Who starts? Who is fit? Can we do it?

Well that’s all got interesting this week. Everton followed their defeat at Brentford on Sunday with an absolute home humping to Liverpool last night. It ended 1-4 with the only question being asked as the game progressed was how it had taken the Reds so long (nine minutes) to open their account? All of which means that if Brentford win at Tottenham tonight and Manchester United fail to beat Arsenal then the Bees will move up to 7th (seventh) in the table. The European spots beckon. Just the small matter of winning at Spurs to contend with first. Hmmm.

Ok. So Everton was a win, there were some impressive performances from key individuals and the table doesn’t lie over the course of a season. Spirits will be high for this one although who makes it into the starting XI remains to be seen with several players appearing to go off injured on Sunday afternoon. Brentford head coach Thomas Frank was playing those cards close to his chest, with the only significant news being that Kris Ajer will likely be out for another 3-4 weeks whilst Zanka is being assessed weekly. Otherwise, Thomas told us that he has, ”The squad from last game, all the players will be available for this game. No extra players will be available.”

Full time, Sunday

With an intense period of games coming up, is this the time to twist? Or will Thomas hold fire for Leeds United and Watford? I’ve no idea. For me, Clive, Rico was run into the ground last season, culminating in that lengthy absence. He won’t want to miss out tonight though, that’s for sure. If they’re fit then go strong.

Tottenham, it would be fair to say, have had a mixed season so far. Antonio Conte seemed to have steadied the ship and then there was the debacle of the European defeat at the hands of Latvian outfit NS Mura. Cripes, that was grim viewing for anyone in N17.

The games are thick and fast

We all know the challenge ahead. We’ll be loud, the Bees are outsiders (although at 17/4, odds have definitely been longer at various points in the season. Liverpool and Chelsea in particular where I think we were 9s, at home) and its a new stadium etc etc etc For Brentford fans, we’ve heard it all before so not much to add. All we can do is be out best. 

As much as anything, probably worth reading the travel guide on Brentford ‘official’ . Likewise, and especially for those coming in directly from work, the Tottenham bag policy. That’s a proverbial ball-ache nobody needs. Likewise, if anyone could clarify the difference between a laptop bag and a laptop sleeve, that would be appreciated. There’s no idea how draconian the stewards will be – Brentford levels or militant. Travel light and prepare for a walk seems to be the key, here.

There’s not much else to say at this juncture. Beyond please don’t forget its a 7.30pm kick off. All the fallout will come tomorrow. For now, enjoy the game and see you there. 

Nick Bruzon

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Farewell, Griffin Park. It’s been emotional. It’s been amazing.

Mid-afternoon. For Brentford, the final game at Griffin Park approaches. Little more than four hours away. Sitting here in the pub, the floodlights clearly visible through the window, it’s with the knowledge that when they go out tonight that really will be for the last time. The Bees host (entertain is probably too generous a word given the circumstances of this one) Swansea City, knowing that whomever comes out on top this evening will be afforded the opportunity to take the last spot in next season’s Premier League. With Bournemouth now relegated, somebody needs to keep up the top flight tinpot factor. If for no other reason than to keep our friends at Leeds United on their toes. Can The Bees do it ?

Tonight the lights go out forever

This evening’s events will determine that one, of course. For now it is time for reflection. For a last reminisce before the curtain finally goes down on our our ‘shitty stadium’. Not my words but those of Brentford head coach , Thomas Frank. And he’s right. Fans love it. A reminder of days gone by in this era of identikit bowls. The likes of Griffin Park are a dying breed in an era of soulless new stadia with no endearing features. Each a carbon copy of the last. Wayne Rooney’s Derby County. Middlesbrough. Leicester City. Southampton. Arsenal. Wrap around bowls with none of the character that so infused their former homes. Even Millwall 2 is a shadow of it’s former self. All the character and intimidation of Cold Blow Lane sucked out of it and lost in a sea of breeze blocks. Nothing remaining beyond that toe-curling goal music. Let’s not even start on West Ham. A ‘proper club’ (not my words…) now squatting in the Olympic stadium. That’s worked well.

We love Griffin Park. Visitors love it. A chance to experience football how it used to be. Terraces. Over flowing toilets. Cramped seats. And…? Who cares? We’ve got a pub in every corner. We can still stand, or sit, right on top of the pitch. We can hug our heroes at full time. Exchange a thumbs up with the manager. Pose for a selfie. Act like human beings and the family that we are. Or, at least, were until Covid-19 came and took all that way somewhat prematurely.

