Premier League

EDDIE HOWE’S former chairman Eddie Mitchell is a Newcastle fan now — after being booted out of Bournemouth.And Mitchell admits to being “devastated” that he will not be able to watch Howe’s second return to the Vitality Stadium today.
Former Bournemouth chairman Eddie Mitchell is now banned from the VitalityCredit: PA
Mitchell brough Eddie Howe back to Bournemouth in 2012 after his spell at BurnleyCredit: PA
Howe spent the best part of 12 years at the Cherries, leading them from the bottom of League Two to the Premier League in two spells.
It was Mitchell who negotiated Howe’s return from Burnley in 2012 during his four-year spell in charge.
That history-making decision came off big time and Howe drove the side into the top-flight for the first time in the club’s history — backed by Russian money.
Local property developer Mitchell, 69, was responsible for introducing major share-holder Maxim Demin to the South Coast club.
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But soon after the Russian bought the Cherries, Mitchell was banned from Bournemouth and told never to return.
And now Mitchell has switched allegiance to Howe’s Toon, saying: “What happened at Bournemouth left me devastated.
“I am a lifelong Cherries fan but I am not allowed to watch them because I am banned.
“I was banned within two weeks after I sold the club to the Russian.
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“I got a letter from a solicitor saying that I was no longer welcome and, if I turned up for a match, I would be escorted out of the ground and the police would be called.
“I was born in Bournemouth and still love the club that has given us Ted MacDougal, Harry Redknapp and Steve Fletcher — people who have made a name for themselves.
“For me Eddie is at the top of the list though — and is now doing a fantastic job, which is why I am a Newcastle supporter now.
“I love the football they are playing and you can see they are playing through him.
“You see the energy they are putting in and his enthusiasm and knowledge must rub off on everyone around him.”
Mitchell is a full-on member of the Eddie Howe Fan Club having seen him at work in his formative managerial days.
The former Portsmouth and Cherries defender, whose career was cut short by injury, became interim boss on New Year’s Day in 2009 after Jimmy Quinn was sacked.
Howe led the cash-strapped League Two strugglers to safety having put his hands in his own pocket to help the club survive.
Howe led Bournemouth from League Two to the Premier LeagueCredit: Action Images – Reuters
And Mitchell soon found out what a workaholic he was — which sometimes put his nose out of joint.
Mitchell explained: “I was Eddie’s chairman for his first full season in management and we had our ups and downs.
“Eddie and his No 2 Jason Tindall were chalk and cheese but their relationship worked.
“I remember one day we were  losing 3-0 against Notts County and I said to my friends, ‘I’m going home, I can’t be doing this’.
“I was new to league football and didn’t really know what I was doing but when I walked past our dressing room I went in and told the team what I thought of them.
“Eddie looked at me in disbelief and the next day he phoned me up to say he and Jason were resigning.
“About ten minutes later I thought, ‘Oh s**t, this is not right’.  I phoned his back and said, ‘I’m not accepting your resignations’.”
But Mitchell soon saw what a wise move it was keeping Howe. He said: “Eddie is very clever, very honest, and that doesn’t always suit people.
“But he’s also very hardworking and dedicated to achieving.
“He was the only person at the club who would pee me off in the mornings when he would get into work before me.
“I liked to lead from the front being the first one in and letting everyone know that was the case.
“But sometimes I’d drive around the corner around 7am, or earlier, and would go ‘f***’ when I’d see his car already there.”
Mitchell now owns Poole-based Elite Skills Arena, manufacturing hi-tech football training products used by the likes of Barcelona.
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But he still misses his days at the Cherries when Howe was king.
Mitchell added: “We were both of a similar make-up  and he is a really loyal person — I really miss working with him.” More

MAURICIO POCHETTINO admitted Chelsea are to blame for Reece James snubbing England.The right-back, 23, was surprisingly left out of Gareth Southgate’s latest Three Lions squad named yesterday.
Reece James requested to be left out of the latest England squadCredit: Getty
Mauricio Pochettino put the blame on Chelsea and the medical staff wanting to continue the right-back’s rehabCredit: Getty
England face Malta and North Macedonia in Euro 2024 qualifiers next week, having already secured their spot in Germany next summer.
And Blues boss Poch took responsibility for James’ omission – despite the defender’s recent return from injury.
James suffered a hamstring injury in training in August and was sidelined for two months.
The new Chelsea captain made his comeback as a late sub against Arsenal on October 21 then came on in the Brentford defeat.
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He managed an hour as Chelsea beat Blackburn in the Carabao Cup and 77 minutes of Monday’s chaotic 4-1 victory at Tottenham.
But he is still not back to full match fitness and his club were keen to manage him closely in the final stages of his recovery.
Pochettino said: “It’s never the decision of the player.
“The medical staff, sports science and coaching staff always take the decisions, not the player.
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“Reece is desperate to go to the national team and I only think this will be good for the national team and Chelsea also.
“But it’s not a decision by him, he is desperate to go.”
Southgate confessed he had planned to call up James for the final squad of 2023 to reintegrate him back into the side – especially after he missed the World Cup through injury and now with the pressure off the upcoming games.
And though the national team gaffer admitted he “understood” Chelsea and James’ decision, he also said it was a “risk” amid the strength in depth in his position.
Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier were included in the 26-man England squad named by Southgate on Thursday, with Trent Alexander-Arnold in and classed as a midfielder.
Southgate said: “I was hoping to call up Reece James but he doesn’t feel he’s quite ready.
“I understand that, he’s had a long path back from a number of injuries. He’s probably a bit cautious in that respect, but I can understand why.
“There is [competition for places] and that’s the risk. He’s only got one more squad before the Euros. So he knows that. We’ve got belief in what he can do.

“He completely understands [the risk]. He has only really been able to be with us in March for the first part of the camp. But that’s been because he keeps having these moments where he breaks down.
“He was very keen to make clear, ‘Look I don’t want you to think I don’t want to be there’. We had a really good long conversation and exchange of messages after that as well. But I’m very understanding.
“We want to have a fit Reece James that can play consecutive games, because we can only take 23 to a finals.
“Physical reliability is going to be really important. I think we will always manage a player as well as we can but there is a reality around his training at the moment. He plays and there’s a couple of days’ recovery.
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“We would have loved to have him with us, don’t get me wrong. But I’m perfectly calm with the conversation.”
James’ Chelsea team-mate Raheem Sterling was overlooked once more by Southgate while Ben White also failed to convince Southgate he deserved a call-up. More