Is this our most valuable shirt? Do you have one?

We spoke kit, yesterday. Specifically Brentford kit and what might be next for the Bees. Not to mention running a little survey for which the results are now in, if anyone is interested (let’s be realistic here…). With the game at Chelsea still over a week away, albeit tickets now flying back out of the door, we’ll get there in the next few days. For now, with Christian Eriksen posted to make a return to International action for Denmark there’s a fascinating podcast now available. Staying closer to home, do you have what is looking like the most valuable of the retro Brentford shirts hanging in the back of your wardrobe?

First up, Christian Eriksen. With Netherlands hosting Denmark on Saturday evening, there won’t be a dry eye in the house should our man make it on to the field of play. We all know the story and what happened doesn’t bear repeating beyond saying that his return to action has transformed Brentford. Talk about a game changer. Talent beyond belief and such an outpouring of love for a man whom many thought may never play again. Quite the opposite – he’s on fire and, for now, a Bee. As importantly, he’s set to complete the circle and make a delayed addition to his 109 appearances for the Danish national team.

We bang on about Absolute Radio on these pages from time to time. I love live radio. The interaction. The spontaneity. Not to mention the nonsense I’ve been fortunate enough to participate in over the years. 

Clanggggg. The sound of a name about to be dropped. I found myself talking to Dave Berry on his breakfast show a fortnight ago. Ostensibly to sneak in a plug for an outside broadcast from a Council Tip (a story that will take more space than these flimsy paragraphs) but the chat turned to Christian and Brentford. Specifically, how wonderful everything about his story was.

Two weeks later and Dave has devoted the first part of his latest ‘Doctor Next Door’ podcast to discussing our man. Whilst touching upon what happened, the focus is as much about how things are going now and how Christian is able to play Premier League football. I won’t give any more away beyond saying that you really should give this a listen. It’s fascinating stuff and a nice diversion from pub chat.

You can find that here. Enjoy…

Next up, kit. Have you seen the price of shirts these days? Wow. Just wow. It’s not uncommon for anything pre 96 to go for upward of £150 on eBay at the moment (other sites are available too). The dearth of Brentford shirts relative to the quantities associated to the clubs wh were seen as bigger back then, no doubt contributing to this. Personally speaking, I’ve all but given up trying to plug the gaps in the collection given what these are now shifting for. On the flip side, there are a lot of fans playing catch up and this represents a wonderful, if not expensive, means of going properly old school.    

I thought the £242 recently paid for a short sleeved club-shop blue DHL was punchy ( that’s inflation for you ) but a 90-92 Chad ‘away’ went for an incredible £301. I’ve still got mine from the era – given as a birthday present in 91, just before we went to Craven Cottage to beat Fulham, and would never dream of parting with it. Even so, the temptation must be there for many to rummage around the shirt drawer (we all have a shirt drawer, yes?) and pull out some footballing fashion gold. What a way to boost any coffers that may need a hand.

Recent shirt prices on eBay

There’s another 90-92 up at the moment. Good luck and all that. The figures that old shirts are going for at the moment, I wouldn’t be surprised if asking price is met (or, at the least, comes close). Moreso, with Jon Varney hinting that our away shirt will appeal to those in mind of the late 80s/ early 90s, what a chance to get ahead of the pack and have the original.

Finally, yesterday’s fantasy kit vote. It was neck and neck most of the way between the Bus Stop in Hounslow special and the sash, with the later eventually edging ahead. It’s a vote with no purpose beyond a bit of fun but interesting to see the London Transport variant faring so well. 

As one correspondent put it, would make a great warm up shirt. Over to you, Jon Varney…

Nick Bruzon

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Was this the darkest day in our history?

February 28th 1998. A date that will go down in history for Brentford fans. The opposition York City. The result – well, it doesn’t really matter these days. At least, the on pitch one. Instead what happened on the touchline has become one of the most controversial things to ever happen at Griffin Park. It was the day we decided to show the fans our shirt for the following season (something one can only dream of these days). You know the one . The version that added black spray paint to the traditional red & white stripes. The design which, at the very best, looked like a poor man’s graffiti artist had got to work on a Bournemouth kit. But much, much worse. It was slated to go on sale at the final game of that campaign, against Luton Town. 

I’ve seen this picture before and was actually there at the time. I even own one of these (thanks to the birthday based generosity and resourcefulness of Mrs. Bruzon). But the history of what happened has all gone a little hazy over time.

