Next season’s home shirt revealed early and could this be the ‘away’ ?

Thursday morning. The usual eye in the storm of matchday build up. With Brentford not playing Everton until Sunday afternoon and the Newcastle game having been done to death, tools should have been downed. Cripes, we don’t even have the GPG’s exclusive fan led interview of Thomas Frank to catch up on as yet (although I understand that is currently in the process of being written up – type faster, Trevor). Then, last night, there was kit news. Big kit news. Next season’s shirt has already been revealed. Spoiler alert, it’s going to be this season’s. And a massive clue dropped about what we’ll be wearing on our travels. Get into your Tardis, channel your inner Liverpool ‘away’ and prepare to head back to the late 80s. Even better, we’ve already been treated to an artist’s impression of what what may look thanks to the amazing powers of the people behind @BeesShirts on Twitter.

Yess!!! Next season’s kit is revealed. It’s this season’s

The kit ‘reveal’ dropped yesterday afternoon. There was the story on ‘official’ and an email in the inbox. Chief executive Jon Varney telling us that in line with our core values, the club are listening to the supporters and even thinking about the environment.

“Whilst it is not normal practice for Premier League clubs to roll a kit over for two seasons, fans have told us that they would be in favour of the savings that a two-season shirt would provide. This season, our membership of The Premier League means that the income we receive from broadcast and commercial partnerships far outweighs the income we can generate from retail, therefore now is the perfect time for us to try something different without it having a material impact on our revenue.”

It’s a lengthy piece explains all the good reasons for doing this whilst also confirming that the sponsors would seem to remain in place, too, with Reg concluding: “I would like to thank Umbro for their support of this idea and also Hollywoodbets and SafetyCulture whose commitment to multiple-year relationships have made this opportunity possible.”

For me, Clive, the chance to save £50 is a wonderful one.  I love a kit reveal as much as the next fan. Likewise, the chance to add to the vast array of red and white hanging tin the wardrobe that have been accumulated over the years. At the same time, money is way tight at present and so means that, short of an absolute horror show, opting for ‘away and/or ‘third’ next season becomes a slightly simpler choice. If it helps the environment then all the better although if Brentford are serious about this as a club then how about we get rid of the single use plastic bottles from the matchday catering, too?

Yet the key takeaway from this was squirrelled away deep into the article. One line that caused this kit nerd to go off the deep end and the aforementioned @Beesshirts to do their thing. It was the declaration that: “We hope the new away shirt design will excite our fans who remember the 80’s and early 90’s, whilst the new third shirt is designed very much for the future!”

On the assumption that the chief exec knows his history, this can only mean a variant on either the Chad kit worn when we gained our one season promotion in ’92 or the Funky Bee equivalent. Blue on blue being our continual away variant over this entire period until the fractal blues of Hummel’s wonder shirt put in an appearance.

So many good memories gained whilst wearing these colours. Division three at its best. And worst. That cup run. Liverpool. Winning at Fulham. Nice work, Bliss 😉 Obviously, promotion. Indeed, when I wrote a piece about our best ever away shirts – and I caveat this massively with the fact it was done prior to us being gifted the sheer beauty of brown/orange – the Chad version came out on top.

This is wonderful news if true. Absolutely wonderful. Short of going ‘sash’ or Jaffa cake (hey, there’s always the ‘third’ kit to come) about as good as it gets. Even better, we now have that glimpse of how it may look. Oh to have such talent rather than my own shoddy photoshop. Oh to have these as our new choice of colours on the road. It may turn out to look something like this or, of course, we may have been sent off on a wild goose chase. However, if true then Brentford official may aswell just show us now. I mean, we’ve all guessed anyway. And if the Funky Bee or castle put in an appearance, somehow, then all the better.

Until then, marvel at these designs. Check out their website, too. And if you want anything match related, there’s the player piece here.

..and the modern take

There’s even room for the Funky Bee….

..and a Centenary special for @NickBruzon pic.twitter.com/WegWbHNXbi

— Brentford Shirts (@BeesShirts) November 24, 2021

The original and a personal favourite. At least, until the Jaffa cake became a genuine contender…

A present for my 21st birthday and still worth to this day

Nick Bruzon

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Was this the darkest day in our history?

February 28th 1998. A date that will go down in history for Brentford fans. The opposition York City. The result – well, it doesn’t really matter these days. At least, the on pitch one. Instead what happened on the touchline has become one of the most controversial things to ever happen at Griffin Park. It was the day we decided to show the fans our shirt for the following season (something one can only dream of these days). You know the one . The version that added black spray paint to the traditional red & white stripes. The design which, at the very best, looked like a poor man’s graffiti artist had got to work on a Bournemouth kit. But much, much worse. It was slated to go on sale at the final game of that campaign, against Luton Town. 

I’ve seen this picture before and was actually there at the time. I even own one of these (thanks to the birthday based generosity and resourcefulness of Mrs. Bruzon). But the history of what happened has all gone a little hazy over time.

Then, whilst leafing through the Big Brentford Book of the 90s to see if I could find a picture of an Umbro / Cobra crossover goalkeeper’s kit I’d seen for sale on eBay, there it was once more. 

Not just Graham Benstead wearing a top with two technical sponsors – one of which (right) is still available on the internet based auction site should anybody be looking to pick up historical curio –  but the infamous ‘smudge shirt’ , along with the newspaper clipping from the time which ran the subsequent story.

