Everyone at Bohemians wishes to extend our deepest condolences to the family of our former player Noel Mitten, a league winner under Billy Young in 1975, who has sadly passed away.
Mitten was signed from Man Utd Youths during the final months of Seán Thomas’ final season as Bohs’ manager, 1972/73, writes Stephen Burke.
He spent some time in our youth and “B” teams before making his senior Bohemian league début on Thursday 4th April 1974 at Dalymount Park in a 7-0 win versus St Patrick’s Athletic.
Only just turned 18, he made his real breakthrough in January 1975, midway through the 74/75 season with Bohs’ title charge grinding to a halt due to a shortage of goals. Mitten’s height and combative style made him a real headache for opposition defences. Perhaps not a prolific goalscorer, he certainly made chances for his teammates.
With Turlough O’Connor out injured for the final eight matches, Mitten’s contribution of five goals during that run-in was vital as Bohemians went on to win the 1974/75 league championship, the club’s first since 1935/36.
Mitten signed a professional form for Bohs the following season and would play in the European Cup against Rangers, particularly impressing in the first leg at Ibrox.
The 1975/76 campaign ended prematurely for him on 8th Feb 1976 during a 2-0 win in the league at home to a Waterford side featuring Bobby Charlton. He was stretchered off in the 50th minute, leaving Bohs with just nine men owing to earlier injuries to Gerry Ryan and substitute Con Martin (only one sub allowed at the time). That knee injury would keep him out for months, thus he unfortunately missed out on Bohs’ FAI Cup-winning run.
He was back the next season and made Wednesday, 29th September 1976, a night to remember in the club’s history. Mitten came on as sub for Turlough O’Connor in the second leg of the Cup-Winners’ Cup meeting away to Esbjerg. Bohs held a 2-1 lead from the first leg, but Noel put the tie beyond the Danes’ reach in the 80th minute when he rose to head home a Pat Byrne cross, the only goal of the night. For a League of Ireland club to win both legs of a European tie was almost unheard of.
That 1976/77 season sadly would be Noel Mitten’s last at Dalymount Park. His final appearance would be with Bohs “B” team in a LOI Combination game on 28th March 1977 before emigrating to Australia a few days later.
In all he’d made 60 first team appearances for Bohemians, scoring 20 goals.
May he rest in peace.