Then, whilst leafing through the Big Brentford Book of the 90s to see if I could find a picture of an Umbro / Cobra crossover goalkeeper’s kit I’d seen for sale on eBay, there it was once more. 

Not just Graham Benstead wearing a top with two technical sponsors – one of which (right) is still available on the internet based auction site should anybody be looking to pick up historical curio –  but the infamous ‘smudge shirt’ , along with the newspaper clipping from the time which ran the subsequent story.

Those of us of a certain age know what happened. Half-time in a late season game saw Peter Gilham announce that we were about to be shown the aforementioned home shirt. One of the youth team then walked around Griffin Park to a shower of boos as the most untraditional of kits was unveiled before our eyes. At least, those are the details I remember.

The article cast a little more detail on events. There were apparently not one but two kids modelling the kit (Lee Tunnell and club hero Michael Dobson) and it was the York City game. When cross referred with other sources, that turned out to have been played in February – I’d have bet on it being April. Probably the first, in retrospect. So this detail was shared on Twitter. 

Being day four of a long bank holiday and not much to do after Martin Allen had blown all entertainment out of the water on Saturday afternoon, this was a last gasp attempt to kill thirty seconds. Thankfully, it ended up killing an awful lot more as Bees’ fans responded to add detail.

I wasn’t alone in thinking it was later than February whilst the one player / two player conundrum was resolved by the fact that each went in a different direction around the pitch so that only one was on view at a time to each stand. It made no difference to the chorus of boos and chants of “Red and white. Red and white.” Nor did it make any difference to the comments on the feedback form that was also handed out to supporters to give their opinion on the ‘coal smudging’ effect.

The other interesting piece of information confirmed by several supporters being that this was the result of a supporter’s competition to design our kit. What a wonderful idea, in theory, and one I’d love to see happen again. Come on Bob  how about it? (I’ve got dozens – although no brown/orange given the lack of apparent taste in our fan base) .

 One can only imagine what was rejected to go for this. One can only imagine the marketing meeting that not only came up with the selection for the winning design but then chose to launch it in such a fashion. “Listen chaps, I’ve had an idea. Two youth team players. A vandalised kit that’s like nothing we’ve ever worn before. And we spring it on the fans as a surprise…..” More drugs anyone?   

As fellow Kit nerd Luis Adriano noted on Twitter “I wonder how the person who designed the ‘winning’ competition entry must have felt/feels?! To see and hear that reception then know that their design was canned before it was ever worn in a match! “

Luis also knocked up his own take on the competition entry. At least, I hope it was his own take and not twenty years of built up frustration finally finding cathartic release.

One thing’s for sure, it never went on sale against Luton Town.

Luis in no way suffering from Bank Holiday boredom

Nick Bruzon 

West Ham ? Sheffield Wednesday? Hull City? Which Brentford star is going where? If any…

Jota to Newcastle United, West Ham United, other? Harlee Dean to Sheffield Wednesday? Now Rico Henry and an apparent interest from Hull City is the latest story being touted in the press involving the possibility of a player leaving Griffin Park. You can tell the impending football season is approaching at a rate of knots with rumours surrounding Brentford stars cranking up. As ever.

Ordinarily these pages don’t do transfer gossip. The only source close to the club I trust (Beesotted aside, given they are almost always bang on the money) is the ketchup that comes with the half time chips. Yet this time it is worth paying note. If not for the quality of the ‘story’ – please note, your definition of ‘quality’ and ‘story’ may vary – as to the bigger picture questions.

Everybody is focussed on Jota. Understandably so given his unadulterated ability and contract length are diametrically opposed to each other in terms of size. The stories about West Ham won’t go away although I’d refer you back to the Scott Hogan tedium. Likewise the fact that they’ve already acquired the likes of Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta and Marko Arnautovic.

All this, before £16m Javier Hernandez became the latest to join the 1966 World Cup winners at the Olympic stadium yesterday. Are we really expected to believe they could also splash out on the likes of Jota aswell? Is the West Ham acquisition process now at an end? They were bad last season, that was plain to see, but surely no mid-table team needs this much rebuilding? Or can afford it? Then again, the TV money is at the ridiculous level and so not surprising our man’s name is mentioned in such circles.