Those of us of a certain age know what happened. Half-time in a late season game saw Peter Gilham announce that we were about to be shown the aforementioned home shirt. One of the youth team then walked around Griffin Park to a shower of boos as the most untraditional of kits was unveiled before our eyes. At least, those are the details I remember.

The article cast a little more detail on events. There were apparently not one but two kids modelling the kit (Lee Tunnell and club hero Michael Dobson) and it was the York City game. When cross referred with other sources, that turned out to have been played in February – I’d have bet on it being April. Probably the first, in retrospect. So this detail was shared on Twitter. 

Being day four of a long bank holiday and not much to do after Martin Allen had blown all entertainment out of the water on Saturday afternoon, this was a last gasp attempt to kill thirty seconds. Thankfully, it ended up killing an awful lot more as Bees’ fans responded to add detail.

I wasn’t alone in thinking it was later than February whilst the one player / two player conundrum was resolved by the fact that each went in a different direction around the pitch so that only one was on view at a time to each stand. It made no difference to the chorus of boos and chants of “Red and white. Red and white.” Nor did it make any difference to the comments on the feedback form that was also handed out to supporters to give their opinion on the ‘coal smudging’ effect.

The other interesting piece of information confirmed by several supporters being that this was the result of a supporter’s competition to design our kit. What a wonderful idea, in theory, and one I’d love to see happen again. Come on Bob  how about it? (I’ve got dozens – although no brown/orange given the lack of apparent taste in our fan base) .

 One can only imagine what was rejected to go for this. One can only imagine the marketing meeting that not only came up with the selection for the winning design but then chose to launch it in such a fashion. “Listen chaps, I’ve had an idea. Two youth team players. A vandalised kit that’s like nothing we’ve ever worn before. And we spring it on the fans as a surprise…..” More drugs anyone?   

As fellow Kit nerd Luis Adriano noted on Twitter “I wonder how the person who designed the ‘winning’ competition entry must have felt/feels?! To see and hear that reception then know that their design was canned before it was ever worn in a match! “

Luis also knocked up his own take on the competition entry. At least, I hope it was his own take and not twenty years of built up frustration finally finding cathartic release.

One thing’s for sure, it never went on sale against Luton Town.

Luis in no way suffering from Bank Holiday boredom

Nick Bruzon 

Is this the funniest joke since records began? No. More importantly, will Neal start today?

“She drags me all the way from Billingsgate to Richmond to play about the weakest practical joke since Cardinal Wolsey got his nob out at Hampton Court and stood at the end of the passage pretending to be a door.” Not my words but those of TV’s Edmund Blackadder. And words which have now been surpassed by Huddersfield Town making the utterly predictable reveal that their ‘sash’ shirt was a fake after we were finally treated to the real thing. On matters closer to home, Brentford travel to Wycombe Wanderers this afternoon where there will be more than a passing interest in Thomas Frank’s starting XI.

Umbro rescue Huddersfield Town supporters. At the second attempt.

Let’s start with Huddersfield Town. Why not? With Brentford fans still basking in the glory or our own Umbro designs for 2019/20, knees jerked on Thursday when the Terriers ‘revealed’ their own effort for the forthcoming season. The oversized sponsor’s sash, promoting a bookmaker, prompting immediate horror from those who fell for it and scorn form just about everybody else. The horrors of online betting. The obvious breach in regulations. The fact that Huddersfield were playing along in a joke at their own expense.

Most crucially, the abject awfulness of the alleged kit. How do you even cock up a sash shirt? This should be impossible, given it’s a universally accepted fact that this is a look which is up there with the very best in shirt design.  That Huddersfield managed to mangle it so badly, at their own expense, whilst simultaneously pissing off almost the entire fanbase is a PR stunt that has well and truly backfired. Except, of course, for Mr. P who has more than earned his pound of advertising flesh. I mean, who wasn’t talking about them in footballing circles?

And then, surprise surprise, it was all revealed to be a hilarious prank. Despite us being nowhere even close to April 1^st. To quote Blackadder once more, “I thank God I wore my corset, because I think my sides have split.”

On the plus side, the new look unveiled by Huddersfield Town is magnificent. Hats off to Umbro for pulling this one out of the kit bag. They really are on fire this season. Even better, the official incarnation of the Huddersfield shirt has the luxury of being sponsor free. It’s just a shame their fans had to go through all that nonsense to get there.

Crystal Palace. Vasco Da Gama. Peru. All prove it should be impossible to mess up a sash kit.

Right. Wycombe Wanderers v Brentford. There’s one topic on everybody’s lips. And it’s not whether we’ll be wearing black and yellow. Neal Maupay. Will he start? Will he be here at the start of the season? Have there been any bids? Are we really preparing the way for his departure with the reported acquisition of Bryan Mbuemo from Troyes?

Persaonlly, I take the offerings from sites such as Football League World and HITC with a huge dollop of salt – when it comes to actual facts, they’re normally about as on target as a Murray Jones and Nick Proschwitz dream team. Yet when Beesotted are talking about it (and you can read their thoughts here) then stand up and take notice.  Should the Mbuemo story prove correct, might he even be an acquisition rather than a replacement? Matthew Benham does love to surprise us.

Ultimately, nobody really knows. This is all part and parcel of being a Brentford fan these days. Trust in the long term set up and overall squad balance, tempered with the more immediate angst at the prospect of saying goodbye to any one of several club heroes.

