No favourites for neutral Mimms

MIMMS THE WORD: Athletic’s goalkeeping coach Bobby Mimms is in charge of two goalkeepers pushing for the number one spot.

BOBBY Mimms’ association with Mark Oxley goes back to when the loaned Hull City man was in primary school in South Yorkshire. But he has no favourites.

The spotlight shone on the number one shirt at Boundary Park last week when Paul Rachubka (32) was handed his first start of the season in the Preston cup-tie. The keeper made the most of his chance by helping to keep the club’s first clean sheet of the season.

Oxley (23), who has yet to do likewise after a dozen games at Boundary Park, can point to the fact that Rachubka had a relatively smooth ride.

As far as who takes the jersey for Carlisle’s visit this weekend, goalkeeping coach Mimms is staying neutral: “As a goalkeeper, you are always competing with one another within the group,” said the former Blackburn man.

“Paul is a lot more experienced than Mark. But I have known Mark for a long time — since he was a 10 year old at Rotherham’s centre of excellence.

“The clean sheet at Preston adds a bit more to the competition and by doing that, Paul gives the manager a decision to make.”

A goalkeeper rich in top-flight experience, the 49-year-old Yorkshireman played in an FA Cup final for Everton in 1986 and was a major part of Blackburn’s surge, working under the legendary Kenny Dalglish and making four appearances in the Premier League winning side of 1994-95.

As a coach, Mimms spent seven years at Wolves from 2001 before going back to Ewood Park, an association that ended when he was victim to the clean sweep of staff which occurred when Henning Berg was sacked in December, last year.

Mimms remains highly respected and the links he has within the pro ranks make him especially useful for a rookie boss.

“He is worth his weight in gold, contacts-wise,” said Johnson. Mimms in turn has been impressed with the work done by Johnson to date.

“It is his first post so Lee is doubly keen to do everything right,” Mimms added. “He puts a lot of thought into what he does, whether training or picking his team, and he bounces things off everybody in the coaches’ room.

“I have a little bit more experience so he will ask the question on certain things, but he ultimately has the say-so.”

Mimms feels the players will become mentally tougher, the longer the season goes on.

He said: “We have some very good young players at the club. They have all shown their qualities but unfortunately, we haven’t brought that together as a group enough.

“We need to learn the game management side and things that will come with experience.”