Jota and Harlee amongst the main men for Brentford in 2017/18

Yet for me all this Jota talk has been an unintentional smokescreen that has detracted from a real possibility – that of losing a centre back. We are more than amply catered for in this area of the field with Yoann Barbet, John Egan, Andreas Bjelland and of course  Harlee Dean all jockeying for position. This is before you even factor in the B-team. But then the Sheffield Wednesday rumour appeared.

Nobody on the terraces can imagine Harlee will leave. That surely the club will do all in their power to hang on to our player of the year and club captain. I’m not convinced this is anything more than a story that will come and go. But this hasn’t stopped us before.

At the same time, how does Dean Smith keep four quality defenders happy with only two positions to fill? He’s tried to play three of them and despite some initial positives, it was hardly the roaring success he had anticipated. So much so that normal service was soon resumed.

Sheffield Wednesday coming in for Harlee may be true, it may not. Yet we’ve shown every season that something has to give in order to help balance those FFP books. Hogan to Villa; Odubajo to Hull; Gray and number 26 to Burnley.

This time around, rather than Jota might it be elsewhere on the pitch? The defence? Certainly, this move was just one of those talked up in the recent Beesotted transfer activity piece. Could Billy have got his hands on the crystal ball once more?

The other story we then saw yesterday was a laughable column about Hull City looking at Rico Henry . With Andy Robertson joining Liverpool for £10milion last week, the Tigers are supposedly coming in with a £3.5 million bid.

Ted Knutson put that one immediately into context on Twitter.

Rico easily worth more than 10, and probably closer to 15. He's like 3 years away from being England's Left Back. 😀 https://t.co/NeOY6avZL1

— Ted Knutson (@mixedknuts) July 24, 2017

We’re all about maximising player potential but, equally, we’re not in the business of giving anyone away. Rico’s emergence last season well and truly put Jake Bidwell in the shade and showed just why we were prepared to let our former skipper join the Loftus Road mob. Here is a player with the potential to go all the way and somebody who absolutely hit the ground running at Championship level after signing from League One Walsall.

Whichever story, if any, is true it all goes to show once more that we are a team in demand. That we aren’t just one goal scorer or one luxuriantly coiffured Spaniard. Brentford’s stock is high. The 2-2 with Southampton at the weekend proved that.

Yet let me ask you a question. If it kept Jota safe in the short term, would you sell Harlee? Would you let Rico go? Who’d want to be on the board with those sorts of decisions to make?

Ultimately of course, we may not have any choice in affairs. Money and agents talk. Likewise, we’ve acquired very well in the close(d) season. For both the first XI and B-team. Does the strongest looking all round squad we’ve had in years – boosted by five new signing – mean some form of departure is inevitable? Or is this going to be the season where the Brentford players and board all say – up yours West Ham. So long Hull City. Sorry Newcastle. These players aren’t for sale. We’re going places.

Whatever happens, all will become much clearer over the coming weeks. I can’t wait for the season to start but it might be stressful getting there.

As one final thought, what are you going to be wearing on the terraces this season? The new kit is stunning, with the goalkeeper and away variants already available in the club shop. Yet for anybody wanting a retro touch then eBay is the place to go at present.

This isn’t me (the chances of anything slipping my collection are slim to zero) but I have seen one fan looking to clear out their own wardrobe this week. Seller aamy_r_reetqr26 has listed 11 shirts that run from 1988 up to 2002, many of which are rarely seen on the terraces these days. You can find them here if this is of interest.

Just some of the retro shirts on offer this week

Nick Bruzon

The good, the bad and the ugly. A week in football for Brentford and the rest.

Brentford went down 1-0 to Rotherham despite a Liverpool like amount of possession at the weekend (it’s goals that count, folks). Sheffield Wednesday, next up at Griffin Park, are locked on 1 point out of the last possible 9. Defeat to Leeds United sees both teams sitting in the bottom six at this early stage. Huddersfield Town who beat the Bees in our season opener still top the lot whilst at the other end Blackburn Rovers finally got off the mark at home to Burton Albion.

That’s the most recent Championship action in a nutshell. Yet there has been so much more going on in the division and beyond. In the next of a new, regular feature for a Monday morning we look back at those things you might have missed from the world of social media over the last seven days.

As ever, we’ll start off with Brentford. The win against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night was noted as much for the appearance of Leo Sayer at Griffin Park. Whilst Beesotted grabbed the honours in terms of exclusive interview, Mads Tarrant from the ticket office definitely has THE photo of the night.