No matter how philosophical one has to remain about the quite wonderful way in which we conduct our business, football is an emotional game. We all love the likes of Neal, Said, Ollie, Sergi, Romaine. To name but a few. The immediate reaction to any combo of them leaving would see us gutted – no matter what comes next. Just look at the plaudits for Yoann Barbet, despite his eventual destination. then again, look at who has signed up at Griffin Park in lieu of him and Ezri. It works!

Here’s to more in 2019/20…..

So Neal may start at Wycombe. He may be on the bench. It doesn’t really matter in terms of serving up a clue about longer term intention. Unless, of course, the likes of Billy Reeves can get to him after the match and administer a gentle probing so we can hear from the man himself about his own thoughts.

One can dream.

And finally, time is running out on me annoying you about the annual Last Word season review e-book for your kindle, iPod telephone or other electronic reading device. However, with all proceeds received from the £1.99 sale price going to the Brentford FC Community Sports Trust its worth a mention. 

You can download it here and whilst it’s shonky, whilst I’m still spotting typos in it and some of the jokes are almost as weak as The Huddersfield shirt launch, what better way to while away your time on the commute to work, the toilet, holiday or just simply relive some of the exciting moments from last campaign as we wait for 2019/20 to start? If nothing else, it has a whole host of material not previously published on this site. That’s meant as a good thing, by the way.

Thanks. As ever.

Nick Bruzon

Umbro take Brentford Back To The Future with new shirt launch.

Dear Ryan Murrant. Could I be the first to say how much the new Brentford home shirt sucks. Except, of course, I can’t. Not even to try and get a freebie. The club officially revealed the 2019/20 Umbro kit today and, it has to be said, we’ve picked an absolute stunner for our final season at Griffin Park. The spirit of Osca 1984-85 very much reborn as Kitman Bob’s earlier promise of ‘New vibes and old skool’ has been borne out in some style.

I love it. Seriously love it. It would be no exaggeration to say this is probably our finest choice for a ‘home’ kit since the early nineties. It is about as retro as we could hope to get yet at the same time Umbro have given us something bang up to date with their first stab at a Brentford shirt. Clean lines, bold colours and instantly recognizable as ‘Brentford’.

#WeAreBrentford, indeed.

What a way to say goodbye to Adidas after a ‘partnership’ that promised much but, if we’re being honest, ultimately felt a bit flat – the yellow ‘away’ from our first Championship season and the magnificent brown and orange being obvious exceptions. The open goal of producing an ’80-’81 remake being one that the German giants very much missed. In contrast, Umbro have made no mistake when they’ve been given the opportunity to take a spin in the metaphorical Tardis with Doctor Bob.

Squint at this one and you may aswell stick on a Dire Straits LP, pop out to the cinema for Back To The Future or A View To A Kill and then lose at Wembley. It feels as close to 1985 as you can get beyond being there.

The pictures are all over the internet. And the club. And the club shop. Taking a stroll up Braemar Road on the school run this afternoon one couldn’t help but be drawn to the huge posters that are now in place showing this one off to the world.

The black v neck collar and sleeve trim. The thick red and white stripes. The new (non-gambling) sponsor. The famous Umbro double-diamond. Our club crest that is definitely a Bee. Definitely.  The detail on the back of the neck, proclaiming it to be our farewell to Griffin Park. Looking in the club shop, this is already iconography that seems sure to be repeated as the campaign reaches an emotional denouement.

Plenty of posters as well as screen shots

Downsides? Are there any? Well, we don’t have full stripes on the reverse. That’s a shame. Whilst the players will get past this with their names and numbers, for us mortals on the terrace it does present a brief flashback to the Puma teabag. Or, you could argue, the Osca 83/84 on the reverse…. Yeah. That’ll do. This is just too nice to have bad thoughts about.

Even more intriguing has been the reaction from Kitman Bob on Twitter, Can we read into this that there is even bigger and better to come with is proclamation “Sad to see 🍊 & 🍫 go 😁. But this is nice and can’t wait for the reveal of what’s to follow”

In the short term, get yourself down to Griffin Park if you are in the area. That walk this afternoon gave a further glimpse of the future. The posters all over the turnstiles and the club shop show more of how we are going to look in a few months’ time. And if you tweet a picture with the aforementioned hashtag, there’s a chance to win some Umbro ’merch’(andise).

Posters and old skool vibes are the order of the day at Griffin Park

For now, though, what are your thoughts? Good, bad, brilliant, boring? My colours are nailed to the mast. What about yours?

Nick Bruzon

 

Are we going for gold? Black, yellow or brown? Kitman Bob drops huge clue in Twitter strip tease.

And then things started to happen. The EFL have named the date on which the game between Bolton and Brentford will be played. Supposedly. This Tuesday, the same evening that our B team host Manchester City and so there goes the chance to play the kids as had been widely touted. Elsewhere, social media proved king once more as Kitman Bob started answering fan questions about next season’s kit, dropping some pretty big clues in the process.

Has Bob started pointing the way to 2019/20?

First up, Bolton. The game is supposedly going to happen this Tuesday in the deadzone between the season ending and the play-offs starting. It clashes with our own fixture at home to Manchester City B – always a big draw – whilst also means casual fans will now find themselves further torn as any hopes for a clear run to see Barcelona complete their Champions League rout against Liverpool now have some serious competition. Messi or Maupay ? Sergi or Suarez? I know, I know.

