Tag Archives: invasion

The good, the bad and the ugly. Bees reach new heights at Newcastle, Villa do their thing whilst pigs can fly. A week in football.

17 Oct

Brentford went down 3-1 at Newcastle United, who were overtaken in the race to the top of the table by Norwich City. Tuesday night’s opponents Derby County got off to a winning start under new manager Steve McClaren whilst the other team to replace their boss, Aston Villa, churned out yet another draw. That’s 8 out of 12 now for the Villains who sit just one point above the relegation zone. Making up the bottom three are Wigan, Blackburn and Rotherham

That’s the latest Championship action in nutshell. Yet there has been so much more going on in the division and beyond. In the latest of our regular, weekly feature we look back at those things you might have missed from the world of social media.

Whilst it was a week which began with the next round of World Cup qualifiers we’ll start, as ever, with Brentford. Our trip to Newcastle was one which ended in disappointment. Fan opinion seemed to be largely that the moment got the better of us.

But whatever happened on the pitch, nobody could doubt the fans had fun. And what a sight.

Looking down on the action at Newcastle was a unique experience. A wonderful opportunity to watch play unfold or the last of us just making it down from the 14 flights of stairs now?

Brentford aren’t  the only ones travelling well. For all that nobody is sniggering at the plight Aston Villa find themselves in , you can’t deny their fans are fiercely loyal.

That’s great work. Seriously. Getting home from that one isn’t going to be fun. At least Villa will have a point to celebrate with (the draw currently at a very generous 23/10).

Aston Villa weren’t the only ones to pick up a point. As Norwich City went top, Ipswich Town laboured to a 0-0 with Blackburn. Bad enough, without your neighbours then putting the boot in .

Charlton Athletic also had trouble on the pitch before eventually putting Coventry City to the sword. Given their high profile relations (or lack of) with their supporters it was nice to see them doing all possible to maintain a sense of perspective.

It wasn’t just pigs invading football pitches at the weekend. There were dogs joining in the action, too

Next up, kit news. And there’s lots of it. With Brentford celebrating their 4,000th league game on Saturday there had been a hope we might have worn some form of celebratory shirt. Whilst this doesn’t seem to be the case (as it stands), over in the Netherlands Sparta have taken that idea forward.

What a beauty. That said, whilst I’m all for a retro style shirt, let’s hope Derby County don’t go down that route on Tuesday night . This one flashed across my timeline on Friday.

Bolton Wanderers are also making the headlines. Their kitman not a patch on our own Bob Oteng. Certainly, if this is the best he can come up with.

Whilst the club may not be giving us a special kit for Saturday, let’s hope the marketing team aren’t casting their eyes towards Portugal. Just when you thought there was nothing left for a club to stick their name on, think again.

There were international games at the start of the week, too. Nobody needs any reminder of that so we’ll keep it to two that seem to sum things up nicely.

But we’ll finish with clowns. Not the crazy killer variety but over at Loftus Road where, it seems, they are struggling with the atmosphere.

Oh dear.

Nick Bruzon 

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Very Good Friday – the promotion pictures you won’t have seen.

19 Apr

So Brentford did it with victory over Preston and are now, with Wolves, Championship bound. The earlier post match article has a few pictures (and a couple of hungover words) but here, armed with nothing more than a mobile phone, are the alternative shots that made up my day…..

It is a little known fact that almost 25 years ago I applied to be manager of Preston North End football club – we’ll chalk it down to the impetuousness of youth. However, whilst rummaging through the attic on the morning of the game I came across not only a stash of old programmes and fanzines, but a stark reminder of this fact.

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Preston – never replied. Their loss is Brentford’s gain

I’m still waiting for that reply. Who knows how our promotion chances were effected by the butterfly effect of Keith Leeming’s failure to follow up?

Still, nestling alongside this was an early copy of Beesotted. How’s this for an omen? It was only issue 15, which was published after Gary Blissett’s goal at Peterborough in 1992 took Brentford up to the second tier of English football.

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An unexpected omen from the attic

The final piece of attic related ‘treasure’ was a 1996 programme from a game v Burnley. Perhaps we are just a bit more astute (or I have a filthy mind) but did their fans get one over Graham Haynes and Ian Westbrook in ‘Around the Hive’?

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Burnley 1 Brentford 0 ??

Many of the Last Word articles this season have featured ‘View from the terrace’ . Put simply, this is matchday ‘action’ captured with all the technological power of an iPod telephone.

Well here are two from yesterday – Clayton looking to pick out an unmarked Will Grigg (more noticeable for the swathe of (unrequired) stewards at the Preston end) and then one more of those immense celebrations.

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View from the terrace. Preston fans were the epitomy of good sportsmanship, too

 

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View from the terrace – Bees fans unleash all that pent up excitement

And after this, well – we all know what happened. There was dancing in the street (thankfully NOT a mullet clad, trench coat sporting Mick Jagger / David Bowie video), speeches from Matthew Benham, impromptu Q&A with Warbs , and the Brentford team signing anything (and I mean , anything..)

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Chairman Cliff Crown – I bet he replies to letters

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Is this Saunders territory? One lucky fan gets an autograph

Fans celebrated inside and out . There was just a great vibe around The Griffin (which, I understand, continued long into the night at The Lord Nelson, too). Even 1992 hero Bliss got in on the action.

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The legend that is Gary Blissett, outside the ground

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Partying in the shadow of Griffin Park

And with the sun setting, it simply remained for us to go inside for one last look at the League One table.

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I’m so happy, I won’t even berate Sky for upper case bracketery