Brentford travel to Brighton for this evening’s ‘trial by TV’. Keith Stroud is the ref. Red cards. Sheffield United. A flamboyant flourish. 2015/16 season stats of 134 yellows and 8 reds in 31 games. Regular readers know the drill by now so I won’t overly elaborate. Instead, the inevitable rabbit hole of the Internet has led me to the Bees via Manchester City, Watford and the entire Premier League.
Keith Stroud – we all know the drill
I can’t take the full credit for this one. Checking around the BBC this morning to confirm we really did have Mr. Stroud ‘in charge’ (I laughed, too) I stumbled across a feature they had published on the most ‘searched for’ questions about Premier League clubs. Thanks to the predictive nature of Google (other search engines are, apparently, available) it is a simple enough exercise to undertake but an intriguing one.
Questions on the search include:
Why do Sunderland A.F.C fans hate Jimmy Hill?
Why do Watford have a moose on their badge?
Why do Manchester City fans boo the Champions League anthem?
Jimmy Hill – so popular he even appeared in an 80’s computer game
The BBC piece has many of the answers, too.
I can’t imagine anybody would think ill of the late, great Jimmy but, as ever in football, there is a reason.
Watford’s moose isn’t. A misconception which even this kit fanatic had previously made. The only moose you’ll find at football stadia goes by the name of Ian and is usually located in the canteen rather than on a shirt.
As for Manchester City and the Champions League, the BBC don’t resolve that one although I’d imagine the answer is simply because they weren’t allowed to buy it. Certainly, that seems the solution to any other on-field issue they face.
But fascinating though this all is, the story doesn’t delve into the Championship. So I thought I would take a look at what the world outside of TW8 wants to know about Brentford.
And here it is…
The big questions on the Bees…
Primarily, this has thrown up more questions than answers. Why do people think we sacked Warbs? Just how has that Cameron Diaz story got so huge ? Where do we start in trying to answer the one about the Loftus Road mob?
I’ve said my piece on the Diaz affair many times – if anybody wants to know what happened you can find it here – whilst the QPR one has more possible answers than Nick Proschwitz scored goals . As for Warbs, I guess it just highlights how ludicrous those outside of TW8 believe our mutual parting of the ways was.
But sitting here this morning, I’ve realised I haven’t got a clue to the ‘Hey Jude’ question. Like ‘Oldham’s song’, it is one we sing pretty much every game and, whilst I’m not a huge fan (the FA Cup bus back from Chelsea put paid to that), you still need to join in with a club anthem.
There’s no finer sound than Peter Gilham bellowing, “Na Na Nah, Nah Nah Na Naaaaaaa” down the microphone. Our ever popular matchday host looking to inspire a second half atmosphere just prior to the players running back out in one of those ‘do or die’ fixtures.
Which is all well and good but why? Can anybody shed any light on this one? Of course, I could just dive in and ‘Ask Jeeves’ (does that even exist anymore?) but it doesn’t seem right. Besides, the very first link I did press came up with two theories:
1: a player was dumped by a woman of that name in the 60s, 2: Brentford supporter “Indian Joe” replaced “Brent-ford” in the chorus.
So instead, if anybody can explain why or when this all started I’d be eternally grateful? Answers on a postcard or back of an envelope, marked ‘Jude’. Failing that, there’s the ‘comments’ box.
And finally, if you need something to fill the time on your journey down to Brighton today, could I recommend the latest Beesotted podcast ? Featuring Dave and Billy (Grant, not Reeves), along with guests Gemma Teale, Matt Allard and the brilliant Nathan Caton it looks at, amongst other things, the Leeds game, the transfer window and the comedy moments of the season. Plus, of course, the game at the Amex.
Nathan is always good for a laugh – no bad thing for a comedian – and his observations on Steve Evans certainly made me smile.
Enjoy the podcast. Enjoy the game. Here’s to three points.
Can anyone help?
Nick Bruzon
BrentfordFC 
City fan here, do everyone a favour and keep your posts regarding our club off your blog (& tags) if you obviously can’t be bothered reading into a subject first.
City fans boo the CL anthem because our fans have been shafted numerous times by the powers over at UEFA:
-Porto fans racially abused our players and recieved a fine for it… We got a bigger ban for entering the stadium 1 minute late after half time BECAUSE of that racial abuse.