Buzz, Buzzette and Leo Sayer.

Bonus points for how the shadow at the back of Leo’s famous bubble perm gives him the additional look of a Brian May mullet.

But if Brentford were left (must. avoid. feel like dancing. pun) erm, in high spirits after that one, the same can’t be said for Forest fans after their team dominated the second half yet still went home empty handed.

Andrew Sheard, (@PantherAS90 on twitter) being another to succumb to our ’under the radar’ Bees. Come on Andrew, deleting is cheating.

Next up, this is technically cheating being as it comes from the Ipswich game. Something I’d missed from last week, although since pointed out by one New Road observer, was the apparent close friendship between Dean Smith and Ipswich boss Mick McCarthy.

They’re practically holding hands here as they walk across the Griffin Park pitch.

Dean and Mick

As one final thought from the game at Rotherham, new boy John Egan has quickly settled in to life at Griffin Park.

He’s managed a pair of clean sheets, that brace against Ipswich and now he has even mastered Twitter. Brentford style. Like Sergi, Nico and Harlee before him it would seem ‘that phrase’ is up there and waiting to be used. Please, let’s not have a repeat.

Away from Griffin Park, for now, one of my highlights of the week was Sheffield Wednesday related. Specifically, on eBay where you could get hold of a matchworn Owls shirt belonging to former Dutch master Regi Blinker.

But if the £125 price tag was putting you off (it eventually went for £100), to sweeten the deal there was more than just the kit on offer. I wasn’t really considering this one, but that free wig almost tipped the balance…

Fulham may be, currently, flying above the Bees in the Championship table but they are bottom of the pile when it comes to winning over their fans. Richard Osman, from that TV quiz, was irate at the discovery that all mascot places at Craven Cottage are allocated to sponsors.

Wow! That’s seriously bad PR and the complete opposite to our family club at Brentford where the experience of being a mascot is one that never fails to bring a smile to the face of our younger supporters.

Still, if Fulham aren’t having a great time of it (boo-hoo) then it seems they aren’t alone.

A great spot from BBC London Sport of the Crystal Palace team after their 1-0 defeat to Tottenham at the weekend.

For those not aware these pages quite often touch upon the subject of kit. This season’s, whilst a favourite of The Last Word, has had a few critics. As much for the squad names and numbers which have proven tricky to read at times.

Now I have no idea if this is true or fake (certainly, I couldn’t find anything else to back it up) but, regardless, what a great idea from Lokomotiv Moscow that comes to us c/o @FBAwayDays. Mr Benham, Kitman Bob, Mark Devlin – could we consider this next season ?

And finally, back to Brentford . Specifically lifelong supporter Dr Sandy Briden who is currently undergoing chemotherapy (and who you can follow on Twitter @ChemistryTweet). A very recent visit from Sam Saunders bringing about his update that “Visited a bees fan Sandy this afternoon a supporter her whole life, so brave In this unimaginable time really puts things into perspective.”

Yet it was Sandy who really nailed it, telling followers: “I am not usually lost for words but what an amazing guy, what an amazing team, my beloved #brentfordfc”

Good luck Sandy. You’ve got the whole Brentford family behind you.

Nick Bruzon

Get your hands on a signed shirt while we await a strip tease

The Brentford pre-season countdown is on.

Season tickets bought for dad and junior – check.

Booked some risky weekends away that could clash with any number of games when the fixture list is released – check.

New home shirt – no sighting.

I admit it. I have an unhealthy obsession with this as any regular reader to this column will know. And one of the highlights of close (or is it closed?) season is the release of next year’s kit.

Despite clubs normally releasing theirs at a rate of knots, so far only 9 of the 24 Championship teams have shown their colours so Brentford aren’t alone. And of those 9, just Ipswich Town and Rotherham United are the only ones to release their full range. Truly, it is a torturous wait.

When it happens, Brentford do make a habit of doing things differently, although we are yet to match Blackburn Rovers’ effort from last season (below). Infact, to be fair, no club is yet to match Blackburn Rovers’ effort from last season – a stunning masterclass in video. It was a great effort, on a par with Southampton’s teaser campaign this time around.

Birdy – dressed for success. Off the pitch, at least

That’s not to say we don’t try to be different. The 2011 away shirt was revealed in the window of a bath showroom (being the then sponsors), whilst last year saw the five day drip feed campaign aka Mark Devlin’s strip tease.