Cramped surrounding make for a unique bond between players and fans

The last Brentford game together, Sheffield Wednesday on 7th March. A 5-0 thrashing administered by a Bees team with our tails up and the goals flying in. Fans there because they wanted to watch the game rather than participate in the last rites and awful occasion that would have been Barnsley. Leaving at full time, there was half an inkling in the back of the mind that things may soon be up. Certainly looking at the news coming in from around Europe. Sure enough, they were. Now, games played out in front of the directors and our fan banners. Supporter confined to barracks or the, finally, re-opened pubs.

But whilst we may have missed out there are, at least, more than enough memories of better times. And worse. What’s yours? I honestly can’t choose.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to GP by the BBC to participate in their piece about Brentford that went out on the London evening news yesterday where, amongst other things, the question of favourite moment was asked. Cripes – where do you even start? 

Tuesday afternoon. My final photo of Griffin Park

Bob Booker and his hat-trick against Hull? Newport County 6-0. DJ Campbell in the FA Cup. Gary Blissett doing his thing when boyhood club Manchester City came to town. Alan Judge’s penalty against Preston. The 4-0 v Fulham in the build up to promotion back in 91/92. Jota in the last minute. Jota tearing Jake Bidwell a new one v QPR. Jota returning – even better than before. ‘That  penalty’…..? (hey, there may be masochists amongst us).

Then there’s the off pitch stuff. Just the fact that is as normal to see players walking down the street to a game as it fellow supporters. Something evidenced in the post-Preston promotion party where fans and first team celebrated arm in arm. There was King Kev at the bar of The Griffin, waiting his turn to be served. There’s was no chance he was going to buy a pint that day. Never have I been happier to put my hand in my pocket. 

Regardless of status, if you want in then you have to run the gauntlet of Braemar Road. Everybody from Greg Dyke to Delia Smith. Ant and Dec to Jack Whitehall. Lee Dixon spent a period holding court outside The Griff whilst its not uncommon to see the cream of Britpop chatting football out front (assuming, of course, that like me you place The Bluetones and Hard-Fi in that bracket).

Not that it is a gauntlet. We’re all so familiar with each other that it is as exciting to spot Jumper Man as it is Natalie Sawyer. There’s more of a thrill from seeing Kitman Bob than Ian Moose. The environs of Griffin Park are like some sort of neutral zone. Leave all celebrity hang ups at the door – we’re all friends and your power to appear in heat magazine won’t work here. 

Players and staff. Celebs and fans. Nobody is better than anybody else. It’s all about the football and the fun. The communal feel that only Griffin Park can engender. Neal Maupay popping out for a post match curry? Why not. Only at Griffin Park could you do that. An injured Sergi Canos on the forecourt at half time chatting to fans? Well, yes.  

Maupay visits Albany Spice for a post-match curry. Only at Griffin Park

I’ve made friends for life at Griffin Park. Some who are, sadly, no longer with us. Genuineiy, I’ll have a tear in my eye tonight about one in particular. His passing has been recent and I wish to high heaven he could have been here but sometimes life is just shit. Serves up a kick in the nuts that is one hundred times worse than any missed penalty kick. Thinking of you, J.

Others, who I’d do anything for. People with whom there is no finer moment spent than in building up the big match excitement pre game. Drowning our sorrows (or celebrating) together afterwards. The football family is an odd one. People thrown together by chance and only one thing in common – mutual love of a football club. A not very good one for most if my life. But they are my club. I’ve stuck with them for nigh on 40 years. The odd highlight something to be cherished. The usual abject failure something to be shared together.

Then it all changed. 10 years on the up. Yet still being played out at Griffin Park. We should have moved on ages ago but delays, property battles, protests and land grabs have all put it on the back foot. Now, though, the time has come. Last knockings really are here. We’ve 90 minutes left (not accounting for possible extra time and penalties) yet I still feel blessed. My own son has had the chance to experience and absorb everything Griffin Park has to offer and so much more. Everything from new kit photo shoot through mascot, reading out the teams and just being able to talk to the players with that dead pan innocence that only a child has.

Said (in pre-lockdown mode)

Yet if there was one Griffin Park moment, then on a personal note it is one which sums up everything about our club. Why is it so special and why I can only hope they are able to bottle what we have and keep it going at Lionel Road.  I’m talking not about Thomas Frank (whom I could write a book on) but Dean Smith. He always made me and my son feel so welcome whenever we spoke. One such instance occurred at the Junior Bees Christmas party – itself another Griffin Park ‘thing’ where the great and the not so good rubbed shoulders without a care in the world –  in December 2017. Harry (then just 4) approached Dean. Plucking up the courage and overcoming his shyness, he asked about his former favourite player, now at Birmingham City. “Why has Harlee Dean joined the naughty team?”

