Can Greg, the FA and football figures follow PSV?

Not much to say today. Indeed, I wasn’t even going to bother until this crossed my desk. We’ve probably all had our fill of the non-football stories from the Euros.  England fans are being provoked – England fans have a minority of morons amongst 30,00 well behaved fans; Wales fans were brilliant – Wales fans were anti-England; French ultras and Russian thugs have been ruining the party for everyone . Likewise, the media circus following the throng and looking to magnify any incident out of all proportion.

Talking yesterday to an England supporter who had just returned to Brentford, the verdict was one of : there had been incidents, but they were easy enough to avoid and just enjoy the party if you wanted to.

All well and good. Unless you were there without an agenda, few will be in a position to make a full judgement about the relative innocence/guilt of the respective sets of supporters.

And I don’t want to. I’ve had enough of it. Moreso, the refugee baiting that has gone on. This wasn’t provocation from gum shield sporting ultras, self-defence from flying tables or just old-fashioned drunken fisticuffs. It marks, in however limited a form, a somewhat sickening style of behaviour spreading around the European football scene.

Call it bullying, racism, intolerance or whatever. Taunting refugee children with coins or making seven year olds down beer or smoke cigarettes for money and ‘comic effect’ (amongst just some of the awful things we’ve seen) is just wrong. Very wrong. And indefensible. Regardless of your thoughts about the political situation is this anyway to behave or represent your club/country?

And what should the club / country do about it? If they even care?

Well, PSV Eindhoven had a similar challenge prior to their Champions League game against Atlético Madrid in March. Their fans were roundly vilified for throwing coins and mocking the homeless in an act subsequently termed – Poverty as a spectacle.

Fairplay to the club for, at least, issuing a statement vowing to track down those responsible. Unless I’ve missed it, the FA have done nothing since the recently published footage of England supporters engaging in similar acts.

Greg Dyke – if you are reading (unlikely), how about it? Will you say anything ? Even just signing the petition that has sprung up ?

Or will everybody just stick their head in the sand and pretend nothing has happened? Hey, perhaps we all just imagined it.

Anyway. That’s me done.

Nick Bruzon

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How farce became fantasy. Fulham provide the best opposition possible

Brentford fans were celebrating like….. etc etc etc last night. With the draw for the Capital One Cup having been made, the likes of Manchester United visiting MK Dons or Newcastle at Gillingham would seem the obvious ‘TV’ ties. However, it is the arrival of Fulham at Griffin Park that has to be the most atmospheric and anticipated of the second round.

I’m sure the good people at Sky will go for Manchester United – if only because last season’s campaign of self destruct has seen them enter the competition at this stage for the first time in 19 seasons. They’re welcome to it – I’ll be at Griffin Park regardless.

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.

Celebrating like they’ve won the (first round of the) cup

On a night of cup shocks that saw Wigan Athletic lose 2-1 to Burton (stop sniggering at the back) and Crawley beat Ipswich Town 1-0, it was still Brentford that dominated the headlines – despite triumphing against Dagenham and Redbridge.

Our 18 goal Capital One Cup thriller (12 in open play and a further 6 on penalties) saw Brentford go through 4-2 on spot kicks after a surreal 6-6 draw. It was a game that equaled the competition’s previous ‘goals scored’ record (Reading 5 Arsenal 7 set in 2012).

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.

Is Clem the new Liverpool? (and our fans hit back)

You have to feel for the fans of Leeds United. Whilst everything at Brentford has been very much ‘on the up’ in recent months, they’ve been through the ringer. Their star player, Ross McCormack, has been sold to Championship rivals Fulham whilst the managerial situation has been one that could be politely described as ‘unsettled’. That’s before you chuck controversial owner Massimo Cellino into the mix.

However, things really took a turn for the worse on Saturday when The Football League Show highlighted their team with a visit from roving reporter Mark Clemmit – universally known as Clem.

I wrote in full last season about the four simple rules to ‘football betting’. In short they are:

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.

1 down. 45 to go, as strange changes happen (with video)

So the Championship has begun with Brentford unbeaten after the draw with Charlton. Wolves, our main rivals last season, picked up an impressive three points on TV yesterday at Molineux agasint Norwich City whilst Bournemouth top the early table following their emphatic 4-0 win at Huddersfield.

That last result being of particular pertinence for two reasons.

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.

The Championship has begun. But how was it?

Brentford kicked off their Championship campaign with a draw at home to Charlton Athletic yesterday and then had the added bonus of finishing clear of Fulham (who were beaten by Ipswich Town).

The final 1-1 score doesn’t even tell half the story. The Bees, who dominated vast swathes of the first half, were probably fortunate to come away with a draw by the end. With Charlton already 1-0 up, Callum Harriott somehow conspired to hit the crossbar when clear of David Button and with the net gaping.

If you don’t take your chances then you’ll pay the price. Sure enough, Tommy Smith popped up with six minutes left to send Griffin Park delirious.

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.

Suffered from an accident at work that wasn’t your fault?

I can only imagine Luis Suarez is sitting at home right now, ringing through to the local equivalent of those ‘ambulance chasing’ compensation lawyers that alternate advertising space on ITV4 with payday loan sharks.

That is, if his anyone actually swallows his side of the story about the ‘bite’ on Giorgio Chiellini.

Except, stop. No. Don’t sue me Luis. I believe your explanation that …

“After the impact … I lost my balance, making my body unstable and falling on top of my opponent. At that moment I hit my face against the player leaving a small bruise on my cheek and a strong pain in my teeth.”

