If it’s good enough for David Beckham….

Weather permitting, Brentford return to action against Crewe Alexandra tomorrow and will be hoping to stay top of League One. It’s a big ask, with second place Wolves only two points behind and surely due a win at home to a Notts County side entrenched in the relegation zone.

Looking around the interweb, it seems the usual prematch tub-thumping is taking place although that’s nothing new. Earlier this season, Crewe’s visit to Griffin Park was preceded by extended highlights of the 1997 play-off final. We all know what happened next (and I don’t mean at the W place in North London) – the Bees ran out 5-0 winners as Clayton Donaldson grabbed a brace against his former employers.

To read the rest of this article, season 2013/14 is now available to download onto Kindle, in full. Containing previously unseen content, you can do so here for less than the cost of one matchday programme.

 Thanks for reading over the course of the campaign. For now I need to make space on this page for any follow up.  The ‘close season’ / World Cup columns continue in full, further on in this site.

Buses, books and balls – it must be Brentford

With Brentford due to kick off against Crawley Town shortly, it’s probably a good time to catch up on the news of the last few days before the ‘on pitch action’ dominates the headlines.

Readers of the club website this morning will have seen the news that the football league have now invoked the move from white to yellow footballs. A change that is due to last until the end of February, it is one designed ‘to deliver speedier player reaction times in poor visibility’. And this has been ‘scientifically proven’. These aren’t my words but those of the football league although I think it is just marketing speak that means players can see the ball a bit better.

Whilst this is a good thing, the one down side is this being another nail in the coffin of the traditional ‘orange ball’,

To read the rest of this article, season 2013/14 is now available to download onto Kindle, in full. Containing previously unseen content, you can do so here for less than the cost of one matchday programme.

 Thanks for reading over the course of the campaign. For now I need to make space on this page for any follow up.  The ‘close season’ / World Cup columns continue in full, further on in this site.