“Football is sometimes called a village, and in any village, gossip and rumours can spread like wildfire, whether or not such rumours are true.” Not my words but some that may be familiar to Brentford supporters following the leak which would, eventually, see Mark Warburton become manager of Rangers. With Leeds United and Hull City at the forefront of Friday’s stories about alleged transfer bids, they are words that are more telling than ever.
Let’s be clear. When the infamous ‘statement’ was eventually issued back in February, hours after the story about Mark’s apparent departure had been all over the press, it did nothing but further confuse the issue. Yet in the context of this week, perhaps one can almost see the sentiment which was no doubt meant at the time.
Following the rebuttal by Matthew Benham of the ‘Andre Gray talking to Hull City’ story this was followed up by an, as yet, unsubstantiated claim that the same club had triggered a £3.5million release clause in Moses Odubajo’s contract. And to compound matters, Friday afternoon say multiple sources running a quote free story suggesting that Uwe Rösler was poised to take Stuart Dallas to Leeds United.
To read the rest of this article, season 2015/16 is now available to download onto Kindle (and other electronic reading device) in full, as : Ready. Steady. Go Again. : Brentford FC season review 2015 – 2016
Thanks for reading and all your comments over the course of the season. For now, it’s the annual clean up to make more space on the site for the inevitable follow up. However, ‘close season’ will continue in full, further along.
But wait, like all the best infomercials, there’s more. The last three seasons of the Last Word : Celebrating like they’d won the FA Cup; Tales from the football village and Ready. Steady. Go Again are also available in one combined volume as:
Brentford Football Club – The Bees are going up. Season reviews: 2013/14, 2014/15 & 2015/16
We did. And we still are !
Its all about the kit, man. And the Bees.
BrentfordFC 
Dallas is a done deal bar a medical.
Hull City do keep their dealings as quiet as possible to prevent alerting other clubs to the possibility of a players availability.
Unfortunately Agents have other ideas and try to create a bidding auction.
To be honest , the valuation of Andre Grey who has had one half decent season as a unknown commodity of £7m is laughable.
Just over a year in league football, £7m is a joke, and a sad reflection of the state of English football.
I truly hope we laugh at Brentford’s valuation and pay a higher salary to a proven top flight striker already at our club in Jelovich.
The Dallas to Leeds story was broken by Phil Hay, and he doesn’t print/tweet stuff based on rumours. If he says fee is agreed and it’s just subject to a medical then the fee has been agreed and Dallas will be in Leeds doing his medical very soon he doesn’t make things public if they’re not certain.
It’s true, unless the medical falls through or we can’t agree terms, it’s a done deal. I read enough Leeds rumours to know when it’s pretty much done and when it’s total
Nonsense. This is not a dig at Brentford at all who were hands down the better side last season but we do draw players in still. It’s a huge challenge to be part of the squad that eventually gets Leeds back to the Prem and a lot of players want that challenge. We are still a huge club with more potential than most in this division but that does wear thin after a while…
Cheers Rob. Don’t think you are digging at the Bees. Personally, I take it as a huge comment that our players are coveted by teams with a reputation such as yours and, to a lesser extent, Hull City.
United supporters sound very convinced and, given the (journalistic) source this would seem to be the more likely of the three under consideration.
I’m sure the Leeds ‘potential’ is much like the Brentford will win a play off. One day you are convinced it will happen but,as things happen, yet to quite make it. The one thing you can count on is the difference a huge fan base and a big,full, stadium can make. I’ve no doubt Leeds United will come again – I just hope it isn’t this season (no offence)
That’s ut Nick, it shows how far you’ve come really. I didn’t know much about Dallas but when I heard he played 38 times for you guys I thought, must be better than what we have and a good player at this level. It will be an interesting season, the second year is always tougher as teams figure you out but if you sell a few of your lads you might actually get that unpredictability back so it could be a blessing. Did you keep hold of Pritchard this year? He was a cracking player for you last year. Good luck for the season anyway and whilst Leeds definitely look to be on an upward curve, nothing is ever permanent here and I don’t think we are quite ready to challenge at the top end so don’t lose any sleep over that. Having said that, keep signing players of this ilk and we might be the ones surprising a few this year. I hope so anyway!
Thanks. Pritchard back to Spurs. Think Uwe will take you back up in the right direction. How far remains to be seen but he put us on the right track. And if you do pick up players like Dallas…..
I find it funny that you make a comment about former glories count for nothing
I wonder how many premiership clubs feel the same and how many players would prefer to tell their grand children I once played for Brentford as a posed to I once played for Leeds United
I guess that all depends what the respective teams were doing when an individual played for them. No doubting Leeds United have a fantastic history – something I was quick to mention ahead of our game at Elland Road last season (and at the height of all the ‘tinpot’ jobs from a certain element of their support).
Likewsie, football can be cyclical and I have no doubt they’ll be Premiership again at some point.
That’s not to say that Brentford can’t carve out their own place in footballing history, either. Just look at the likes of Oxford United and Wimbledon back in the 80s. They both stormed into the top flight from even humbler beginning than Brentford and even lifted trophies at Wimbledon.
I’m fairly sure the grandchildren of those players hear a few stories.
Quite! It’s so good to have confidence in the thrust and vision of Matthew Benham. How much better are we now as a club with MB having a focus we could only have dreamed about a few years ago. The Brentford of of today is a million light years away even from
the days of Dean Holdsworth and Garry Blissett, and a trillion years away from Glen Poole, Charlie McDonald etc, etc.
Where to next? Who knows! But if Hull are knocking on our door, whether it’s true or not, just remember that it is us, our team, Brentford, who now have the players that other teams covert.
We don’t get too many players going to Gillingham any more, do we?
Rod – spot on. good man and well said
Leeds fans have a good idea what you’re feeling, We had to live with four of our best players moving to Norwich over a couple of seasons. .
The bigger problem for Leeds was the money wasn’t reinvested in the squad, Ken Bates allegedly used the money to build exec boxes. That’s what it showed in the accounts anyway.
After 10 years under Bates I would say the biggest asset for any club is an owner who truly cares for his club and wants to take it forward. You appear to have that in spades so no matter what happens over the next few days, the best of luck for the new season. Apart from when you are playing Leeds of course.
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Cheers Peter. We’ll see what plays out today and take it from there. One thing’s for sure, as an owner Matthew Benham is unique. And in a good way
It will be a great signing for Leeds if he does eventually signs but until the ink is dry I would not count any chickens with the way our chairman operates. Nick I would appreciate it if you could contact me via email. I run a Leeds site and would love to ask a few questions about Dallas.
Just replied to your email.