Brentford launched the 2011 away shirt in a sponsor’s shop front

I really enjoyed this and hope we do something similar this time around, when the news is eventually able to be revealed (twelve months ago we were already ‘in the know’). Let’s just hope the away shirt doesn’t follow the same path of the unfortunate leak that occurred and somewhat killed the magic.

But, if you can’t wait then there is other shirt news. What better way to celebrate last season than with a fully signed squad shirt?

Get your own fully squad signed shirt

There are six of these currently on eBay; being auctioned by Sky Bet with 100% of the proceeds going to the Reverse Rett charity – the only UK charity exclusively focused on speeding treatments and a cure for Rett Syndrome ( a neurological disorder that strikes little girls around the time of their first birthday affecting nearly every aspect of their lives; taking away their ability to walk, talk and use their hands) and related MECP2 Disorders.

Be quick though. The auctions end at midday today (Wednesday) so speed is of the essence. A fantastic chance to do your bit for a great cause and, at the same time, pick up a stunning souvenir of an incredible 2014/15.

You can bid on the shirts here. Good luck.

And if anybody at the club is reading, then we await the date / other shirt news with intrigue. Or, at least, I do…

 If you do want to read more about the events of 2014/15 (shirt and football related), the amalgamated Last Word season compendium: Tales from the football village (from Saunders territory to unchartered ground), is now available to download onto Kindle (and other electronic reading device) in full.

Running from July 2014- May 2015 it contains some additional material and is available for less than the cost of a Griffin Park matchday programme.

Could Charlie’s charity shirt provide a distraction from the weather?

Brentford face Crawley tomorrow (in theory) although supporters have already been warned to check the official site in case the elements interfere.

I, for one, hope the game goes ahead. The phrase ‘points in the bag are better than games in hand’  is one I’ve held dear for years. That’s not to say we are guaranteed any points – quite the opposite, I’ve been guarding against complacency for months.

However, I have to assume that our rivals will win (Wolves travel to bottom club Stevenage whilst Leyton Orient take on an out-of-sorts Peterborough) and, as such, I’d much rather there was no added pressure from having to play ‘catch up’. Likewise, nobody needs fixture congestion with postponed games having to be crammed in toward the denouement of the season.

I am sure these are sentiments being shared by the club and one employee in particular. I’ll spare any blushes by keeping their identity secret  – suffice to say that I hope we don’t have a repeat of the Michael Fish, ‘hurricane’ incident.

Could Michael Fish have a protégé at Griffin Park?

 

So, if the worst does happen and the game is canned then what will you do between now and our next football fix on Wednesday?

Well, the winter Olympics start today so you could sit in front of the TV to see how the ever tolerant Russians uphold the Olympic charter, which includes the line: “. Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind “

Given the well-documented comments on homosexuality, Sochi seems like something out of the eighteenth century at times. Moreso, given as football clubs all over England are now supporting the FvH campaign and, indeed, Brentford are due to do so on Saturday.

Personally, I’ll be giving the Winter Olympics a skip.  This is nothing to do with Mr Putin’s attitude to human rights but simply because they are very much the poor relation compared to their summer cousin. The fact that they need inclement weather just to take place already puts them on the back foot.

So what else can we do? Well, how about signing the Lionel Road petition? I was unable to attend the fan’s forum last night but I gather we were told that the decision would not be made by this Tuesday (thanks to @Beesotted for their excellent twitter updates). You can do that, here.

Or, there is always eBay. Specifically, for football shirts. If anybody reads this before 1.55pm on Friday morning then there is still time to bid on a stunning Brentford shirt.

Sky Sports presenter Charlie Webster (@CharlieCW on twitter) has just run 250 miles, visiting 40 football clubs, over a mere 7 days (do the maths – ouch !!). The challenge was undertaken on behalf of the Womens Aid Federation of England and, at the time of writing, Charlie was almost half way towards her £100,000 target.

Aswell as a ‘just giving page’, where you can learn more and donate, there is also a very special charity auction taking place to help raise funds. You can bid on a 2013/14 Brentford home shirt signed earlier this season by the entire squad.

Aside from being an excellent cause, who knows what a treasured item this could become in the future should the season end as we all hope it will.

Until then though, let’s keep our fingers crossed that Saturday is ‘Game On’.