THE grave of Blackburn Rovers most successful manager has been cleaned up by young offenders.

Blackburn’s Youth Offending Team was asked by a family member to find and clean the headstone of Thomas Brown Mitchell in Blackburn Old Cemetery, Whalley Old Road.

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Mr Mitchell oversaw the Ewood Park club’s five FA Cup triumphs in 1884, 85, 86, 90 and 91.

Born in Scotland, he moved south of the border around 1867 and became secretary-manager of Rovers in 1884.

He left to manager Woolwich Arsenal in 1897, where he became the London club’s first manager.

His record of three consecutive FA Cup wins while at Rovers is a record that still stands today.

Mr Mitchell returned to Blackburn after resigning from Arsenal and died in 1921, aged 78.