Sunday morning and it all feels a bit ‘after the Lord Mayor’s show.’ Not in the same crushing style as the punch to the gut that is an actual play-off defeat or a penalty hitting a crossbar (apparently it happened once, five years ago, but nobody ever mentions that). Yet at the same time, Brentford offered a tantalising glimpse of what might have been before going down 2-0 to a Barnsley team who benefited from what head coach Dean Smith would describe as ‘A spawny goal’ to open proceedings. With Aston Villa and Derby County drawing one apiece, had we been able to turn this one into a victory then The Bees would still been alongside them in the promotion race heading into the final round of Championship matches. Alas, it was not to be and instead we’ll have to content ourselves with aiming for what would still be a staggering 7(seven)th placed finish and the choke off to see who drops into League One – Birmingham City, Burton, Barnsley or Bolton.
Spawny? Or did he really mean to sneak inside the back stick from there ?
That’s not to be downbeat. Genuinely. That the team had even hauled themselves into this position following a ‘mixed’ start to the campaign is something that should be celebrated. Four points from eight games saw us not so much flirting with relegation as taking her out on a first date although fortunately she would go on to spurn our advances. The triple transfer departure, and moreso the last day style in which it happened, was hardly great for morale either. I’m the first to hold my hands up on that one. Yet soon after, magic started to happen.
The win at Bolton in late September was followed by a run that saw us fail to pick up points in only one more game over the rest of the calendar year. That being the defeat at Cardiff City which led to Ian Moose demonstrating how to make friends and influence people at Griffin Park. Despite the odd hiccup / low par performance along the way, Dean Smith and his team have kept themselves going to make this one of the most exciting seasons on record. Three points yesterday would have kept it alive for another 90 minutes (at least). Yet to come even this close is something we should be applauding. I’m sure over time we all will.
The trick now is, as with every season, how we build on this. Can we keep the squad together? Will new contracts be signed or will the likes of Ollie Watkins, Ryan Woods, Alan Judge, Chris Mepham and Daniel Bentley be on the shopping lists of those fat cats in the Premier League? Or even the Championship. Without a doubt money talks but sometimes, sitting tight can be better for your career. Just look at the Birmingham City three. Ten times better – at going down. The talk about Woodsy joining Sunderland seems almost laughable now when you see how they have fared, too.
Who’d be a club owner? Moreso with a new stadium now well under construction. No doubt there’ll be decision made which surprise us. Decisions made which shock us. That’s all to come though. For now, we’ve still one more game with the visit of Hull City next Sunday. Still one more round of Championship fixtures to see if Harlee Dean’s decision making off the pitch is proven to be as suspect as some of those choices he made on it this time around. After that much trumpeted move, there is a very real chance of the Blues actually going down. Albeit my head says they are safe, despite what the heart thinks.
Their relegation rivals have equally tough games. On paper. Burton are at Preston. Barnsley go to Derby (although we do know how County love a final day choke) whilst Bolton entertain Nottingham Forest. At least The Trotters have home advantage but they are also reliant on having to increase their goal difference.
As we saw yesterday (and the highlights are now available on Sky’s internet site), the biggest of requirements can lead to the most spirited of performances. Hats off to Barnsley. We wanted it. We needed it. But so did they. And perhaps ten times as much. Brentford were fighting for an unexpected bonus. Let’s not forget that we haven’t actually been in the play-off zone at any point this campaign. Brentford were fighting amongst themselves, going by Dan Bentley’s reaction after the second goal went in – understandable having watched this on the highlights. But The Tykes were fighting for their lives. This really was a case of do or die. Whilst it may not have been the prettiest, the hosts did what they had to. And that takes guts.
Dan and Henrik discuss the second goal
With Burton making it three wins in a row, next Sunday may not be as cut and dried as people think. Of course I’ll be at Brentford v Hull City. Of course I’ll be desperate for three more points to lock in a fourth, successive top ten finish at this level. But I’d be a liar if I was to pretend that there won’t also be an ear on my terrace trannie. Keeping abreast of other results and just what they’ll mean at about twenty past two next Sunday
See you there.
