Mitchell's Malta link

One of the best Scottish players of the 1950s was Newcastle United's Bobby Mitchell.

Born in Glasgow on August 16, 1924 he joined Third Lanark in 1942 but his football career was interrupted by the Second World War. He was a telegraphist in the Royal Navy during the conflict and served in the Mediterranean and the Pacific.

Mitchell was probably the most noted footballer to serve in Malta during the war although his career really took off after the hostilities were over. In February 1949, George Martin, the Newcastle manager, paid £17,000, a record fee for a winger, to sign Mitchell.

He joined a team full of established British stars and in his first season, the Magpies finished fourth in the First Division.

During his stay in Malta, Mitchell played regularly for the Navy team in the United Service League, a competition which the Navy won handsomely. Mitchell was also a natural pick for the full Navy Representative XI.

Then, in 1943-44, Mitchell played for St George's in the semi-final of the Malta Cup against Valletta FC.

St George's lost a tight game 2-1 but they can boast of having had in their ranks one of the greatest British players of the post-war period, not in the twilight of his career, but in his prime.

At the end of the war Mitchell returned to England and Newcastle. He was an immediate success at Tyneside.

Tall and willowy, he was famed for his immaculate ball-control and his wizardry on the wing.

He was also a prolific goal-getter, scoring many important goals from the wing for Newcastle.

In those days Newcastle were among the top guns of the English league. In 1949-50, Jackie Milburn finished as the league's top scorer with 18 goals but it was Mitchell who set up most of Milburn's goals. He also scored eight goals in 38 league matches.

On May 12, 1952 Mitchell earned his first international cap for Scotland against Denmark. He scored one of the goals in a 3-1 win. Four days later, Mitchell played in the 1-0 victory over France.

Newcastle finished fourth in the league in the 1950-51 season and did even better in the FA Cup. They eliminated Bolton Wanderers, Stoke City, Bristol Rovers and Wolves to reach the final against Blackpool.

The defences dominated the first half of this final. The deadlock was broken in the 50th minute when Milburn collected a pass from George Robledo to fire home. Five minutes later, Ernie Taylor cleverly back-heeled the ball and Milburn scored with a powerful shot from 25 yards.

The next season Newcastle had another good run in the FA Cup, beating Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, Swansea City, Portsmouth and Blackburn Rovers on their way to the final where they met Arsenal.

As holders, Newcastle were aiming to become the first team to retain the FA Cup since Blackburn in 1891.

This game had the ingredients of a classic but on 19 minutes Wally Barnes, of Arsenal, was injured in a tackle with Milburn. Substitutes were not allowed in those days so Barnes tried to carry on but he was forced to leave before half-time.

Arsenal's ten men fought magnificently against the marauding Newcastle forwards. They held out until the 85th minute when Robledo headed in a Milburn cross.

Then came 1954-55 when Newcastle once again reached the cup final. This time their opponents were Manchester City.

The game started well for the Magpies as, after only a few minutes, Milburn opened the scoring.

The situation got worse for City when Jimmy Meadows suffered a serious knee injury midway through the first half. Just as in 1952, Newcastle had just 10 men to beat.

Despite their numerical disadvantage City equalised when Bobby Johnston beat Ronnie Simpson with a diving header.

In the second half Newcastle made their numerical advantage count. Mitchell made a run down the wing before scoring from an acute angle. Soon afterwards George Hannah made it 3-1 after receiving a pass from Mitchell.

Mitchell and Newcastle had lifted the FA Cup for the third time in five years.

The nimble-footed winger who turned out for St George's on that wintry afternoon in 1943 went on to become a colossus of English football. I am sure that none of those who were watching that game could have imagined the success this player would achieve on his return to his homeland.

Mitchell died in Newcastle upon Tyne on April 8, 1993.