With Brentford fans, for once, able to enjoy the play offs (will it be Uwe’s Wigan Athletic or the Loftus Road mob who stay in the Championship; perhaps Leyton Orient will enjoy some Wembley FA Cup style celebrations) the mind starts to wander to other things.
For me, it’s two fold – next season’s shirt and looking to dig up the past from our previous, brief foray into the Championship.
On the former subject, the club has remained tight lipped, so far, beyond a reference to some form of special crest. Chief Executive Mark Devlin went a step further on twitter during the week when, questioned on the subject by several kit enthusiasts (football’s equivalent of trainspotters?) including myself, he has now advised:
“Goes on sale June 19. And has stripes on the reverse! Watch out for our teaser campaign.”
This is excruciating. I feel like a guest at the ambassador’s party. We can all see the butler in the corner, waiting patiently with that pyramid of Ferrero Rocher precariously piled on top of the silver platter. I’m desperate to bite into a hazelnut smeared in nutella but, until such time as ‘His excellency’ gives the barely imperceptible nod, the Roche (which a colleague recently assured me is the correct plural) remain off limits.
After two years of teabags and red backs, I’m itching to see the new shirt. Whatever this campaign is, I hope it starts soon.
As for the second issue, I’ve long ranted about Ray Biggar – the chronologically challenged referee who as good as sent us down to the third tier back in 1993 with the eight minutes of mysterious extra time that allowed Notts County to steal two points from The Bees. Well, I bought the programme from that game on eBay last week (£1.40 including p&p).
Would there be picture of the man? Perhaps a biography. I was just after some additional information about Ray – some explanation as to what caused him to do us such damage? But there was nothing beyond his name – incorrectly spelt – and place of residence. Noooo. I feel cheated.
The Biggar file – I blame the editor
As though the butler had been summoned but then the first guest decided to take the bottom Rocher, thus causing massive pyramidic instability – the net result of which was a cascade of tumbling chocolates as they all fell to the floor.
However, any disappointment at this was soon tempered by the a flick through the rest of the programme, in particular the 8 page ‘Focus on the Club shop’ in which Bob Booker, Neil Smillie and Chris Hughton do their best to promote everything from rugby shirts and cardigans to waist coats and jumpers.
They don’t do marketing like this anymore – which is a real shame. You can see some extracts below. Given the various ‘hotties of the year’ still at the club, I reckon the programme team and club shop could ‘double up’ for a real winner next campaign.
Mike Sullivan, Mark Devlin, and Mark Chapman – over to you….
PS If any ambassadors are reading (they aren’t) and could explain correct protocol of how to ‘eat into’ the pyramid’ please do let us know.
BrentfordFC 