Having inspired a shy youngster to talk, how do you then avoid breaking his heart or exposing him to the ‘evils’ of agents, wage hikes and Harry Redknapp? Dean Smith knew. He crouched down to eye level, gave it a moment’s thought and then said: “Well, Harlee’s headed the ball so many times that he doesn’t really know what he‘s doing any more”.   

I’m going to miss this place like you wouldn’t believe. We all are. Tonight really is the end. Here’s to it being the next step in an amazing journey.

Tonight sees the sun go down on Griffin Park for the last time.

Nick Bruzon

Chief exec confirms Dream Team should return, kit update and stadium news.

Saturday afternoon. 4pm. Brentford fans should be getting ready for a potential promotion deciding second half against Preston North End ( I won’t say in whose favour, given the current state of the paused table) . Instead, all over cyberspace we’re stepping back in time to our victory over the same opposition that saw the Bees finally reach the Championship following the something , something, something penalty against Doncaster the previous season.  And we’ve had to get our main football fix from the morning’s Q&A with Bees Chief Executive ‘Jon’ Reg Varney  – the latest guest in the GPG live webcast hotseat. And the post match celebrations will, instead, be filled with the latest results from the World Cup of Brentford shirts as the polls close at 7pm.

Jon spoke for a good two hours.

First up, Jon Varney. Just where on earth did two hours go? But enough about the talk through of his career history which opened proceedings. I half expected him to conclude the opening monologue with a Partridge-esque, “Needless to say, I had the last laugh”. Yet, in retrospect, this was the perfect introduction as it gave us mere mortals a peek behind the curtain of a man who has worked in all manner of sporting capacities since leaving school. A man who is a Brentford fan through and through, with name checks to his heroes from the 80s and 90s peppering the conversation. A man who almost didn’t take the role for the simple fact of it interfering with his football weekend. A man who exuded knowledge but, perhaps more importantly, an understanding of what makes the fans tick and how important the club is to us. And vice-versa. 

Following Martin Allen was always going to be a big ask and so fair play to the chief exec for not only stepping up to the plate but then hitting it out of the (Griffin) park. It was captivating. It was emotional. It was honest. It was frank. The questions were broad with nothing really off limits, barring those topics covered off by Phil Giles two weeks ago. Even then, it was more to give everyone from a large audience the chance to get involved. And didn’t we just.

There were updates on the new stadium’s readiness (as good as), test events that were being considered and the preparations / plans for the Barnsley game where we had been in discussion with the Oakwell outfit to limit their supporter numbers in order that more of us could see that last game at Griffin Park. Lionel Road season ticket sales and next steps were covered (payments due for May now looking to be deferred over the three months to July) and even discussion around a relocation for the programme collector’s club. The club was confirmed to be in great financial health over the immediate months and we also talked at length about the possibility of the season being played out behind closed doors. Sadly. 

Should that happen then the list of those looking to don the ballboys’ tracksuit already seems to be growing with even Trevor Inns hoping to pull his Adidas ventex out of the gym locker. Personally, I’ll be going for the ‘mascot’ option. No holding hands with Pontus though – purely for reasons of social distancing. In all seriousness though, should we be unable to attend in person then it seems i-follow will be the way to go.

Yet the big question was one about that perennial favourite on these pages, Sky One’s Dream Team. You may well know the drill in regards to Harchester United (and if not, here’s the main cut and thrust) but Jon’s earlier involvement in the show brought an intriguing possibility to the fore . One supporter proposed that, ”You’ve said how the new stadium gives us new opportunities. You’ve talked about sky and your previous involvement with Dream Team. Could we see the new stadium used to relaunch the show?” 

What followed was nothing short of a love letter to the show with the acknowledgment, ”Wouldn’t it be good to get Dream Team back on the screen at the new stadium.” That’s as good as a yes in my eyes. You heard it here first. Well, second after the live chat this morning. Dream Team will return. And it could be filmed at Lionel Road. Possibly.

Certainly, that’s how I understood things. Nothing was actually confirmed. Instead the subsequent elaboration that with football and rugby dominating stadium usage it was unlikely there would be opportunity for anything else was, I can only presume, a cunning smokescreen designed to throw people off the scent.