Except, of course, I still can’t see how the game will go ahead. The EFL ‘demanding’ it is one thing but even their own statement notes that, “The Board also discussed the potential of Bolton Wanderers being placed into Administration and took the view if that was to happen, the EFL would not insist the game be played.” They go on to add that “we would advise all supporters to wait until the details for the game are confirmed by the Club before making any travel arrangements”. Meanwhile Brentford official have also advised that they “Will continue to update fans on all issues surrounding this game as often as possible in the coming days.”

So clear as mud, then. The game will take place this Tuesday (it is now Friday). Except the advice from the EFL is that it might not and supporters shouldn’t make any arrangements as yet. A situation more farcical given there’s no train home after the game finishes (unless you want to hang around until 1am for the bus to Manchester and the 5 o’clock service to London) . Virgin rail and hotels are expensive enough as it is, let alone when you have to book at a moment’s notice.

Would this even allow the club time to lay on supporters’ coaches?  Would health and safety / policing allow for a game to be set up at short notice? More so one which may not even happen. What about the players who should now be on well -earned breaks? There will be more to follow, no doubt, including what I still expect to be an award of three points to Brentford.

On to matters more appealing, Twitter was awash with talk of next season’s kit yesterday. Something further compounded by EFL Championship supporter of the year, 98 year old Audrey Baker, gifting our Junior Bees an embroidered gold scarf in her role as patron of the Junior membership schemes. It is a most generous and timely present, moreso given our own recent recognition as a gold standard family club. These are smart as and I’m seriously tempted to get the ‘Jimmmy Krankie’ costume from out of the special cupboard in order to try and blag one of the white and gold beauties on Sunday.

What a gesture for our young fans

Yet as well as being a wonderful gift, it got fans wondering if this was a hint as to next season’s away colour scheme. Moreso when Kitman Bob started doing what he only he can do – going rogue on Twitter (in the nicest possible sense).

He had already told us that our 2019/20 effort would promise “New vibes and old skool” (although was that home, away or both?) whilst the release date could be imminent given, “I think there is an agreement to announce it a few days after the Preston game. “

Then Audrey did the scarf thing and that was it. Bob did what only he, Brentford and Matthew Benham can get away with – chucking out clues into cyberspace and even offering fans a choice of an easy, medium or hard one. Name me any other club or kitman that does this? I love it. Moreso, when the tease offered up to supporters seemed, at first glance, eminently gettable. Or should that be Eminemly gettable? :

Let’s start with a easy-clue then. Famous US Rapper had a massive hit with this.😁😁😁

Get in. I’ve solved this one already. Quite possibly. The clue in the scarf is there already. It has to be Kanye West – Gold Digger. Surely?

Or does it? Bob appeared to pour cold water on that speculation.  “White gold. Kitmans nightmare !  Gold is nice though 😀” . A double bluff or something that is being ruled out purely on cleanliness grounds?

Moving on, Wiz Khalifa – Black and Yellow – seemed the popular consensus. It makes sense for so many reasons and has always been popular. Who could forget the Bathroom shopfront  launch of our 2011-12 beauty whilst I’m still a sucker for the version worn on the road in our first Championship campaign after promotion.

We’ve got good form here .

Then it hit me. People have missed the obvious one. Hidden in plain sight. We all love the Jaffa Cake kit. All of us. How about more of the same? It’s so obvious when you think about it. DJ Khaled – Brown paper Bag. YESSS!!!! Another season of the brown / orange or similar. It was a fact fact further, definitely compounded by Bob’s subsequent musing “Why has everyone gone for Wiz 🤔🤔🤔”   .

So there you have it. We’re going brown again. Definitely brown.  Not gold and white or black and yellow.

Too obvious? Or will it be Wiz?

Yet there was more intrigue thrown out there with the other clue offered out by Bob. Namely that, “There maybe  more than one away kit …..” .

Three kits? Does this mean that, in the final season in our current home, Brentford could be going for something special from the historical locker? We did this before in 2004/05 with the away kit commemorating 100 years at Griffin Park. Perhaps something similar is in the offing? Once can only hope that is the case.

Something historic this way comes?

Whilst we’re all making educated guesses, ultimately nobody knows for sure. The technical sponsor is still not public knowledge although the kit nerd in me is desperate for Umbro, would love the nostalgia of Hummel and can see the unique situation of personalised shirts that would come with New Balance and their NB logo . No doubt it’ll end up being somebody like Macron, whose latest Stoke City effort is about as safe as they come – with some very unusual collars….

The only way to know for sure will be when the club top brass allow Bob to get his kits out. Come on Mr. Benham. Please, put us out of our misery.

Nick Bruzon

Here’s the tease. Monday’s final reveal has fans buzzing as we show our green credentials.

We’re getting close. Friday saw the now traditional ’strip tease’ taking place on Twitter as Brentford fans were given a partial glimpse of next season’s kits. Initial thoughts, such as can be gleaned from the photos, are suggesting nothing but a trio of stunners. The already revealed Sheffield United and Sunderland kits being possible guidelines for the home whilst there’s huge shock on the away from with what looks like a rare foray into green. Yes. Green.

First up, the home shirt. I loved last season’s kit. Said it at the time and will stand by that until my last breath. However, I also appreciate it was a touch too heavy on the white front for some supporters. But what we have here, at least from the shrouded photos – one from the tweet itself and one from the banner that now adorns the club’s Twitter account – suggest that red is very much back in vogue. Think the Sheffield United kit we featured earlier this week but without the, albeit lovely, extraneous back.

