Will we slip on another potato skin or dodge that lower league bullet ?

It seems like only five minutes ago that Brentford performed those League cup heroics against Hull City and Everton, before narrowly missing out on Round 5 via a last minute equaliser and penalties against Birmingham City at St. Andrews. Infact, it was 2010 and The Bees first XI included the likes of Mickey Spillane, Craig Woodman and Pim Balkestein. Whilst the squad has evolved from that small League One group it would be fair to say that our record in the competition hasn’t been a great one since then. Could Tuesday night’s game in Kingston against AFC Wimbledon see us get back to winning ways?

 

And if you’d like to read more whilst helping the Brentford FC Community Sports Trust …. the rest of this article can now be found in the Kindle e-book Ten Times Better. Brentford FC Season review: 2017/18. Inspired by ‘that’ interview it contains the least bad of these columns in one, handy volume as it looks at our own campaign as well as wider divisional life and the promotion / relegation races.

As a bonus there’s a whole host of new material. New that is, for my pages. Specifically, all the programme articles submitted (both home and away where, if nothing else, you can get the original versions of both Birmingham City and Millwall).

In addition, There Is No Plan B. Brentford FC Season reviews: 2013/14 – 2017/18 takes us all the way back to the start of this latest leg in the journey. That penalty. League One. Harlee Dean was a hero. Jota was something we thought happened to the temperature for one week in July. Alan Judge had joined on loan whilst the Marinus Experiment was something nobody had contemplated. Bringing things bang up to date by the inclusion of this year’s volume alongside the four previously published campaign round ups, it has five seasons in one weighty tome. As weighty as a download can be, that is.

Relive the memories. See how often the same material gets regurgitated. Remind yourself about the likes of Betinho, Martin Fillo, Javi Venta and Marcos Tebar. Certainly, if there’s no Marcos Tea Bar at Lionel Road it will be an opportunity missed.

All proceeds from any sales will go to the Community Sports Trust. For less than the cost of a half / pint respectively, they may help while away some time on the commute. By the pool on holiday. In the bathroom. Who knows? It will certainly do some good for the Trust, whose work has been well documented at Griffin Park but you can read all about it on their site.

And if that wasn’t enough, I’ve been given something very special. A 2017/18 third team shirt with Lewis Macleod’s squad number on the reverse in the EFL typeface. Anyone with half an interest in Bees kits will know that these were never made available in the club shop.  Anyone who has read any of this before will know what a kit nerd yours truly is so when I say this is rare, take that in good faith!

To be in with a chance of owning it, download a copy of either before the end of June 2018 and you’ll go into a draw to win this. Just DM/tweet me (@NickBruzon) a copy of your purchase confirmation mail and I’ll add your name to the list before selecting a random Bees fan to win this on July 1st.

Nick Bruzon

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Looking back to look forward for King Kev. Leeds’ loss is Brentford’s gain

This Saturday will, all being well, see Kevin O’Connor make his 500^th appearance for Brentford. It is a stunning achievement for our club captain who passed the 400 mark at the time of his testimonial match (against Fulham) in 2010.

Back then, I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to interview Kevin for that game’s programme. Whilst much has changed since that column was written, re-reading it last night in anticipation of this weekend’s game has shown some very interesting parallels and reminders. Starting with his joining the Bees, the Last Word looks back at what King Kev had say about Brentford and his career as he approached that previous landmark.

Kevin on starting at Brentford: “As a youngster, in the first year I had to clean Ijah Anderson’s boots and also Ryan Dennis. Then, when Paul Evans joined, I had to look after him. That was brilliant for me and he really looked after me when I was YTS.

He’d have a chat with me and I got to know him quite well. Once I broke through he was brilliant and looked after me. He went out of his way to make sure I was alright “

On breaking into the squad: “I came in to the team just before Ron Noades quit. There was a lot of good players then – Andy Woodman, Martin Rowlands, Lloyd Owusu.

It was intimidating but the lads were brilliant and after a couple of weeks I was able to fit right in. They were a really nice bunch, like family. It was a good atmosphere and I think it showed on the pitch over the years.

I’ve been really lucky at Brentford – every squad has got on really, which helps as you want to enjoy going in to work. It shows; when every one gets on and is working hard for each other you get that little bit more out of the team.”

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.