-We played CSKA in the group stages last year, UEFA had put a 3 game stadium ban on CSKA for racism AFTER fans had booked flights and hotels and then refused to refund any of them – the ones who made the trip anyway were turned away by police very aggressivley whilst 600 CSKA fans managed to ‘sneak’ in – this went unpunished.
– Once again this year, we play Kiev away in the next round in 3 weeks time, they were serving a 3 game ban for racism. UEFA in all their wisdom has had 15 weeks to mull it over yet only announced on Wednesday that the ban was to be lifted and Kiev could sell home tickets and away tickets – leaving 2000 City fans trying to book very expensive last minute flights and hotels whilst the home team will easily sell out and be put at an advantage if City’s travelling support cannot get time off work etc.
UEFA – as proved this year is a corrupt organisation that is a cancer to football and only the select few that they wish to keep at the top table will benefit (Look at them lifting FFP sanctions for AC Milan and Inter…)
A small selection of City fans have their own conspiracy theories but the above are the facts and the only reason I, and everyone who sits near me on matchdays will continue to boo the CL anthem.
Hi GT – thanks for your input on this one.
The whole point of today’s column was that these are the most common questions being asked about clubs in the Premier League (and , in my case, beyond). Those things that people want to know the answers to which people like me, outside of the club in question, may not be readily aware.
It’s always good to get an answer from a fan and, as I woudn’t dream of trying to answer that one seriously, your reply makes a fascinating read.
We’ve got a few random links between our clubs over the years – Uwe Rosler, Robert Taylor (if only he could have got a play of winner for us), the 88/89 FA Cup fourth round and the inflatables. Much as we also have with Birmingham City and Wolves, these connections may not be obvious to the wider world but they do crop up on these pages from time to time.
As such, you may well see this column once in a while. I do like to crowbar a reference or two in.
Thanks for reading. Moreso for taking the time to answer .
Cheers
Calm down love. We did not realise down here at little Brentford that it is against the law to mention your team. Im sure Nick will abide by the law in the future and refer to the team as M********r C**y or as the team that once graced the great Robert Taylor & Shay Logan.
As for the Champions League we have no idea what that is. Someone told me it was something played the same night as League matches on a channel no one has got.
” whilst the QPR one has more possible answers than Nick Proschwitz scored goals . ”
So only a couple of reasons then? 😉
Got to be a good three….
Im sure this is completely wrong, but I once heard the Hey Jude anthem was because back in ancient times it was about the only record the club DJ had and played it every game. Rather reminiscent of the great Dear John TV episode with Ralph’s disco & Shakin Stevens ‘Green Door’.
Nothing wrong with a bit of Shaky. Perhaps I’ll ask our Beesplayer commentary team tonight…
As a nondescript bloke that stands on the terraces & has done since 1964 at GP, I would say what most people are saying about us, in a musical form to follow the thread, is ‘We’re on the Road to Nowhere’ ironically by ‘Talking Heads’ the one thing our “Heads” don’t seem to do.
On the bright side during this evening we had more possession than the opposition, we had more corners & committed less fouls, sadly the most important statistic was less favourable.
Anyway, let’s not be unhappy, it’s the taking part that counts, and the asset stripped team did its best, everybody should be delighted, mathematically the Premiership looks a realistic target within the next 4 years – but which Premiership?
I’ve just bought a Lottery Ticket, so potentially and mathematically I could be a millionaire before the Sheffield Wednesday game – but I’ve not sold my home – oddly sometimes common sense trumps the stats, what’s happened to Common Sense?
!
“Indian Joe” is indeed the correct answer for why we sing Hey Jude.
The moniker is an old nickname, He still goes, sits in the Paddock with hus wife and two sons.
In the 60’s away games often required setting out on a Friday night and Indian Joe was playing the piano and singing Hey Jude when he did indeed change the words Hey Jude to Brent Ford.
I can remember the club playing the song towards the end of each half time in the 70’s and you can hear it on the often televised Brentford vs Watford big match.
Supporters only sang the chorus in the early says. In the 80’s the numbers 2,3,4 were added to the chant, presumably to improving the timing.
The song fell out of favour in the 80’s for a while and was brought back through a nostalgic prematch sing song either later in the decade or the early 90’s and its only since then that fans began to sing the full version we sing now.
Thanks Rich. Very much appreciated . Cracking summary