There was even time for kit talk – that is, when we weren’t hypnotised by Greville Waterman mopping his kitchen floor (never forget when the camera is on). Jon bigged up the wonderful partnership with Umbro and confirmed that next season’s home shirt will be red and white, albeit made of a slightly heavier material than the current version. Adding that he really likes it.

He wouldn’t be drawn on the colour of the away shirt although did confirm that this season’ incarnation was probably out best selling change strip. By contrast, the much loved brown/orange hadn’t sold well. I’m genuinely shocked by this. Who’d have thought that so many fans would have had such strange taste ?

Greville, the clue is in the word ‘Recording’

Those were the highlights that stuck in my mind. Billy Reeves feed has a great transcript whilst I understand that the full play back will take place in the coming days when the video of today’s event is released. Do take a look. These words won’t do justice to a morning where Jon showed what makes Brentford such a special club. Where the fans are at the forefront of everything. A place where Matthew Benham’s agenda is one that has ‘affordable football’ at the top of the priority list.

Next up is a double header that has the potential to be the best yet – Sam Saunders and Kevin O’Connor. Bring it on. I can’t wait to dip my toes into Saunders territory on Saturday.

As ever, HUGE thanks not just to Jon but also Trevor, the GPG and his team who made this happen. The logistics and behind the scenes stuff to line this up and make it all as seamless as possible are not to be underestimated. Do tune in next Saturday for Sam and Kevin then who knows who might be next up after that….. 

Thomas Frank does an interview with Sky Sports via videolink from his home. Ummmmm, I've got an idea….. 😇https://t.co/o7mWEZXwJF pic.twitter.com/8OrmQ3puiv

— GriffinParkGrapevine (Staying at ⛺) (@bfcgpg) April 18, 2020

To close out today, have you voted in the World Cup of Brentford Shirts as yet? The Semi-final rounds conclude at 7pm so do feel free to add your opinion. They can be found on Twitter at Brentford In Colour /  @beesincolour.

Here’s The Group of Death to whet your appetite. Enjoy…..

A ‘group of death’ sees the 1990-2 Chad home shirt leading the 1992-94 Hummel home shirt. The dazzling 2014-15 adidas away shirt lies third and the same season’s home shirt is bottom of the pile in #WorldCupBRE SF2. Vote for your favourite before 7pm #BrentfordFC https://t.co/1ETcJoMF8A pic.twitter.com/bSo8R7bMx4

— Brentford In Colour (@beesincolour) April 18, 2020

Nick Bruzon

Welcome to Brentford 2.0

With all the Brentford related on-pitch buzz at present being about the visits of Leicester City and the 237 derby (FA Cup and Championship, respectively), there’s something even bigger happening off it. No – not the transfer window. Move along, nothing to see there. Fact. 

Of course, Monday saw the club launch their latest caption competition (one can hope) as Peter Gilham was pictured wearing a VR headset for his own personal game of Lionel Road simulator (one can hope).  The reason being that the ‘regular’ season tickets for our new home have now gone on sale and, it has to be said, that having been along to the reservations centre myself this morning things are incredibly slick. The whole process was ludicrously easy, hands on and engaging. Being honest, I’d feared the worst when my appointment as our group ‘representative’ was confirmed. The phrase ’It’s Brentford, innit’ lives long in the mind. Reputations take an age to build and a moment to destroy. 

Virtual Reality. Whatever that is

Instead, we got Brentford 2.0.  The biggest sales pitch of our communal lives has just kicked off but the whole team seem intent on making this as user friendly as possible.  

Current seating is being replicated as closely as possible. Groups are being organised. Phone calls made in advance to remind us of the pertinent additional info to bring – namely, photo ID for the U-16s / seniors. I still forgot but was saved by the joy of tech. The club and sales team at great lengths to make the whole experience as painless and simple a process as possible. 

If anything, this is a wonderful opportunity for displaced friends to reorganise themselves and finally get a chance to sit together after years of being split up, save for the 15 minute beer run at half time. It is an opportunity the club seem hell bent on grabbing. The Ealing Road becoming the West Stand. Groups of singers put together. A chance to really build an atmosphere that replicates what we have at present. Then cranks it up to 11. 

I even got my hands on Peter’s VR head set to check out the view from my prospective new vantage point. That looks good. Very good. Sadly, there was no smell-o-vision option to see if the phantom trumper from Ealing Road would be in close proximity. Or, should that be trumpers? Rumour has it they are Balti fuelled brothers. Instead, we’ll just wish good luck to those in the West Stand…..

