Mitchell Fretton

Mitchell Fretton

News editor & writer

📝 Bio: I am a football editor and writer who eats, sleeps, drinks and lives the sport. My expertise lies in the English Premier League and top European divisions - with a particular focus on tactical analysis and match breakdowns. My experience spans across the country, having sat in press boxes during Champions League nights at St James' Park and in the Etihad media room with Pep Guardiola. I grew up in Essex, loving and hating Tottenham Hotspur, and although I never made it as the next Gareth Bale, a career in the sports industry has served me well so far.

My Football Story: Can you be thrown into the deep end when it comes to football? My first memories of the game come from high up in the North Stand at White Hart Lane. Tottenham vs Arsenal in 2004, I didn’t have a team then, but my dad and grandad wanted to get me in Lilywhite as soon as I was born. Spurs might have lost that game 5-4 against a side who had just completed an invincible season, but from that moment I was hooked. I do not regret the decision one single bit.

🎯 Areas of Expertise:

  • Premier League Tactical Analysis
  • Transfer Research & Player Profiling
  • Preview Feature Writing

🌟 Favourite Footballing Memory: There can only be one moment here. Travelling to Bilbao and being there to witness Spurs win their first trophy in 17 years and first European honour in over four decades. The feeling of watching Heung-Min Son lift that trophy was something I will never forget, and a sensation only football fans can feel.

🏆 My All-Time XI: Work with me here, I was born in 1998 and want to base this from players I have watched in my lifetime. It also feels right to go with the classic 4-4-2 - Iker Casillas; Cafu, P.Maldini, F.Cannavaro, Roberto Carlos; Xavi, Zidane, C.Ronaldo, Messi; Henry, Ronaldo.

Articles by Mitchell Fretton
  1. Revealed: Tuchel has NOT contacted Trent after England snub

    Thomas Tuchel has admitted he is yet to pick up the phone to Trent Alexander-Arnold after leaving the Real Madrid star out of his latest England squad, with the 27-year-old's World Cup hopes hanging by a thread just one day after news broke of his split from girlfriend Estelle Behnke. The former Liverpool man has been in good form at his new club, but is yet to win any favour from the Three Lions boss.

  2. Kaneryd on target but Blues falter in WSL title race again

    Chelsea's hopes of retaining the Women's Super League title were all but ended at the hands of the London City Lionesses on Saturday afternoon, with the Blues pegged back to a 1-1 draw at The Den. Despite taking the lead early in the first half, Sonia Bompastor's decision to leave her heavy hitters on the bench cost her, with the hosts stepping up their efforts in the second half to claw back a point.

  3. Explained: Why Liverpool's clash with Brighton is delayed

    Liverpool's Premier League trip to Brighton has been pushed back by 15 minutes after a road traffic accident on the A27 caused significant travel disruption for fans making their way to the American Express Stadium on Saturday, the club have confirmed. The Reds are looking to capitalise on Manchester United's dropped points on Friday night against Bournemouth, but will have to wait a little longer to get underway.

  4. Barton facing 'financial ruin' after being denied bail for GBH

    Joey Barton is staring down the barrel of financial ruin after a relentless series of court cases have left the former Premier League midfielder with legal bills approaching £1 million, and his troubles show no sign of ending after he was denied bail following a GBH charge connected to a fight at a golf club in Liverpool, his most recent arrest after a series of incidents in recent years.

  5. Saka reveals 'humble' secrets behind Arsenal's quadruple charge

    Bukayo Saka has lifted the lid on life inside Arsenal's dressing room as the Gunners continue to chase a historic quadruple, and the message from the club's starboy sounds remarkably similar to the message Erling Haaland gave Mikel Arteta last season. The England international insists his side are "staying humble", as they prepare to face Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday.

  6. Salah blamed for Liverpool's embarrassing title defence

    Graeme Souness has delivered a damning verdict on Mohamed Salah, suggesting that the Egyptian King has "fallen off a cliff" and is the single biggest reason Liverpool have struggled to defend their Premier League title. The former Reds captain also claimed that Salah's best years are behind him, before calling for the club to sell him at the end of the season.

