Can anything top Tuesday ? Is your overdraft facility ready? Bring on Leeds United.

Brentford travel to Leeds United on Saturday afternoon, supporters still buoyant after Tuesday night’s trashing of Birmingham City whilst looking at a Championship table that sees us in tenth place. Just four points outside the play-off zone following the rest of the mid-week fixtures being played out and then Sheffield United going down at Hull City last night . For the record, a result that sees us not only keep pace with that top pack but also sees the Tigers leapfrog the Blues at the trapdoor end of the table.

It really is a bit of an odd one today. In the nicest sense. Tuesday against Birmingham City was one of those real ‘I was there moments’. The club have bigged up their ‘Brentford nights’ campaign and what a way to bring that to a (regular) season’s climax. I’ve got a feeling there may be mention in next Saturday’s programme column (for the Cardiff City game) although in the meantime, if you’d like to read more…… 😉 , there’s the post-game article here.

Tuesday night saw (and heard) a game like no other.

Now, it almost feels a bit ‘after the Lord Mayor’s show.’ Just a bit. Specifically due to the horrific £39 away ticket price being charged by Leeds. A subject which has very much been the talking point amongst supporters these last few days. Billy (Grant) of Beesotted has written a voluminous, passionate and essential piece of reading on the subject. For those who haven’t, somehow, seen this as yet then you can find it here.

Even more terrifying, those wanting to make an 11^th hour trip to Elland Road can ‘pay on the day’  but are going to have to shell out an incredible £44 (forty-four pounds) for the privilege of cheering on the Bees.

Forty. Four. Pounds. Just, wow. This is all kind of wrong yet there’s not much I can say on this that hasn’t been said already. At a time when even the Premier League have embraced the ‘Twenty’s Plenty’ campaign for away fans (in no small part due to the FSF, of which Billy is a board member) then surely the League have to take some sort of action to stop visiting supporters being priced out?

It’s no wonder only 500 advance tickets have been sold for this one. The fact that the Beesotted team and the chairman of BIAS (Adam Hobbs) are amongst those publically boycotting today’s game tells you all you need to know about feelings on this. Twenty’s plenty.

Thirty’s dirty. Fourty’s naughty. Fourty Four is taking the f’in piss and would require an appointment with the bank manager.

Well said, Beesotted !!

That said, hats off to those making the trip today. Here’s hoping they are in as loud a voice as on Tuesday night (and overdraft facilities have room to spare).  If the atmosphere is even half of what it was, then it promises to be a special one. Whilst I’ve a feeling that the presence of more Brentford old boys lining up against us won’t generate the same level of, erm, excitement it’s still nice to get one over any of your former heroes. With Adam Forsahw and Stuart Dallas both due to start for Leeds, here’s hoping we show them what they’ve missed out on.

Yet at the same time, there’s nothing but respect in what this pair achieved at Griffin Park. And with apologies for repeating myself, there’ll always be ‘that goal’ at Fulham. Feelings towards Adam and Stuart would seem to be the polar opposite from Tuesday night’s fun and games.

Stuart Dallas – one of THE Brentford moments

As for the game itself, it’s a tough one to call. Leeds United are displaying form that is erratic as their choice of club crest whilst our last road trip saw a comprehensive defeat of a Sunderland team for whom the phrase ‘dead man walking’ would seem an appropriate one. Then there was Tuesday against Birmingham. Five goals for. None conceeded. Morale is currently through the roof and singing voices are in fine form.

Will Brentford make it three in a row? Is there any chance we can come close to the level of performance against Birmingham City? With Neal Maupay now scoring for pleasure, Ryan Woods putting in a gargantuan performance mid-week, Alan Judge fit, Ollie Watkins on fire and the promise of Sergi Canos to return then who knows what might happen ?

Roll on this afternoon when we find out. Even if, for most of us, it will be c/o Simon Ratcliffe, Ciaran Brett and , of course, Mark Burridge holding it all together with his  ever eloquent commentary.

The Bees celebrate the fourth on Tuesday. Or was it the fifth?

Nick Bruzon

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Could this be next season’s away kit ?

Another month, another international break. Such are the ‘problems’ facing Brentford as life in the Championship means we now have a bit more spare time on our hands. And, as ever, the mind starts to wander.

No better case in point than yesterday when, on a trip to White City Westfield , whilst failing to spot any footballers lining up outside Nandos, I did stumble across an exhibition of film memorabilia – all of which is to be auctioned later this month.

International break means Nandos is a footballer free zone

The regular reader may be aware that I am very much a fan of the ‘James Bond’ series of films. And, likewise, that Roger Moore stands head, shoulder and eyebrows above anyone else to have filled the role. Moore IS the best Bond. Fact.

So imagine my shock when I spotted THIS lurking amongst the props to be sold.

If anybody has a few thousand pounds spare….?

Way, way beyond the budget of a mere mortal such as myself. That said if any multi millionaires are reading, imagine how good this would look in the corner of Stripes bar.

But then my imagination went into overdrive. The other topic to regularly feature in this column is that of the ‘comedy’ football kit. Usually emanating from Spain, we’ve seen everything from Broccoli to lager and octopus tentacle to butler motifs incorporated into a novelty away shirt.

Who doesn’t love a comedy shirt? Or a montage?

Then it hit me. Why not combine both? Especially as Brentford, having dabbled with yellow, blue and black in recent years, don’t have a ‘regular’ away scheme. To the best of my knowledge, no English team has gone for one of the ‘eccentric’ away shirts (although the Hull City AFC ‘tiger stripe’ home remains a favourite). As such, why not take the chance to become trailblazers?

Could the Bees, now our contract with Adidas has been extended, go for a Safari style away shirt? Not so much ‘wild beasts’ but a tan or green in the Roger Moore Style.

Perhaps with ‘Nobody does it better’ playing over the Griffin Park tannoy for the big unveiling.

Could the Bees tap into the ‘eccentric’ shirt market – Roger style?

One can dream. And in the short term, I’ll await my medication.

The other shirt news, this time genuine, to reach me from ‘sources’ is in regards to a new Brentford Tee shirt now on sale. Penalty success is such a rare thing at Griffin Park that one of our most momentous (not THAT one) has been recorded for posterity.

Want the chance to relive Alan Judge tasting the net against Preston as we went up last campaign? You can do so here…

A penalty to be celebrated

And finally, just a polite request for your help with a reminder about the FBA and FSF Football blogging awards. With Beesotted and The Last Word both up for nomination, it would be massively appreciated if any reader could take 30 seconds to vote.

Beesotted are up in the ‘best video’ and ‘best club’ category . The Last Word in ‘best club’ and best ‘new’ . The work of Beesotted is, of course, legendary, and I wish them luck as they look to make the final shortlist.

It would be great if we could have a couple of Bees going ‘head to head’ at a national level – and you can nominate here.

An update from Sam Saunders gets my vote

Whatever football news was announced yesterday, there was one piece of information that has probably bypassed most sources. Even the official Brentford club site doesn’t have this one, yet.

But for me, an already exciting season has just cranked up another notch.

To read the rest of this article, season 2014/15 is now available to download onto Kindle (and other electronic reading device) in full. Containing additional material and even some (poor) editing, you can get it here for less than the cost of a Griffin Park matchday programme or Balti Pie.

 Thanks for reading and all your comments over the course of the season. For now, I need to make more space on the site for any follow up. However, ‘close season’ will continue in full, further along.