Instead, that trim is limited to the sleeve ends and, maybe, the collar too. Those being the only redeeming features from the awful, awful Sunderland effort also referenced with the United shirt in Tuesday’s article.  It is hard to read too much into these whilst, of course, we’ve no idea what the bottom or heart of the shirt look like. Could the club be going down the route of that amazing Osca shirt from 83/84 where the stripes stopped half way up ?

But, as ever, it is when playing away that the interest really kicks in. With the home shirt you know, largely, what we are going to get. At least, colour wise. But away, anything can happen. Blue, black, yellow, yellow and black, blue and blue. These are just some of the combos we’ve featured in recent seasons. 2017/18 sees us into new ground. Green.

The potential of going green is something we talked about on these pages over a year ago. It was something noted by Matthew Benham at the time and it is something the fans, largely, warmed to. Now it looks like it is happening.

Assuming the club haven’t pulled off the ultimate double bluff and Dan Bentley is actually modelling the away shirt rather than the goalie top, then I can only salivate in anticipation at what will happen when the club go the full monty and show us what’s lurking in the shadows.

Side stripes. Yes!! Green. Yes!! A white collar with possible trim on the shoulders. That, or our model is wearing a cape. From what we can see it all looks very much Germany ’86. Which, if so, is one of THE all time football kits.

Again, as with the home shirt, the lower half has the potential to change all of this. Could there be a second colour? Or a third? Could we have trim? Motifs? Who knows. Just roll on Monday when we can find out.

As for the goalkeeper shirt, Kitman Bob pulled a surprise rabbit from the hat last year with that wonderful red. It immediately made it into my top ten all time Brentford kits and, this time around, he may have done something similar.

Dan Bentley seems to be wearing a variant on the Brazil 1998 shirt. Yellow, with green collars and shoulder trim. Oh, for him to be turning out in blue shorts and white socks too.

Come Monday and the big reveal, all of this is quite likely to go out the window. For now, there is speculation. For now there is anticipation.

For now , especially on that green away shirt, there is huge hope amongst the Brentford faithful. Just look at some of the replies to the official tweet to get a feel for what fans think.

@RobRankin: Oooooooooh

@SirFestusBurke: Please please please be a green away top!

@aawharris77: ooooh looks very green to me 🙂

@alan_pepps84: Loving the idea of a green kit for a change

@sarangipani: I love them already.

@supersalvage2: Buzzing🔥🔥

But for me, the sense of excitement was summed up not just with those moments but by Kitman Bob. He nailed it, as ever, in just eight words: Adidas web is going to be in melt down.

Who am I to argue with that? Roll on the 19th.

Along with dreaming about kit , the other traditional thing at this time of year is the plugging of the season review e-book. Please. Stay with me – this time around it is for a great cause . All funds raised are being given to the Brentford FC Community Sports Trust. Likewise, any subsequent sales form the previous versions.

Containing the least bad of the blogs from May 2016 to May 2017 and a bit of new material too, you can pick it up, here. It’s all for a GREAT cause.

So why not do something great to help our club? What else will £1.99 get you? What better way to spend some time on the commute to work, the beach, by the pool or even hiding out in the toilet at work? You might even enjoy it !

For less than the cost of half a pint on match day, it’s the season review that has been designed to fit in your pocket (if you are using an i-phone).

HUGE thanks to everyone who has downloaded it so far.

Nick Bruzon

As our rivals show their true colours, what kit clues can we learn so far?

With the odds of anything exciting happening in Brentford at this time of the year 5/1 or longer, its been the perfect time for a summer break. And coming back on line today, it’s all been going off. At least, if you are a kit nerd as fellow Championship stablemates / Adidas label mates Sheffield United and Sunderland are amongst those to launch their new home kit. But should we be looking further to Germany and Bayern Munich?

There’s been some off-field stuff too, but we can only begin with kit and the desperate search for any clues as to what the Bees will be wearing in 2017/18. New launches (especially at Championship level where template design is so often the way for many clubs) are fallen upon as hungrily as a past his sell-by-date detective trying to unravel a two year unsolved crime when presented with fresh evidence. Whilst said ‘evidence’ is probably steering everyone up a blind alley, there’s no harm taking a look. If you chuck enough mud, perhaps some will stick no matter how inaccurate the guess.

As such, can we read anything into what has come out so far?

The weekend saw Sunderland off the mark with an effort reminiscent of our own 88/89 centenary shirt. Broad stripes being replaced by a plethora of thin efforts in the traditional red and white. With matching collar and cuffs in black, will it be sufficient to save Sunderland from our own fate from 19 years ago?

Namely, the shirt looking pink when viewed from a distance of anything over five yards away. More importantly, could Kitman Bob have something like this up his sleeve? Here’s hoping not, if initial feedback from Brentford supporters on social media is anything to go by.

Are Sunderland emulating the Funky Bee?

My own opinion is that this one is a stinker. But who knows? In the flesh it may look better. Stranger things have happened.

Then, on Monday, it was Sheffield United’s turn. Their shirt for next season is a stunner. Broad red and white interspersed with black pinstripe puts one in mind of the Brentford 2000-02 shirt. After that, things take a left field swerve. Unusual black shoulders and black side panels ensure the Blades will be looking sharp next season. It’s different, no doubt, but I love it.