Me waxing lyrical isn’t going to impact your decision to buy a season ticket. That’s not the agenda here. I don’t have one, anyway. I’m not employed by the club and am nothing more than a fan who clogs up your timeline with a pile of crumby observations and the odd photo. Yet this is a key moment in our rapidly evolving history and one which I cannot believe has been undertaken so seamlessly. 

Let the seat sales commence

I WAS stressed up front and won’t pretend otherwise. This is a crunch decision. A massive moment. The opportunity to cock it up, huge. There’s no stadium to walk around yet (at least, not which we are allowed in to) and so we really are relying on good faith and computer simulation. Walking past the site on a daily basis I’m still amazed that we’ve been able to fit our new home into what seemed a tiny plot of land.

Yet, yet, yet… so far, so very, very good. It is there. It is happening. Judging by the seat maps on display we’ve plenty of choice of where to sit. Going on the intent to match current views at Griffin Park as much as possible at Lionel Road, the club’s aim is clearly 110% about accommodating supporters. Keeping us happy.  The team are informed, on board and they get it. They get that this is as huge for us as it is for them. 

There’s not much else to say beyond the fact that if you want to get in, you will. If you want to see Brentford, you will. There will be no pillars on the way. No TV gantries blocking the view. Nothing to hinder your enjoyment. 

Roll on August. Roll on our first game. What price that being in the Premier League?     

Finally – a ‘signing’ photo. No half chewed biro though

Nick Bruzon

Club and fans help take the edge off cup disappointment.

Who wanted to play Manchester City, anyway? Swansea City were rewarded with an FA Cup quarter final at home to Pep Guardiola’s all conquering Premier League outfit after beating the Bees on Sunday. Brentford, denied a 30 year (wow!) anniversary rematch with the club supported since a child by goal scoring legend Gary Blissett.  

The iconic Bees cup image was so close to getting a modern day revamp

We’ve all seen it by now. We all know the performance was as devastating in the second half as it was exhilarating in the first. Swansea City were worthy winners. A combination of spurious defending, blistering pace and just plain old bad luck proving to be our undoing. The coach journey home was about as tough as it gets – the feelings far to raw to try and process just what had happened at The Liberty stadium. Yet having now given it a few days to reflect, are there any positives we can take from what happened? And, for the record, being able to concentrate on the league does not count !

On the field, I’m struggling. Ollie Watkins’ goal was a work of art. Magnificent build up play that showed rampant Brentford at their free-flowing best. Yet, if anything, in retrospect it only made what came next even harder take as the Bees not so much waved the white flag as rolled out the red carpet to our hosts. 

Special mention to Kitman Bob, though. The previously unseen red number worn by Luke Daniels being another tick in the box marked sartorial bliss. In the interests of avoiding a revolution, we’ll spare any further comment on the brown/orange being sported by the rest of the team. What’s the point of pouring petrol on a chip fire by eulogising further about something that others deem to be anything from vile to the sole reason for our struggling on the road this term.

For all that this season’s FA cup was looking like it might turn into one of the most open tournaments in its illustrious history, all off a sudden we are in a situation where 6 of the final 8 are all from the Premier League. The sole representation from outside the top flight coming from Millwall and, of course, Swansea City. No doubt the likes of Manchester City and Manchester United will fancy themselves to add another notch on the bed post of tournament success. The chance of an unfancied team winning it now disappearing faster than Sunday’s half-time lead. In the end, top flight form once more took hold and the potato skins can now stay in the recycling box.

We can’t talk about Sunday without recognising the effort made by Brentford to help our fans get to Swansea and get into the ground. The second the game was moved it became a logistical nightmare. We all know that Sunday engineering works were due to take place meaning any attempt to travel by rail (and replacement bus) . So for that fleet of coaches to be provided with little to no not, and laid on for free, was nothing short of amazing. Add an £11 price for 2 tickets( one adult and on child) into the mix to realise what an effort was made by our club to help the fans. Nobody can doubt what we do off the pitch.

Nowhere moreso was this proven by the team in the ticket office. Much as I love being part of any ‘singing’ section towards the back of the stand, travelling with a five year old presents it’s own challenge. Namely because the second anybody might chose to stand up (apparently, it does happen) his own view is obscured. Even when on foot himself ! So imagine the huge grin on his face when our request for tickets towards the front of the stand was met with front row, middle. Right behind the goal. Whilst we all know what a fantastic job the ticketing team do, that they continue to care so much is nothing short of incredible. What a way to represent our club.

