There’s a Euro crisis looming in June (but not for Scotland).

Close season. With the play offs almost over, us Brentford fans are fast entering ‘thumb twiddle’ time as a long summer approaches. Thankfully (you’d think) we’ll have the Euros… Closer to home there’ll be no reacquaintance for Dean Smith and Walsall after the Saddlers went down 6-1 to Barnsley whilst talk of league restructure has a lot of supporters in a panic. But we’ll save that one for another day – there are equally important issues to discuss.

Never let it be said that ‘The Last Word’ isn’t afraid to get to the heart of the day’s weighty issues. And they don’t come any bigger than ‘Emojis’ – those little graphics inserted into, and at the end, of tweets, texts and ‘WhatsApp’  messages. Usually involving Bees, emoticons and steaming dog poos.

“It’s a HUGE emoji gap not having the 4 UK countries. Surely needs sorting out – especially for the Euros this summer.”

They aren’t my words but those of fellow blogger @TheExiledRobin. The Bristol City supporter posted this shock revelation yesterday morning after a flag based mixed up by cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew involving the flags of the Faroe Islands and England.

Specifically because England don’t have an Emoji. Nor do Wales, Northern Ireland or (not that it will be needed given there is a major tournament) Scotland. Instead, the best available to Apple users is the Union flag. Hardly a suitable replacement for all those comments sure to be flying around cyberspace when the tournament kicks of in anger next month.

There’s no real choice for the ‘Home’ nations

Come on Apple. Sort it out. Please

I love your phone, even if your headphones have been designed to project the music outwards to fellow train passengers rather than inwards to the ears of the intended listener. Frankly, the 7.54 to Waterloo is painful enough without having B*Witched forced upon the unsuspecting commuter via somebody else’s tinny speakers.

But this lack of home nation flags could cause carnage next month. If Apple supremo Tim Cook is reading (he isn’t) would it be that hard to fix this? And, if you do, please don’t forget to include Scotland. At least we can remind them what they are missing out on.

Talking of ‘missing out’ (once again, a link crowbarred with all the subtly of a Jonathan Douglas tackle), one team we won’t be renewing acquaintances with next season is Walsall. This, after their play-off capitulation to Barnsley.

Who could forget their visit for the FA Cup back in January? Certainly a season’s low point for Brentford and described on these pages as us being, “played off the park after putting in one of the most abject first half displays I can recall for some time” as we went down 1-0.

The Bees had rubbish afternoon against Walsall in the cup

That said, Dean Smith was able to turn things around. Whatever happened back in that long, dark winter Bees fans had the consolation of going on to finish 9th in the Championship table. That’s 9th. In the Championship.

For Walsall, another season in League One beckons. Whilst I take no pleasure in kicking a team when they are down (genuinely) I couldn’t help but be drawn to the following prediction from @emmbailey95.

I’m sure most fans saw this one doing the rounds already last night. And understandably so. But if you’ve not, then here you go.

Not my words, but those of…etc etc etc

 

And finally, as ever, The Last Word ‘season review’ : Ready. Steady. Go Again and the three year anthology : The Bees are going up remain available for download.  Should anybody want to go over this nonsense and relive these moments once more then you can do so now.

It has been a stunning few years. Here’s to more of the same.  We may have had a few lows (something about a penalty, the football village, the FA Cup, the pitch, the Marinus experiment) but there have been plenty more highs as the Bees made an unexpected challenge for the Premier League.

Thank you again for reading.

Nick Bruzon

Is this the worst free kick of all time?

Alan Pardew showing potential new owner Vince McMahon how much Newcastle United embrace the spirit of WWE. Deluded Arsenal fans (are you reading Richie Firth) still trying to convince themselves that ‘the treble is still on’. Brentford starting the next ‘unbeaten run’ with a draw at Carlisle United.

Whilst the major talking points of the weekend are clearly all about the madness at Newcastle, Arsenal and QPR matching each other ‘choke for choke’ or the ongoing state of League One, today’s column has found something you may not have seen on Match of the Day.

I’ve banged on about Gibraltar a lot this week, but last night they played their first match on ‘The Rock’ since officially becoming full members of UEFA.  The game, a 4-1 reverse to The Faroe Islands, saw the home side take the lead at their Victoria Stadium before, eventually, capitulating.

For me, it wasn’t so much about the result but the occasion. That, and the worst free kick you will, I am prepared to bet, ever see.

Former Manchester United and Stoke City star Danny Higginbotham, who has suddenly remembered he is Gibraltarian, was the man charged with executing a routine set piece just before the close of the first half. I won’t ruin what happened next; suffice to say that even Jonny Wilkinson would have been going some to match this.

You can find it here, after 01.17.10.  I’m sure Danny will blame ‘the wind’.

Higginbotham takes aim at the runway..

That’s not to belittle the GFA – from small acorns mighty oaks grow. Besides, The Faroes also struggled in the conditions as you’ll see five minutes earlier on the same video. Whilst the penalty they missed wasn’t, quite, up to Higginbotham standards it wasn’t far off.

As for Brentford, well I suggest you stick to @Bessotted for the match update this weekend. I didn’t travel and haven’t even seen the ‘highlight’s on the Football League show.

Hopefully, their service will be up to its usual standards, assuming Billy the Bee has now been able to compose himself sufficiently to write up his notes.

Come on Billy – was it THAT bad a game?