Could this give us an indication as to how the Bees may turn out? Kitman Bob Oteng was revealing nothing about our own version beyond an admission on Twitter that, “I personally like this new home shirt than last season”. And, likewise : “Well it’s red & white ! That’s it.”

Sheffield United looking sharp ahead of 2017/18

Yet if these are both twists on the traditional red and white combo, Adidas have really pushed the envelope with Bayern Munich’s forthcoming shirt. Adding white stripes where these are not usually seen they have, as we saw with Juventus in the previous column, produced something that is retro yet stylish. Wonderfully stylish. Perhaps it is seeking this in red and white already (rather than my own ham fisted photoshop) but I think it’s the best of the bunch to date.

But we won’t be wearing this. Sadly. If for no other reason than why would Bayern let us get our hands on their kit ?

Bayern Munich’s new kit. I’ve seen wurst.

Looking elsewhere in the Championship we’ve also seen Nottingham Forest, Ipswich Town and Birmingham City reveal Adidas branded kit. ‘Safe’ would seem to be the key word here which is a shame from many respects.

Very much fitting into the ‘goes well with jeans’ category, there’s nothing to overly get the pulse flickering although at least Mark Warburton’s boys will have a touch of pinstripe. For the nostalgic amongst us, a nice nod back to 82-84 and 92-94.

Adidas play it safe looking further across the Championship.

This is, as ever, all conjecture though. Last season’s Brentford shirt took us all by surprise. I have no doubt Chief Executive Mark Devlin, Kitman Bob et al will be planning similar this time around. That is to say, taking us by surprise rather than a safe, goes well with jeans piece of football fashion.

Let’s be honest, none of us have a clue. No matter what we’d like the answer to be, no matter what we chuck out there on social media, we really don’t know anything. No matter what we think. There’s nothing we can do but wait for the answer to be revealed. Whenever that may be. And I can’t wait.

The big news off field concerns Nico Yennaris. It was announced yesterday that he has signed a four year contract extension in a deal which will keep him at Griffin Park until summer 2021. This is great reward for a player who has crept up the blindside to become an ever present in the Brentford team and very much one of our unsung heroes. The only player to feature in every game last season, despite some formidable competition around him, Nico’s goal at Birmingham City is still one that gets the juices flowing. Even now. Here’s hoping for more of the same next season. And if you’d like to read more, Brentford official has the full story.

Contract news for Nico

Along with dreaming about kit and nothing much else happening, the other traditional thing at this time of year is the plugging of the season review e-book. Please. Stay with me – this time around it is for a great cause . All funds raised are being given to the Brentford FC Community Sports Trust. Likewise, any subsequent sales form the previous versions.

Containing the least bad of the blogs from May 16 to May 17 and a bit of new material too, you can pick it up, here. It’s all for a great cause and, hey, you may even enjoy it.

So why not do something great to help our club. What else will £1.99 get you? What better way to spend some time on the commute to work, the beach, by the pool or even hiding out in the toilet at work? You might even enjoy it !

For less than the cost of half a pint on match day, it’s the season review that has been designed to fit in your pocket (if you are using an i-phone).

HUGE thanks to everyone who has downloaded it so far.

Nick Bruzon

Kit news. We have kit news. Of sorts. Plus a bright and breezy romp…

Even years are fab. Odd ones suck. 2016 – saw the Euros and the Olympics. 2018 – has the World Cup. 2017 – nothing . Absolutely nothing. What one New Road observer described to me yesterday as ‘A sports wasteland’. Unless you like Andy Murray. But then we get that every year. For football / Brentford fans a long, hard summer awaits. We’ve a 35 day wait until we can see the lads in vaguely meaningful action (the game at Aldershot) whilst the visit of Southampton is, as it stands, the only pre-season action announced at Griffin Park

Indeed, looking at the key dates between now and August when the Bees continue Championship life, it really does seem like a case of slim pickings. At least if you need your football fix.

Dates for the diary – 2017/18.

Father’s Day: 18th June
Sky Bet EFL fixtures are revealed: 21st June 2017
Aldershot Town: away 7th July
Oxford United: away 19th July
Southampton: home 22nd July
MK Dons: away 25th July
Sky Bet EFL season begins: 5th August 2017 (subject to TV)

35 days?? That’s more than a month.

All pretty standard fare, really. But why Father’s day? This is no unsubtle hint from yours truly. Mrs B normally does a great job on that front (although if anybody is struggling for an idea then there’s a book I could recommend…).

If football action is thin on the ground, then so are updates about our new kit for 2017/18. It’s been tumbleweed out there. I am, as ever, desperate to find out how we’ll be looking next season. Thick stripes? Thin stripes? Collars? Long sleeves (please, Adidas. Please). Will the away be the green we discussed so much last season? What about yellow/black – a combination that proved incredibly popular in the recent poll to discuss our best ever shirt to feature the previous crest? Or a return to ‘traditional’ two-tone blue?

Likewise, how we are going to launch next season’s effort? Incredible though it was to get the supporters involved last time around (and I can only thank the club, yet again, on that front) nobody is yet to surpass Blackburn Rovers and their ‘Birdy’s Date’ video. I’ve said that before and I will say it again. Probably every season going, at least until we make our own equivalent – Buzzette’s Date, anyone?

Players and fans were all involved last time around

Yet for all my supposition, there has been nothing out there. With Brentford understandably focussing on season tickets at present, why would we make distractions on that front? Equally, with clubs now launching shirts every day (Southampton and Alan McCormack’s Luton Town amongst the most recent to go with stunning ‘away’ efforts – do check them out, especially the Saints which is very ’80’s Brentford) one does have to wonder when it will be our turn?