As excuses go, it’s pretty pathetic: “Serial biter blames accidental stumble for latest assault on his teeth”.

Suarez – one way to stop any more accidental teeth pain

It’s up there with ‘The Dog ate my homework”, “My P.E. kit is in the wash” or Crystal Palace supporter Matthew Simmons’ assertion that he was just going to the Selhurst Park toilet and mentioned to a passing Eric Cantona that the number 7 (seven) should take an early shower.

And the worst thing about the Suarez case is that Diego Maradona, the previous panto villain of the World Cup, suddenly has the moral high ground after his 1986 ‘Hand or God’ (or, ‘punching the ball past the goalie’ as it is known in our house) knocked England out of the tournament.

At least he subsequently admitted what he had done. It didn’t make it any better to take but there was no attempt to come with an excuse that even Fergie (and this is the man who once blamed a defeat on his own team’s choice of grey shirt) would have been embarrassed to use.

Getting back to matters domestic, I found this list of various team’s ‘celebrity fans’ and their occupations whilst trawling the interweb last night. It makes amusing reading with some generous descriptions of what said supporter is known for and, perhaps, gives some clue as to which Championship ‘C-listers’ could be occupying the Brentford director’s box next season.

There’s no Rhino out of Status Quo for us although I’m pleased to see the inclusion of a ‘TV Broadcasting Big Cheese’ (their words) even if it isn’t Natalie Sawyer.

Clearly, a list that needs updating. That, or the Brentford PR people need to work harder. If only they’d mentioned it before….

‘Celebrating like they’d won the FA Cup…..’ (The story of Brentford’s season 2013/14) – amongst other things – is now available as a digital book. Featuring the best of the not so bad columns from the last ten months, and some new content, you can download it here for your kindle / digital device.

Sub-standard journalism and a 125th anniversary puzzler for ‘MacBrentford’….

The exhilaration of Brentford moving closer to possible promotion on Tuesday was tempered by last night’s London Evening Standard and their general obliviousness to this fact, at the expense of Chelsea. True, the one time Champions of Europe deserved extensive coverage after their late win over PSG at Stamford Bridge but three full pages (with pictures on two more) whilst the Bees were given just two lines is hardly balanced coverage from a, supposed, London paper.

It’s an old gripe and I fully understand they are going to lead with the story of larger (general) interest. That said, Brentford are a London team too and, as our fans know, are going great guns. It’s just a shame that the rest of London isn’t being given the opportunity to share in these exciting times.

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.

Will money talk or the owner walk? Either way, this won’t end well.

From Brentford to Bournemouth, Sheffield United to Hull City and more good news coming out of the club – it’s been a busy mid-week period for all things Bees related.

The good news is still no news – on the transfer front, that is. None of the current first team have left Griffin Park whilst, tellingly, there aren’t even any rumours circulating. Although, understandably, the club would never comment on these things until they are fact (or sometime after, in the case of Farid and his paper work) they have been pretty much on the mark so far.

Chuba Akpom, and Alan Judge have both joined although all the talk of Rob Kiernan – as it stands – is yet to reap any material evidence. However, I’ll take that none of the usual ‘non-club’ sources are talking about any of our players leaving as a very positive sign.

That said, a very interesting piece of business is going on a league above us

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.

2013 – a review of the year in pictures

It’s been some year for Brentford.

The Bees missed out on automatic promotion through the narrowest of margins, then obtained the usual result at the ‘W place’ in North London before finishing 2013 on a run of 34 points out of a possible 36.

Along the way we’ve had a change of manager, a change of Chairman, an epic FA cup encounter with Chelsea and the small matter of Lionel Road.

Armed with nothing more than an iPod phone and ‘screen grab’, these are my ten ‘Last Word’ defining images of 2013.

10 – Doncaster Rovers. Whilst Brentford were ultimately denied by ‘The Nag’s Head’ (Trotta’s bar) we should have seen it coming. The day started badly with Bees supporters on Soccer AM getting a season’s low score of ‘zero’ in the end of show ‘sixty second shoot out’.

Worse was to come

9 – Cardiff Beach became this year’s holiday hotspot for goalkeepers.

Farewell Simon and welcome, David Button

8 – Herr Rösler kept the players, and Billy, waiting after the Stevenage debacle. Twelve games later and the rest is history.

Nothing ‘a little chat’ couldn’t sort out

7 – The Griffin Park crowd has been noticeably louder this season. Moreso, at the death where late winners are becoming the team’s speciality.

Volume levels at Griffin Park have certainly risen this year.

6 – Lionel Road. Councillor Dhillon became a fan favourite as Matthew Benham’s dream moved one step closer when planning permission was approved.

The award winning matchday programme celebrates Lionel Road. (Other publications are available, too)

5 – It’s all your fault. Highflying Peterborough come down to earth with a bump.

Don’t cry, ‘keeper. Game,set and match. 3-2 Brentford

4 – A full house on New Road for ‘pay what you can’. Despite Keith Stroud officiating, Brentford won.

The Bees made it three out of three against Shrewsbury.

3 – This is Saunders territory. The Champions of Europe under threat as Chelsea hang on for a draw at Griffin Park.

Chelsea. Louder than Aldershot. Almost

2 – Whilst Lionel Road is the future, Griffin Park remains atmospheric.

I’ll miss Griffin Park but Lionel Road IS the future

1 – The league table, December 31^st 2013.

Thank you, BBC. Sweet, sweet viewing on their website