Nick Bruzon
BrentfordFC 
Hahahahahaha who r ya? Never be a premiership club – silly little club in Hounslow!!!!!
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂. That’s amazing.Stay classy, Slough.
Disappointing performance after the efforts made to get as close as we did. I’m thinking that with two emotionally charged London derbies on the trot we ran out of steam a bit and perhaps, despite having an outside chance at getting into the top 6, we just couldn’t muster the enthusiasm needed whereas Barnsley did. They also had a helping hand from a fluke of a goal, but by all accounts in the 2nd half Barnsley deserved it, and fair play to them. I wish them well.
I just hope that in the close season we maintain the core of our team and can add a few quality signings. There was talk from DS about learning from this experience and being stronger for it; but if this group of players move on then we’ll be saying the same thing next year for a new bunch of players! Such is life at Brentford!
All in all though we should (and probably are) be very proud of our team and its achievements and if we do end up 7(seventh) then that will represent gradual progress. Let’s hope the boys are up for it next w/e and let’s hope we can end on a high. CoyB’s!
I think it’s been a good season and coming up from nowhere was a great achievement. On the plus side we don’t have to go through play-off trauma!
Does anyone else think like me though that yes, it would be something to in the Premier, but do we want to watch week in week out winning or drawing the odd game because we are in survival mode ( which to be honest that’s where we would be ) or watch great football week in week out in the Championship?
Or am I just been a Brentford pessimist?
Thanks Michael. Fair points but I think it would have been wonderfully exciting. Moreso if we could have somehow got away with it at Griffin Park. The likes of Bunley, Bournmouth and Watford (amongst otehrs) have proven that you don’t need to be a huge name / have a big history to survive in the top flight. Would it have been tough? Absolutely. Might, like ‘that penalty’ missing out this time around prove to be ultimately beneficial in the long round – quite possible.
Either way, I take your ‘positive’ about not having to sit through a squeaky bum play-off, despite the eventual rewards that may have come
We are told that financially we need the premiership. Personally, I see it as a great place for a holiday; but I would not want to live there.
Tossers!! You people don’t get it do ya.. nobody gives a s**t about ‘The Bees’! You are a joke, also tans and a crappy little totally insignificant tin pot nothing of a club!! Hahahahahahahahaha!!!!!
Also tans? What’s wrong with a bit of colour? Tin pot? Such rapier wit.
I prostrate myself at the feet of this 21st century Shakespeare
Coochy coochy coo. Didoo have a liddy widdy tantrum
I think that the Brentford players have finally come of age and (belatedly) realised that, as a team, they have the talent for the Premier League. They are mostly young and have, to the detriment of performances carried the border of and sometimes been in awe of big grounds and facilities of richer clubs, reputations and the ‘little club’ mentality of Brentford since the end of WW2. The start of this season was a disaster and it took more than half a season for the defence to stop repeatedly give away soft goals, before finally all the players grew as a team with self belief. That, to me is the process and achievement of this year and whilst there will be some departures the team will be stronger next year and the hunger to achieve what was lost in 2017/18 should be a powerful force in the drive for automatic promotion in 2018/19.
To my mind an objective of a top 6 finish is almost an admission before the start of the season of accepting the team is second best. The objective for 2018/19 must be automatic promotion and the coaching strategy from day one of pre season training must be automatic promotion. So, retain the self belief finally established in 2017/18, overcome the inevitable loss of a few players and build on this season so that automatic promotion to the Premier League is a reality (albeit a year later than Rasmus Ankerson demanded).
Bucko is there a move to return to league’s 1,2,3 & 4 instead of Premiership , Championship 1&2 ?
I can’t make up my mind on wether I want Birmingham to go down or not. After years of loosing to them even when we were clearly the better side & including in the league cup when they were two divisions above us & they needed a last gasp equalizer before beating us (on pens?) Then they went on to win it.
But now the hoodoo is broken and beating them is just about a foregone conclusion so I don’t want this run to end by virtue of separation.
