his gambling habits but of interest as he was part of group of mavericks that no longer exist in the game. Their period was the 197os and featured Bowles, [...]

April 2, 2019 // 0 Comments

Swindon 3 Arsenal 1 (1969 League Cup Final)

Fifty years ago third division Swindon beat the mighty Arsenal at Wembley in the 1969 League Cup Final. The 40th anniversary reunion (2009) Much was made at the time (and after) about the pitch cutting up after the Horse of the Year show and Arsenal being stricken by flu but, whatever way you look [...]

March 16, 2019 // 0 Comments

Reflections on the Champions league

The great Jock Stein once remarked, after his Celtic side had deposited Leeds out of the European Cup in the semi-final, that those outside England do not share the high domestic assessment of English football clubs. I thought of this remark last week when Manchester United were beaten at home by [...]

March 7, 2019 // 0 Comments

This whole Liverpool thing

I was delighted that Manchester City beat Liverpool. My first email was a clip of Jurgen Klopp extolling the glories of Liverpool. “It’s not a club, it’s a family. we don’t have chants but anthems”.  And so it went on. There was no mention of Heysel, nor of Bob Paisley who won [...]

January 4, 2019 // 0 Comments

Sunday Supplement/ Sky

Like many I am a keen fan of the Andrew Marr Show on Sunday. He examines the crucial issues with the big political players. So I was disappointed yesterday to see no programme. My telly was set on SKY Main Event which was broadcasting the programme Sunday Supplement. It must have been a good 15 [...]

December 24, 2018 // 0 Comments

The young German coaches

In one important respect the Bundesliga outperforms the Premier – the production line of highly competent young national coaches. In the Premier all we have is Eddie Howe and Sean Dyche. In the Bundesliga, Julian Negelsmann aged 30 has performed wonders at Hoffenheim, a small club, where he [...]

September 14, 2018 // 0 Comments

Swimming against the tide

The wonderful world of supposed female political-correctness continues to dominate the British media agenda because, of course, that is where some of its most articulate proponents live and work. From this world-weary and cynical observer’s perception – and I do acknowledge the qualification [...]

August 2, 2018 // 1 Comment

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