With Brentford due to play a final warm up at Norwich City today, our team selection could have more significance than anybody realises. With both Leeds United (Stuart Dallas) and Hull City (Andre Gray and Moses Odubajo) coveting several of our bigger name players according to rumour, it will be interesting to see how many of them feature. And specifically because Marinus told Beesplayer last week that this line up would feature 90% of the team he has pencilled in to kick off the season opener against Ipswich Town on August 8.
Much as I am still intrigued by the amount of noise being generated from quote free rumours (with a journalistic, “I understand / “sources close to the club”” being about as ‘solid’ as it gets), reading the comments from Friday’s article the Leeds supporters are convinced that the Stuart Dallas story is nailed on. Phil Hay of the Yorkshire Evening Post, apparently, a writer who only deals in certainty when it comes to impending transfers – I guess the journalistic equivalent of our own Beesotted.
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 
Nick: well balanced piece; good read – it says that Oxford and Wimbledon lifted trophies at “Wimbledon” presumably this should read “Wembley”
Cheers Paul. And spot on. That’s how much ‘The W place’ gets to me. Although i quite also like the image of Vinnie Jones on Centre Court
If Stuart does leave, and I certainly hope he doesn’t, I am sure he is one ex-player who will get a good reception. Always gave his best for the team and not a regular enough starter. Those goals against Fulham and Derby, in particular, will live long in the memory!
Good luck Stuart (but just not against The Bees)
I just read 90% of this in another post by the same author on here (because it comes up in all new related to Leeds Utd) is it getting that bad that you need to repeat your postings with minute extras just to create news? Have to say the original of this post was well written but come on if you gunna change the headline change the content properly too
Bigger club (in terms of history and capacity).
Think you missed silverware, attendance, international fanbase, local support, value and likely hood of getting to the prem.
Should have read Brentford are a much smaller club (aside from league finish last season).
Thought ‘history’ and ‘capacity’ pretty much covered all of that. Nobody is doubting your set up, potential or former glories.
Likelihood of making it to Premiership, certainly based on recent form, currently lies more with Brentford. As things stand.
Either way, it promises to be an exciting season for both clubs.
Thanks for reading
I’m a Leeds fan & hate arrogant comments like this. ‘Bigger club’ ‘fanbase’ ‘history’ its all we ever talk about because for the last 10 years we haven’t been able to mention what a decent team we have. I can’t remember the last time I came away from ER excited by a performance. No wins in pre-season doesn’t bode well either! Good luck to Brentford in the Championship & Bournemouth in the Prem this season, small clubs who are up to the BIG challenge
Cheers. As just mentioned to another Leeds fan, I really think the combination of Uwe and United could be a dangerous one this season. Really looking forward to his Griffin Park return
I’ve been a Leeds fan since before Revie when we had no silverware, no reputation & no reason for arrogance. I couldn’t agree with you more yorxman. I love the success some of clubs like Bournemouth & Brentford (& hate the purchased success of the likes of Man City); & some of our fans are an embarrassment.
Nick, I enjoyed your article. Seemed well-balanced & a good read. Think I’ll be back to your site for Bees updates, just for the read! Good luck this season
Like your balanced articles Nick! I have to say that Brentford were fantastic last season but the challenge for this term will be tough, I will watch with interest to see how it unfolds for you guys. Brentford have one thing that Leeds haven’t had in a long time, a sane business minded owner. Will that prove to be right this season? We will see. I think Leeds fans are excited because we are bringing in and being associated with great talent again instead of freebies and experienced players past their prime.
Many thanks. Wherever Stuart ends up, I think this has the potential to be a great season for both clubs. Uwe will do very well at Elland Road – of that i’ve no doubt
Just wanted to say – in contrast to some of the LUFC knuckleheads commenting here – that this is a very well balanced piece and one that affords Leeds United the credit we deserve for our history (refreshingly so; all we normally get is criticism for “living in the past” etc etc) while also making the impossible to disprove comment that Brentford are currently miles ahead of us. The older I get, the less I can understand why football fans see the need to take any comment about their club personally.
Thanks very much. Football is just a really emotive subject. Every club has knuckleheads – ourselves included – but most have a majority of sensible fans who live for the moment, love the game but never forget the good (or bad) times from days gone by.
I love the banter but I just don’t see any point in slagging off the opposition in print. It only comes back to bite you on the behind. Much better to play sporting and savour the victory – should it come
I’m a Leeds supporter for longer than i care to mention but the closest thing i would have to a second team would be Brentford. I had a mate who was at Uni up in the north of England where i live and he was a Bees supporter,John Southgate he is called. He would tell me about Brentford having a pub on each corner of the ground and he’d regale me with stories of catastrophies like Mickey Bennett and Joe Allon. Anyway i’m half hoping you keep Dallas and we both go up. All the best to the Bees.
A great, well – balanced piece. Could you write a few about Leeds as well instead of the jingoistic crap we normally have served up?
I will be disappointed to see Dallas go to Leeds. Was superb for us last season, but like you say Nick, news of this is coming from credible sources, so sadly I think he is off, although £1million does seem ridiculously low. We will always have memories of him scoring the injury time winner against Derby with the Ealing Road going mad, and of course the 2 at the, now legendary, Great Friday 4-1 win at F****m. Including goal of the season. Seems a genuinely down to earth nice guy too. Leeds will have got a cracking signing.
Like yourself, im not one for slagging off the oppo. Having been a Bee in Bournemouth all my life, I learnt at a young age that any sledging will smack you on the arse evenetually. Leeds have an amazing history, fanbase etc, but it all counts for nothing come August 8 when we are all equal and we start all over again.
Nice to read an article talking about Leeds without any pettiness or random bandwagon hating. Personally will be over the moon if we manage to sign Dallas, seemed a cracking player last year. Although any wide men will do for us at the minute! Brentfords football style seems to be so much more than 1 or 2 players, both games last year could have been 4/5 -0 to your lot. The entire team seems to me to be built around lightning quick counter attacking and neat passing, this will carry on regardless of who you sell, and will always cause big lumbering ‘old English championship’ teams like us (last year anyway) problems. Fully expect you to be up there come next May. Best of luck
I was goona write a glowing reply to your article whilst tsking slight exeption to the “bigger” comment. However it seems everyone has already beaten me. To it.. Keep up the good work. Gl to Brentford for this sesson. I hope u do well.
Many thanks indeed @! I think that, whatever happens in the Stuart Dallas story, things are only looking well set for Leeds United. Uwe did a great job pushing us into shape – albeit with help from the owner and his support network. Get that blend right at Elland Road and you could be very happy in nine months.
As for the bees, can we build on last season is the big question? I can’t wait to find out
Again some good / smart comments from some Leeds fans on here, not anybody’s fault but comments on BFC size / history are often made in ignorance. Nobody can deny that we haven’t exactly filled our boots on silverware, and come from the less fashionable corner of West London. But do a bit of research and you’ll see that our history and traditions are rich, and that were it not for WW2 we might be in a different place now. The Bees are Middlesex’s football club – our support is as loyal and passionate as any.
Rosler seems to be putting a half decent squad together there, i’m not one of his admirers and was relieved when he decided to walk away to join Wigan. The football became sterile, we overplayed time and time again, and in the end his personality caused problems with he squad and supporters.
Nevertheless I always felt that there may be a club out there we his approach could work – maybe Leeds is that club. Good luck to them anyway – eventually they will find their way back to the premier league, maybe we’ll be there too.