The best Christmas present some fans could have hoped for.

I wasn’t going to write anything today but the combination of a two-year old son and a potential visit from Santa has meant the excitement levels have been raised somewhat in our house. But that’s just me – at the time of writing Harry is fast asleep and, I’d imagine, dreaming of Buzzette (or, again, is that just me?). With a home game against Brighton tomorrow and Christmas today my focus should be elsewhere. Yet I still can’t help think about poor Fulham and, to a lesser extent, Bournemouth. This, following the announcement of their failure in the Financial Fair Play audits for 2014/15 that, for the record, Brentford passed.

Dreaming of Buzzette….

‘Audit’. Is there any less thrilling word in the English language? It ranks in the top five of those to avoid at this time of year along with, ‘Next’, ‘Mrs’. ‘Browns’ and ‘Boys’ .

Ordinarily something that would send you to sleep, the news of Fulham breaching regulations (or, technically, ‘cheating’) has brought a smile to the face of many Brentford fans. See also : Bournemouth who, just for the record, did also pip us to a Premier League promotion slot that season.

I’m not bitter about that part. Our season was stunning and, regardless of anybody else’s spending, I think that with a tad more squad rotation in the final quarter The Bees might have done it. It is simply noted as a statement of fact for you to draw your own conclusions or form your own opinions.

Indeed, ongoing compliance with these rules is partly the reason that Brentford have had to sell the likes of Andre Gray, Moses Odubajo and Will Grigg. To ensure that our own expenditure remains within the limits laid down by the footballing authorities.

Likewise, I’m not one to overly laugh in the face of our rivals. After all, Christmas is a time when we are encouraged to remember the needy and those less fortunate.

The somewhat bland statement issued by Fulham tells you so much about their own precarious state. You can read it on their website if you want, but their key admission would seem to be that : The embargo arises as the Club made an adjusted loss greater than the £6m limit allowed by the Football League in the year following relegation. The Football League has since recognised this limit is low, especially for clubs recently relegated with Premier League overheads in place, and the limit has now increased to £13m per annum. Unfortunately Fulham’s embargo falls in the final year of the previous limit, but the Club does not anticipate being in breach in future years.

Going on to blame their own purchase of Ross McCormack and Matt Smith (Doctor Who?), the club’s additional justification about this being a ‘low’ limit conveniently fails to mention all those lovely parachute payments designed to help such huge spending teams avoid this sort of situation. Amongst other things. In what world is a loss of £6million deemed ‘low’ but £13million is probably something to worry about?

As I say, today is not the day to laugh at anybody. Moreso given their budget breach didn’t actually achieve anything. 2-1 and 4-1 to Brentford, wasn’t it? Instead, I’ll simply bid you a happy Christmas, suggest you avoid BBC1 tonight and hope to see you all at Griffin Park for the Brighton game on Boxing Day.

Warning: he’s back

And finally…. Whereas yesterday I offered our reader the gift of music and, specifically, ‘The Quo’, we’ll finish up today with the gift of artwork. Stunning artwork.

I have no idea who produced this but hats off. It is absolutely in my all time favourite pictures of the year.

As one terrace wag involved in sharing this with me noted, ”Thing is, you can imagine Marinus just ignoring a unicorn if it was there.”

Happy Christmas.

Simply brilliant

Nick Bruzon

QPR to be kicked out of the league?

It’s a headline that might have Brentford fans celebrating like we’ve won the FA Cup if it turns out to be true. Could QPR really end up in footballing limbo ?

Well, if you haven’t seen the BBC football page then it is a very real possibility, should the losses from the Loftus Road mob’s promotion season match the £65.4m in 2012-13.

Such is the price for breaching Financial Fair Play regulations that refusal to pay any fine (reckoned to be up to £54m if that condition is triggered) could see the club barred from League competition. As Football League chief executive Shaun Harvey told the BBC, “Theoretically that is the position”.

You can read the full story on the BBC home page, here.

The 237 – leaving Brentford on a road to nowhere?

Would this be a good thing? The positive message that the League won’t stand for clubs just trying to buy their way to success, at the risk of bankrupting themselves and outgunning their rivals with money they don’t have, should be applauded.

But I’d actually hate to see them go. A healthy rivalry between two clubs can only be a good thing, as was seen with Wolves last season. All the better when that club is on your doorstep as Brentford fans know, having renewed relations with Fulham once more.

The other thing to remember is that the League are powerless until such time as Rangers are relegated. Having scraped into the Premiership with virtually the last kick of the play off final they aren’t, currently, in the dropzone. Instead, they are a whole point above it and face a trip to current whipping boys Manchester United on Saturday.

That said, should they prove the critics right and go straight back down then it will put the Football League in a very interesting position. I’d imagine the best we can hope for is probably an instant demotion or hefty points deduction.

Unless, of course, Mr Fernandes puts his hand in his pocket and coughs up.

Fulham show just how amusing a local rivalry can be