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

Arsenal 0 PSG 1

This defeat came as no surprise. Indeed Pargie had bet against an Arsenal win. Arsenal had half a team absent – defender Gabriel; holding midfielders Jorginho and Party; and forwards Haivetz and Jesus – whilst PSG were at full strength. I have been at the Emirates for crucial games and [...]

April 30, 2025 // 0 Comments

The Boys Book of Soccer (1957)

At a garden fête last year I bought the above slightly fixed volume and interesting reading it made too. Of most interest were the league tables for 1955/56. In those days you had a Third Division – north and south – from which only one team was promoted. Brighton, Ipswich Town, [...]

February 21, 2025 // 0 Comments

George Eastham (RIP)

I was truly saddened to hear of the death of George Eastham, chiefly for two reasons. Firstly, he belonged to a genre of player that no longer exists: the inside forward. They were technically very skilful, slight and did not score that many goals. Secondly, aged 18, I was watching from behind [...]

December 23, 2024 // 0 Comments

Euros 2024 Final: Spain 2 England 1

So in the end England came up short to a technically superior side. They could not come back. This England team has determination and, even though they may say that a goal line clearance deprived them of a draw, Spain had many more goal opportunities in the second half. Analyst Chris Sutton [...]

July 15, 2024 // 0 Comments

England 2 Slovakia 1

The gap between performance and result has never been more marked than in this game. England are through to the last 8 v Switzerland but it was another dysfunctional performance. Indeed it took a remarkable effort from Jude Bellingham to equalise in the dying embers. There was nothing in this [...]

July 1, 2024 // 0 Comments

The Euros so far

The best teams do not necessarily win tournaments. Brazil were the best team at the 1992 World Cup in Spain but Italy beat them and won the title. Italy drew all 3 of their group games but the team that impressed most in the qualifying stage do not tend to win either. The team that gathers [...]

June 20, 2024 // 0 Comments

Earth/John Boyne

This is not your normal football novel as the subject – Evan Keogh- is gay and does not like football but instead wants to become a painter. The story is that his teammate Robbie Wolverton is accused of raping a girl which Evan filmed. Much of the 168 pages of this novella is taken up with [...]

May 8, 2024 // 0 Comments

Ipswich: now for the hard bit

“Pleasin’, most pleasin …” an Ipswich fan messaged me on their automatic promotion, mimicking their greatest manager Alf Ramsay’s difficulty with ‘g’s and use of ‘most’ instead of ‘very.’ When I say “greatest manager”, Ipswich have a few to pick [...]

May 7, 2024 // 0 Comments

Champions League Thoughts

Few expected Real Madrid to qualify – and not at the expense of champions Manchester City – but the fact remains that often the best teams do not win competitions. There are too many variables: injuries, refereeing decisions, VAR and penalty shoot outs. Barcelona’s coach Xavi railed [...]

April 19, 2024 // 0 Comments

Entertainment or trophies?

I sent a message to an intelligent West Ham friend congratulating him on his club’s season. The Hammers are seventh in the Premier as I write and set fair for their fifth consecutive season in European competition, having won the Conference League last season. He would not have it, retorting that [...]

March 30, 2024 // 0 Comments

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The Tanner Report : Walham Green walloped

January 8, 2026 // 0 Comments

No victory means more to a Fulham supporter than beating their SW6 rivals aka Walham Green . Over the years we have lived in their shadow and in the Jose Mourinho era [...]
Amorim & Maresca leave .

January 5, 2026 // 0 Comments

The ‘departure of Amor anf Maresca with their clubs lying in 6th and 5th place respectively is a game changer. Time was a manager/ head coach waited till a sacking then [...]
The Tanner Report : Fulham 2 Liverpool 2

January 5, 2026 // 0 Comments

Although there were some Fulham fans disappointed by this draw I was not one of them. Marvo Silva had to set up with 7 absentees and came up with a 3-5-1-1 which worked well [...]
Amadeus and the Night Manager

January 2, 2026 // 0 Comments

The above programmes were the BBC’s Xmas offering and I was underwhelmed by both. Although centuries separated Mozart and the Night Manager the two dramas reflected the [...]
Dial M for Murder / Rear Wondow

December 31, 2025 // 0 Comments

What better way to get through that rarher dull period between Xmas and New Year than a double bill of vintage Hitchcock on tv . i have seen both Rear Window and Dial M [...]