No f em let them go down
Thanks Aussie. I was torn , like you, between the comedy value of seeing them lining up against the likes of Accrington Stanley and our own guaranteed six points. Purely for the ten times better nonsense it has to be a fast track to League One
AussieBee53, why are you so concerned with Birmingham City’s fortunes ?
Is it because you’re worried they’ll snatch some more of your players?
Don’t blame them for your clubs lack of ambition, as soon as they get a player showing any potential or consistently, he’s gone.
Its looking like there’ll be more shipped out, as soon as the season’s over.
That’s what I would worry about, if that was my club, lack of ambition.
No wonder their gates are so low, the supporters are being mugged off..
Instead of your sour grapes to an oppositions club, I’d concentrate on how Bees fan’s are being shafted by their owners.
Oh, it looks like they’ll be looking for a new manager as well, there’s something else for you to worry about, then again you’re only bothered about other clubs, aren’t you.
Johnboy Blue, a true and proud Birmingham City season ticket holder
Wow. With that level of insight you should get a job on TalkSport
Well said notably blue # bees choked # city 10xmore likely to be in prem# NASTY NICK.
Yes, “N Blue”, you make some pertinent observations in your comment. Why keep repeating the tired jibes about your team?
The owner of BFC, etc, has consistently failed to draft in power loanees, particularly in the striker department , where the team is particularly weak, to fuel a genuine and wholehearted promotion push. Everything seems to be geared towards acquiring youngsters with potential and then selling on for a profit, or letting things coast along. No sense of urgency, to move on up!
Notably Blue Firstly I have not been sufficiently concerned with Birmingham to bother going on any blues web site. Am I concerned you will snatch more of our players?,Well lets have a look at the three you took this season. Whilst they were Brentford players I supported them and appreciated their contributions & whilst I may not have wanted them to leave, was I sorry to see them go ?
Firstly Colin , classy right back always a pleasure to watch but when Brentford signed Dalsgaard ,Colin, possibly fearing he may drop down the pecking order elected to seek pastures new. I certainly don’t think Brentford are any the worse for this switch and we will have the added bonus of watching a Brentford player(s) at the world cup.
Secondly Dean Many/ most Brentford supporters had a lot of time for Harley. He was prone to the odd gaff but he wore his heart on his sleeve and always put in 100% its not surprising that he has been captain at both clubs How-ever after 6 years it was probably time for him to move on. Dean moving on did pave the way for Chris Mepham to break into the first team albeit only after injuries to other center backs. We have options of at least the same or even greater caliber Harley Even after Dean left center backs were often played out of position to cover injuries.
Thirdly Jota . When this deal was going through a Birmingham supporter came on this site and stated “Jota is wasted at a tin pot club like Brentford ” I stated at that time that despite the magical moments Jota gave us I would rather be selling a one footed player for the quoted 8 million than than buying one for this price. I stand by this and when you talk about ambition do you think Jota will ever be a successfull premier league player?
You think I have sour grapes towards your club amusement would be closer to the mark.
If for no other reason than your owners sacking Rowlett when you were well placed for a push for promotion to bring in a couple of short term miss-fits they deserve for your club to go down .
As a Brentford supporter I certainly don’t feel there is any lack of ambition and we are not being shafted by the owner.
Moriarty selling for a profit is elementary business sense
Moriarty( he also goes under a few other monikers) hates Benham that’s the crux of the matter Aussie, even though he has given us FIVE YEARS In the championship.
Yes Hubbo he deserves a medal for that feat
The jibes about Birmingham are because they paid heaps of cash for 3 players that wanted to move on from Brentford – that no one else looked remotely interested in buying. Then to cap it off the Birmingham Board was so impressed with the trade that they promptly fired the manager. Finally to see the three want away guys wallowing around the dungeon of the Championship after all making some comment or other about joining to chase their dream of playing in the Premier League suggests a hollow justification for leaving and/or following the script written by the Birmingham marketing team..
If that is not funny and worthy of a good and regular laugh then I don’t know what is.
Meanwhile Brentford again recruited/developed batter layers to replace the want aways and enjoyed a very good season.