Fellow kit enthusiast/nerd/obsessive Luis Adriano has been on the case though. Taking to Twitter, he put the question to Mark Devlin this week. As ever, our Chief Executive was quick to reply giving the slightest of clues…..

For a mate! Sure, Luis. Sure 🙂

So Father’s Day is on the calendar in the Bruzon household. Although not just for the traditional reasons this season. Mark / Kitman Bob, if you are reading (stranger things have happened) any more clues would be gratefully accepted…..

The other traditional thing at this time of year is the plugging of the season review e-book. Please. Stay with me – this time around it is for a great cause . All funds raised are being given to the Brentford FC Community Sports Trust. Likewise, any subsequent sales from the previous versions.

Containing the least bad of the blogs from May 2016 to May 2017 and a bit of new material too, you can pick it up, here. It’s all for a great cause and,hey, you may even enjoy it.

“A bright and breezy romp…. this is a cheap and worthwhile read.” They aren’t my words but those of sometime Bees Player pundit and ‘Ahead of the game’ author Greville Waterman.

So PLEASE. Do something great to help our club. What else will £1.99 get you? What better way to spend some time on the commute to work, the beach, by the pool or even hiding out in the toilet at work (or is that just me?).

In all seriousness, I need to give a HUGE thanks to everybody who has downloaded this so far. Likewise, those who have helped give it a nudge – the players, Beesotted and West London’s Premier Journalist Tom Moore amongst others.

For less than the cost of half a pint on match day, it’s the season review that has been designed to fit in your pocket (if you are using an i-phone).

If nothing else, Father’s Day is approaching. Just saying….

Out now – for a great cause

Nick Bruzon

Wasp and leg related weirdness clouds Brentford’s big reveal

Brentford football club launched our new badge yesterday and, now that the shock of the seemingly sudden reveal has worn off, what is your opinion? Brilliant? Terrible? Indifferent?

Initial thoughts from myself were in the positive camp – it does happen 🙂  – and remain as such. Likewise much of the feedback to that column , whether directly in the comments or on social media. Equally though, I’m not so naive to realise there were some less than favourable initial observations out there.

That’s life. People are absolutely entitled to opinions whilst reaction to change can be a tough thing to deal with. Moreso sudden, unexpected change.

Yet, for some reason, the tabloids were lining up, lemming like,  to immediately pour scorn. Why go for the positive or just reporting the story when you can do so in such a negative fashion? Do we have a bad relationship with the media or are Brentford just a soft target?

“Brentford supporters left furious”.   

“Are we the wasps now?”  

“Brentford’s new badge angers fans who claim traditional bee looks more like a wasp.” 

These, the respective headlines yesterday from the Daily Mail, Daily Mirror and that bastion of the footballing moral high ground, The Sun. Bearing in mind these were the same sources whose leading stories yesterday included :

Why are you sitting here on the sofa?’: Alex Jones asks Cliff Richard why he is on The One Show despite SUING the BBC –Daily Mail

‘Why are you sitting here on the sofa?’: Alex Jones asks Cliff Richard why he’s on The One Show despite SUING the BBC’ –The Daily Mirror

‘THIS IS AWKWARD’ The One Show’s Alex Jones asks Cliff Richard why he’s on the sofa despite £1.5 million lawsuit against the BBC The Sun

I’m no Cliff Richard fan and please don’t get me started on The One Show (the audience of which is, presumably, interchangeable with that of Mrs. Brown’s Boys). Yet this is the calibre of apparent news our supposed badge based fury and/or anger is lined up against.

Aside for the fact this fan fury seems such a skewed perspective , I don’t even get the whole Bees / Wasp thing. The bee on our new badge is clearly a bee. Maybe more ‘bumble’ than ‘honey’ but still clearly a bee. Who could even think this was a wasp? Desperate editors, internet comedians or Mrs. Brown aside?

Wasps. Real and shirt based. Not Bees

We’ve seen wasps before at picnics and on rugby shirts. I can’t say this enough but ours is clearly a bee.  As for the claim that it only has four legs rather than six… Erm??! Not sure I follow the logic there. Presumably the ‘missing pair’ are under the wings.

Funnily enough, it IS possible to draw / photograph a bee with only 4 of the traditional 6 legs visible to the naked eye.

If nothing else, just look at the current badge and start counting.1, 2, 3, 4. I’ve no recollection of any fury / anger from Brentford supporters at what seems to be much more of a leg based inaccuracy. If, indeed, it even is one. Which it isn’t.

Have there been 20 years of marches and placards outside Mark Devlin’s office? “Give us back our legs” being shouted by an angry mob or #wewantourlegs appearing on Twitter ? (note to media team – don’t ).

The current badge. 1,2,3,4 erm that’s it..

Of course not. Because, much like the self-importance and perceived popularity of the John Lewis Christmas advert, it isn’t actually ‘a thing’ outside of a small section of cyberspace. That clickbait grabbing headline writers then chose to turn it into one is, sadly, endemic of today’s journalism.

And I say that as a football fan looking in rather than any form of journalist (which clearly I’m not) looking out. I’m just the numpty on the terrace with a bit more spare time on my hands early in the morning than is probably advisable. Oh, for some sleep..