Let’s look at the fans themselves. The coming together on the coaches rather than the usual train service meant previously unheard conversations began as groups of unconnected supporters were thrown into the powder keg of an 8 hour round trip with no means of escape. I saw one tweet from Oh Fuffuxake! / @TheChauffeur! on Twitter noting that, “Weird old day yesterday. Spoilt only by a 45 minute debacle that was out of my hands. However, can I thank the lads on the coach home. New pals, new drinking buddies and BIG laughs…”

On a personal note, I finally got to meet regular correspondent Bernard Quackenbush  / @BernardQuack after a chance encounter in the stand. Like ‘Push up Brentford’ man, Jumper man and Brentford Bot, BQ is an essential part of the club’s rich tapestry of ‘fans to follow’. Whilst our paths have never crossed previously, outside of cyber space, like ‘The Chauffeur’ it felt like the sort of day to make new friends. Thank to the vagaries of pre-allocated ticket distribution, that’s another ‘face put to name’.

Indeed, the random meet ups continued even last night. Sitting in a Kentish Town pub awaiting the arrival of an Aston Villa supporting friend (unlike his club, he did eventually show up) prior to watching popular music’s The Lemonheads, my own attention was grabbed by one of the people I was sharing a table with. The ears couldn’t help but prick up on hearing him say, “I couldn’t believe it. We were 1-0 up and cruising at half-time. They did us 4-1 in the end”. That could only be Brentford and sure enough, it was. Even from the most abject of football finishes, our club found a way of uniting supporters.   

The Lemonheads do their thing in Kentish Town

Yet for me, one of the abiding moments was on the way home. It was provided by Simon. Harry Potter. On another coach. His enthusiasm for all things Brentford unable to be crushed by something as trivial as a trashing in the cup. Reports across social media suggesting that his coach was very much the life and soul of an otherwise potentially sombre return journey to West London. I won’t deny the smile on my face at the thought of the fun being had on his bus (please note: your definition of fun may vary)  as ours was punctuated by nothing more than the faint tapping of iPod headphones and a chorus of snores drifting up and down the aisle (not me, for the record). 

Let’s nor pretend that Sunday ended well in a footballing sense. Let’s not pretend we weren’t secretly jealous when Manchester City came out of the hat. Imagining what might have been. Mostly a 0-7(seven) beating, I’d guess. But there was enough happening elsewhere to help maintain my faith in a club that really cares. In a group of supporters whom, whilst obviously hurting, still found a way to come together. Who still look out for each other.

Even just the nods of recognition and messages saying “Did you see….” in regards to mine and HB’s ‘crowd moment’ from the TV coverage showed us looking out for each other.  His own world being slowly shattered as the enormity of our situation took hold being one that was, unwittingly, shared with the wider Bees’ community. People’s kind words afterwards have been nothing but appreciated more than anyone can imagine.

The bottom lip is beginning to quiver.

Sure, we got dumped out of the cup. I’d love to have gone through. Instead, it wasn’t even close. Yet by the same virtue, everything else that happened around Sunday afternoon already has me desperate to get back to Griffin Park on Saturday. 

See you there.

Nick Bruzon

There are games of two halves and then there was that. Bees baked in Wales.

A day that started with such promise. An afternoon that saw us forty-five minutes away from an FA Cup quarter final. An evening that ended with a press of the self-destruct button the likes of which Brentford haven’t seen since, well, the trip to Hull or more pertinently, the opening twenty minutes of the home game with (erm) Swansea City. And it was the Swans who once more provided the catalyst to our undoing as Ollie Watkin’s magnificent opener was rendered meaningless by three second half goals and a red card for Ezri Konsa in little over a quarter hour phase. It ended 4-1 to Swansea. It could have been five but for a very delayed call from the linesman. What can you say? Beyond me having to console five year old HB after his own pre-match prediction of 3-4 was thrown back into his face in as dramatic a style as one could ever see.

It’s a fair bet we’ve all caught the game by now. The free to air broadcast on BBC Wales meaning that anybody who wasn’t able to travel on the resultant free coaches would have had ample opportunity to watch it live. It was the consummate example of that old cliche about football being a game of two halves. With the opening salvo from Swansea snuffed out at little more cost than a yellow card for Yoann Barbet, the Bees got going. In style.

Swansea had come forward early but made little progress

With the exception of Luke Daniels retaining his FA Cup place, Thomas Frank named the same team that tore Aston Villa apart for fun on Wednesday evening. It was a decision that was proven correct as we went for it. Swansea City barely had a look in as slick passing and wonderful interplay from the attacking quartet of Said, Sergi, Neal and Ollie suggested a goal was inevitable. When it came, on the half hour, it was beautiful. Benrahma breaking forward at pace, feeding the ball forward to Maupay on his right. The Frenchman then provided the same to the overlapping Watkins who burst into the box and fired it across the face of goal high into the far side of the net.

