More strikers than London Transport – but who pays the penalty ?

Awaiting today’s League One action between Brentford and Carlisle, I proceeded to torture myself by watching last night’s game between Hibernian and Dundee United. I say ‘watch’ – refusal to sign up for a second subscription channel meant it was actually a case of going ‘old school’ and following the game on the internet equivalent of the now, sadly departed, ceefax.

The reason for this sudden interest in Scottish football was for, primarily, self-serving purposes rather than any particular desire to see who might limp into second place in the final table.

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.

Thanks Fulham! Trotta’s (independent) trade pays dividends for Brentford.

Are you going to Carlisle with Brentford tomorrow? One person whom we can say should be is Marcello Trotta after the club broke the habit of a lifetime and commented on speculation, telling us that:

” Contrary to earlier suggestions, Marcello is not required to join up until Saturday evening.

Therefore he can play in Brentford’s Sky Bet League One match against Carlisle United on Saturday.”

This can only be good news for The Bees. Since returning from Fulham for a second loan spell, Trotta really has found form. Previous criticism leveled about the Italian’s perceived ‘laziness’ has been well and truly dispelled.

The player affectionately known to the Griffin Park faithful as ‘Rodney’ can now be seen putting himself about with more energy than the Duracell Bunny on a Red Bull binge.

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.

Terry and Farid – could this be the best present yet….?

Back in 2005 the BBC conducted a fans’ survey to find their club’s ‘cult hero’.

If I recall correctly, ‘Football Focus’ would then run a piece each weekend, highlighting several clubs and announcing the respective winners.

A quick trawl of the interweb reveals that the results are still out there and, in the case of Brentford, the winner a very deserving Terry Evans – who secured 47% of the total vote. For the record, Terry Hurlock (28%) and Dean Holdsworth (25%) took second and third place.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Terry back in 2009, where he talked fondly about this honour : “It was probably one of my proudest moments, something like that. Especially compared to some of the people that have pulled on a Brentford shirt. For me to be in that top three was a hell of an achievement. I’ve really got to thank the fans for that, for rating me so highly.”

I also asked Terry whom he would have picked, had he voted? The answer was unequivocally in favour of Mr Hurlock: “Terry! I’d come here as a young professional and he just epitomised it. He was just a leader and I only thought – if I could emulate this fellow. He’d get press for his ruggedness and tough tackling but he could play. Week in, week out, year after year Tel was ripping up trees for Brentford so he’d have been my vote. He was a great player.“

Terry – swapped Bees for Wasps

I’d love the BBC to run this poll again. It’s been almost ten years since the last one and would be a great feature to include as part of the Football League Show. Manish, Leroy, Steve – if you are reading (you aren’t) how about it?

More importantly though, who would get the Brentford vote?

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.

The Farid conundrum. How do you solve a problem like El Alagui?

Who’d be a manager?

Brentford are, undoubtedly, the form team in League One at the moment. A run of seven wins and a draw in our last eight games has seen the team rise to fourth in the table. It is a run that has, most recently, seen Wolves held at Molineux (with, perhaps, the Bees disappointed not to take all three points) along with that great win against Peterborough on Tuesday night. Let’s not forget that these were games that came within three days of each other, against the first and third placed teams in the division.

Uwe is flavour of the month once more after the mid-game silliness against Colchester United (a ludicrous scenario to even be in) and we have a settled team – coinciding with the start of this run. Even Marcello Trotta seems to have won over the vast majority of the, so-called, ‘terrace boo boys’ whilst Clayton Donaldson, despite playing out wide, is our leading scorer and going from strength to strength. I’d love to have seen him tried as the front man but if he can keep on cutting in like he did against Posh then who am I to argue? He certainly missed a few last season (amongst the many he scored) when directly one-on-one with the keeper so perhaps turning in like this IS his best position.

But one question remains.

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.

Don’t forget about Buzzette

Brentford supporters were treated to the sight of a new mascot at the start of last season, in the magnificent Buzzette. An immediate fan favourite, she has gone on to adorn her very own ‘mug’ and you can win one below.

Yes, it’s the return of the ‘Last Word Caption Competition’, which will be judged by none other than Natalie Sawyer.

Can you beat our previous winner, Iain Roswell? (below).

Can you come up with a caption that doesn’t involve ‘rock, paper, scissors’?

Can you come up with a funnier comment that does involve ‘rock, paper, scissors’?

(Above – the previous winner, as judged by Kevin O’Connor : ” After last year’s success of London 2012, there was a massive disappointment with the anniversary games.”)

The entries have now started to reach ‘Last Word Towers’ and the competition closes on Friday 1^st November at midnight.

You can enter HERE by adding your comment to the picture of Farid and Fergie.

The Last Word will return in full, shortly. In the meantime get those thinking caps on and, if you can make Natalie laugh, then you could win your very Buzzette mug.

Win a ‘money can buy’ prize – the Buzzette mug. As pictured above