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Articles by Rex Mitchell

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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

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

Croatia 2 England 1

In the end the expectations caught up with the team. Gareth Southgate managed the nation’s expectations superbly but social media and the endless renditions of ‘football’s coming home’ placed too much of a burden on those young shoulders. The fears  that the Rust’s correspondents [...]

July 12, 2018 // 0 Comments

World Cup reflections

England had little difficulty in disposing of Sweden. As usual The Racing Post was the best informed of the morning articles. They were the first to point out that Sweden were no mugs having qualified  for the World Cup by overcoming Holland and Italy and beating France. Yesterday they informed [...]

July 8, 2018 // 0 Comments

Reflections on a great night

Gareth Southgate has earned the nations’s undying gratitude for the way he has managed and prepared the team. Sometime between supported by loathsome fighting  far right  yobs and a more peaceful fan the England team lost its connection with their support.  Gareth Southgate referred  to being [...]

July 4, 2018 // 0 Comments

The World Cup so far

It’s too early to make any predictions as winning World Cup teams tend to grow in stature rather than hit the ground running but it’s nonetheless valuable for the Rust to present its customary contrarian view. Pre-tourney there were many fears in the popular press of hooliganism provoking a [...]

June 20, 2018 // 0 Comments

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