Yesssss !!! 1-0. We’re on our way. The fans erupted. Tinfoil trophies (of which there were plenty in evidence) thrust high into the sky. Strangers hugging strangers and the dream was on. Swansea looked dead on their feet. Impotent. A flaccid reminder of the team who had obliterated us in that opening twenty minute spell at Griffin Park back in December when they’d raced into a three goal lead without reply. Half time came with optimism high, the fans in wonderful voice and a chorus of boos rising around The Liberty stadium from the home contingent. Surely this was it? Surely….?

Yesss!!! 1-0. Ollie Watkins you beauty.

What happened at half-time will, forever, remain as unfathomable a mystery as Stonhenge, the Pyramids and Ian Moose’s narcissism. Brentford gave the appearance of a team who had forgotten how to play football. Graham Potter in the home dressing room, presumably, delivering the mother of all team talks. Either way, it was a different Swansea City who emerged.

They were level within five minutes from a free-kick awarded in the most dangerous part of Saunders territory. Daniels unable to reach the ball as it fizzed past him, hit the post but rather than bounce clear hit the back of his head as he was still diving and pinged back into the goal for 1-1. It was a hammer blow. It should have been a warning that we were now very much in a game. Alas, it got worse.

An immediate goalmouth scramble aside, there was little further response from, or respite for, Brentford. Daniel James gave the home side a 2-1 lead shortly after with a quite remarkable effort. Picking up the ball just outside our box, he ran full length and full tilt up field. The acceleration was incredible, even running wide at one point with three players left trailing in his wake, before turning back inside and leaving Luke Daniels, caught in no mans land, for dead. Hats doffed to James for pulling this one off. It was brutal. With it, any remaining psychological stuffing that had been left after the unfortunate o.g. was truly knocked out of us.

Minutes later that man James broke clear once more. This time, he was stopped. But at the expense of a red card for Ezri Konsa as the defender took the last desperate measure available to him in order to try and preserve the narrow deficit. Referee Stuart Atwell has no choice but to show the red card. It was a challenge that, at least, succeeded in the aim of keeping our opponents at bay. For five minutes.  Sergi Canos, again filling in at wing back, was played twice by Bersant Celina who also danced past Julian Jeanvier before slotting home for 3-1. Urghh.

Even the scoreboard was trolling us

With the attacking threat of Benrahma and Canos removed just moments later as the substitutes came on, the game was effectively dead. If it hadn’t been already. If Thomas had gone almost full strength with his starting XI, the bench offered little in big game experience or match saving nous. Whilst most of these young players will have their time, throwing them in to a game that was only being kept alive on life-support was never going to change anything. And , sadly, it didn’t. 3-1 became 4-1 became 3-1 as the linesman eventually intervened. It made little difference with Swansea grabbing the fourth goal that their second half domination suggested would come as the game limped towards full time.

Even then, Neal Maupay had a chance to restore some pride. His decision to chip the ‘keeper when put through, not quite coming off as the beaten Bees saw it loop over the bar. He made a call. He tried his luck. It didn’t happen. Boo-hoo. The subsequent highlighting of this by the BBC in a standalone video clip entitled , “How did he miss this? Watch Maupay’s terrible effort for Brentford” as cheap, unnecessary and out of context a feature as Ian Moose talking about that Cardiff game last season. No recognition of his quite incredible form this campaign or when it actually happened, with the players physically and emotionally drained after an absolute pummelling. 

Likewise, no mention of what he was clearly feeling as he ran to the Brentford fans at full time to hand over his FA Cup shirt to one lucky supporter. Poor show, BBC. Keep up the wonderful work, Neal.

It was an awful experience to be part of. The second half, I mean. I had tears to cope with at full time from a distraught HB who managed to compose himself and eventually clap his heroes off, despite the clear upset he felt. Looking around, he wasn’t alone. The club’s magnanimous gesture of laying on the coaches and cheap tickets felt very much secondary at that juncture.

I’m gutted this morning. Even now after trying to sleep on it. Swansea ran the second half show ; we handed them the tickets. The dream of the cup quarter-finals disappearing as quickly as it came. HB’s tin foil trophy stuffed into a dustbin on the way home.