  7. Tudor applauds Spurs flops for 'sleeping less' on pitch

    Igor Tudor has credited Tottenham's recent upturn in form on the squad being more alert during games, telling reporters his players are finally "sleeping less on the pitch" as Spurs battle to drag themselves clear of the Premier League relegation zone. The Croat picked up his first win in charge against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday and admits he has seen a positive response to his methods.

  8. Carrick fumes over Bournemouth penalty decisions

    Michael Carrick has let loose on the standards of officiating after Manchester United were held to a 2-2 draw at Bournemouth on Friday night. The Red Devils boss branded the refereeing display as"crazy", "mental" and "baffling" after his side were denied what he believed was a clear second penalty in the game, with the hosts scoring almost immediately after play was waved on.

  9. De la Fuente defends Spain in Finalissima debacle

    Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has broken his silence to defend the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) amid fallout from the collapsed Finalissima between La Roja and Argentina, with the manager placing responsibility for the fixture's collapse on the South American nation. The match, which would have pitted the European champions against the world champions, never materialised despite months of planning.

  1. Valverde confirms he will leave Athletic Club

    Ernesto Valverde has announced he will leave Athletic Club at the end of the season, bringing the curtain down on an incredible tenure with the Basque club that has spanned three separate spells in the dugout and six seasons as a player. The 60-year-old made the announcement in a short video, where he also confirmed he will remain in charge until the end of the season.

  2. UEFA & Liverpool launch investigation into Lang injury

    UEFA and Liverpool have launched an investigation into the advertising hoarding that left Noa Lang requiring surgery after the Dutch winger suffered a serious injury to his right thumb during Galatasaray's Champions League exit at Anfield on Wednesday night. Lang was involved in a collision with the pitchside boards in the latter stages of the loss and had to be stretchered off.

  3. Thomas Tuchel

    Tuchel reveals plan to 'split' 35-man England squad

    Thomas Tuchel has explained the thinking behind picking a larger 35-man England squad for the upcoming international break, revealing that he intends to split the group into two separate camps for the friendlies against Uruguay and Japan as he prepares his final squad assessment ahead of this summer's World Cup, where he will have to trim down to just 25 players.

  4. Galatasaray duo show off battle scars following Liverpool clash

    Galatasaray's Champions League exit at Anfield on Wednesday night proved painful in more ways than one, with both Victor Osimhen and Noa Lang ending up in hospital after the 4-0 defeat that sent Liverpool through to the quarter-finals. In the aftermath, the two attackers have since been making light of their shared misfortune, with Lang posting an Instagram story showing the pair on a video call together, both sporting bandaged limbs.

  5. Kane & Bayern tipped to beat Real Madrid in UCL

    Two of German football's legendary faces have thrown their weight behind Bayern Munich ahead of their Champions League quarter-final showdown with Real Madrid, with Lothar Matthaus going as far as to tip Vincent Kompany's side to win the treble this season. The Bavarians have been formidable with Harry Kane leading the line this season, and are being heavily backed to collect a haul of silverware.

  6. Maguire returns! Tuchel recalls Man Utd star ahead of World Cup

    Thomas Tuchel has handed Harry Maguire his first England call-up in a year, rewarding the Manchester United centre-back for his resurgence under interim boss Michael Carrick. Maguire is among several notable inclusions as Tuchel names his final squad for the upcoming international friendlies before selecting his 25 players for this summer's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

  7. Hat-trick hero Raphinha runs things for five-star Barca

    Barcelona re-established their healthy lead at the top of La Liga on Sunday afternoon, beating Sevilla 5-2 to move back four points clear of Real Madrid. It was another fruitful outing for Raphinha, who bagged a hat-trick in the win. Two of his strikes came from the penalty spot, with his third a looping deflection that put the game to bed early in the second half.