But I digress. What I would ask is why was the release so rushed? So sudden. No fanfare. No build up. No cryptic clue from Matthew Benham. No “Big announcement coming soon” type advice. No ’strip tease’ – an annual favourite

Instead, like a bolt out of the blue it was suddenly here. An email in the inbox and a headline on the website announcing “Our new club crest” .

Much like the subject of kit, this is clearly an emotive one. Fans were apparently consulted although this is something I, and many others, were unaware of over this consultation period. “During the past 18 months we engaged with a wide range of fans and stakeholders within the Club about our crest and received a clear mandate to look at change.” Those aren’t my words yet something which could have been made clearer if it was happening. And if it was just with a select group, at least explain this in the announcement .

Whilst this is ultimately their decision as a general rule I think our club goes out of it’s way to involve the fans. Being realistic, it is one I’m presuming is a decision they had to get right for many more reasons beyond simply something to stick on the shirt and say “We are Brentford” 

Involving the supporters a bit more, even just in the build up to the release, might have been a bit of a smarter move in retrospect. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and in a village such as football, where gossip and rumours can spread like wildfire, perhaps this was just a case of wanting to get the news out there.

Either way, the badge is here to stay. I’m hoping it grows on supporters. I love it and, whilst I have no qualms in voicing a less than club friendly opinion when warranted (as regular readers will be aware), in this instance I think they’ve come up with a great design.

Certainly, it is one I’ll be proud to wear on my shirt next season. Now Bob just has to get his part of that deal right ….

Nick Bruzon

How do Bees fare against Monaco, Manchester City and Celtic in the pre-season buzz?

The season is almost here. New kits. New signings. New season tickets now in the post. Brentford, of course, have now unveiled their new strip which, presumably, will see another airing for the home version agasint Peterborough tonight. But we aren’t alone. Celtic took a (double) trip into the bizarre yesterday whilst AS Monaco and Manchester City are amongst those promoting themselves in unique style ahead of the big kick off.

First up, as ever, Brentford. The big talking point from Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Kaiserslautern was nothing to do with the on pitch matters but more one about the kit. Wonderful though it is, the universal opinion seemed to be that the shirt numbers were somewhat ‘tricky’ to read.

“Very retro” was the diplomatic verdict from the Beesplayer team as they discussed this during the first half. Adding, “It’s a good job we know the players”. Was this fair? Will we get used to them? Could the players see a patch having to be added to the reverse? Will the football league change their font? More than likely, we’ll all just have to get used to it. Family time meant Saturday was a game too far but here’s to tonight and seeing the new kit in action, under floodlights. I’m sure it’ll all be fine.

The other thing that has impressed me about the new Brentford shirt was the way the launch was handled. For obvious reason there may be a slight element of bias but using the supporters was a wonderful idea.

The new kit is available now

But it wasn’t just this. It was the subtle yet classy way we did this. No OTT catchphrases. None of those dreaded hashtags. Just a series of great (player) photos.

The same can’t be said about others. With passage to the third round of the Champion’s League now assured after edging past Lincoln Red Imps of Gibraltar 3-1 over two legs, Celtic have safely launched their third kit. And it is one born in the history of their European cup triumph of 1967.

#IfYouKnowYourHistory says the launch hashtag. And enough, but it is what the blurb says about the inspiration for a somewhat gaudy colour scheme that really intrigues. Apparently the shirt has been inspired by the colours used on the match ticket for the 1967 final, with the electric pink and black design honouring the ‘Lisbon Lions’ team.

A historical inspiration – supposedly

It’s tenuous but if true then who am I to argue. It’s just a shame that, in choosing to honour what is probably the biggest moment in the club’s history, Celtic have done so in such appalling fashion. It is a shirt which, in this kit nerd’s opinion, gets a direct pass to the hall of shame.

Social media was awash with commentary, most of it less than favourable. Almost as much for the picture published (which since seems to have been removed), of new signing Kolo Toure. Perhaps he’d been shown the new kit just before the photo was taken?

Happy to have joined

If Brentford have looked to take a different approach to kit launch this season, we aren’t alone. Over in France, AS Monaco have released a video to help with theirs. Sadly, this isn’t in the same ball park as the infamous Blackburn Rover’s effort  – Birdy’s date – instead being somewhat tasteful and rather innovative .

Virtual Reality – words not heard since the late 80’s and pixel laden video games accompanied by ill-fitting headsets and impossible controls. Well, it’s back (albeit via the medium of YouTube, and has been used on the Monaco kit launch.

With the release of a new kit becoming more and more a ‘big thing’ , one does wonder where this is going to go next. We’ve certainly come a long way since a photo in the programme or our own ‘reveal in the bathroom shop window’.

Monaco breaking new ground

Finally, have you got your new season ticket as yet? With the cards and wallets coming through letter boxes as we speak, it’s another indication of the forthcoming season. This has done nothing but further whet the appetite although I do wonder if it might have been possible to have some variety in design or even for of the year embossed onto the card or holder.

I guess this was for reasons of cost / continuation of design but football fans are, in many cases, completists and collectors. I have drawers full of the things from seasons gone by, as do many others. Being able to look back over them is a hugely sentimental / nostalgic thing for many. If the marketing chaps are reading, perhaps a small ask for next season?

Looking at Manchester City, their ticket has been despatched in a collectors box with pin badge for their new, old crest. Perhaps somewhat outside of our budget range and a tad OTT but, equally, you can’t deny it is a well meaning touch.

Nick Bruzon