Talking to supporters after the game, there seemed to be very much an expectation that this column was going to be used to ‘put the boot in’ today. But I just can’t do it. To coin that well worn of parental phrases, it not so much that I’m angry as disappointed in you. The chance was there and we couldn’t take it. Instead, to collapse in a combination of errors, bad luck, subsequent no-show and of course, the pace of Daniel James has left me feeling broken. A numb feeling in the pit of the stomach that will pass with time but at the moment feels far, far too raw.

I’m just hoping HB uses his half-term break to sleep in. About a week should do it….

Nick Bruzon 

Is Kev a king in waiting? Video nasty or Oscar winner? Oh, and Hull City await.

Well that’s been a bit of a week for Brentford fans. We’ve had the post-mortem from the debacle against Swansea City which has included the promotion of Kevin O’Connor to Assistant First Team-Coach. The Aston Villa game in February has been selected for live TV coverage. Then there’s ‘that’ video with the first reveal of the Posh Seats. Something dubbed: hospitality.. but done in a Brentford way. All of which means you’d be forgiven for not realising there’s a game today with the Bees making the long trip to take on Hull City AFC. And so in no particular order…

The game against Hull City looms large. We all know our own recent form. Whether the 4 points out of a possible 27 since Thomas Frank has been at the wheel or the blip prior to that with Dean Smith registering 1 win from 6 before his inevitable departure for Aston Villa. There have been some horrific moments despite the odd patch of brilliance as we’ve chased games that have been handed on a plate to the opposition. Preston, QPR, Middlesbrough, Sheffield United and now Swansea have all been characterised by the team going gaga for short spells and gifting the opposition goals as though it’s already December 25^th. The net result of this has been desperate last gasp attempts to rescue games and pick up a point that the coaching staff may feel our consequent attacking play has deserved. Yet with games already given away, we’ve not quite been able to pull it off. The result of which is our sliding down the table from a place where we’d been named joint favourites for the league to our current 18^th. One position and one point above Hull.

The Swansea game started about as badly as it is possible to

So we’ve shot ourselves in the foot. Time and again. Something all the more frustrating given both the incredible start to the season and the way we’ve tried to escape the self-inflicted holes which we’ve dug ourselves into in those recent games. And..?

For me Swansea was the watershed moment. About as bad as it got. You can read thoughts on that here. It has happened and we have to move on. To move up. To arrest this slide. Starting now. We absolutely have the talent and the squad which, whilst something that has been said many times in the last few weeks, remains true. Thomas now HAS to get them firing back to the form they’ve shown previously. And do it for 90 minutes. And then another 90. And another. He’s got an almost fully fit squad (only Lewis Macleod and Emiliano Marcondes are out) to choose from. Although as key will be his tactics and motivational skills as his personnel.

To aid in that side of things he has a wonderful man alongside him in King Kev – somebody who has shown his form on the pitch as player and then subsequently as B-team coach. It’s a great appointment and one which had a certain inevitabilty about it. Indeed, it is one fans have been talking about for weeks – albeit suggesting Kev should have taken the throne itself. Something I have no doubt will happen at some point in the future. Nobody stays in charge for ever. Not even Arsene Wenger. Just as Thomas himself stepped up from alongside Dean, one can only assume this is a succession plan being lined up already. Albeit I hope one which doesn’t come to fruition for some time as, if nothing else, it will mean Brentford have started winning again. Have stopped leaking those car crash goals. Are just playing for fun once more. Roll on 3pm when we find out if the Bees are coming home with three points in the back pocket.

Last time out was anything but. Can Kev inspire us today?

Next up, the visit of Aston Villa in February has been declared a TV game. It was always going to happen. Dean Smith has the Villans heading to the business end of the table whilst his return to Griffin Park was an obvious lure for Sky directors looking to tick the cliché box. There’s been no change to game time as the match still kicks off at 7.45pm on a Wednesday evening.

I’ll be there regardless. Surely we’ll all be there regardless? I can’t imagine many Brentford fans who would have been in a positon to come to this one now forgoing the opportunity. Choosing to sit in front of the TV instead. With no change to the date or time It’s about as uncontentious as they come in the always emotive field of TV games.  Even had it not been chosen for ‘full fat’ coverage, as an evening game it would still have been lurking behind the scenes on the red button. The gate figures may say otherwise of course but I’d still be expecting a bumper Griffin Park crowd. It already promises to be a cracking game for so many reasons – even just recent form between our two clubs which has seen Brentford very much in the driving seat. Long may that continue.

And finally, we’ve all seen the video for corporate hospitality at Lionel Road? Presumably. Below if not.

The first of, no doubt, many videos to promote Lionel Road hospitality

I’ve seen a whole ton of negativity out there. Personally, at the risk of trotting out a glib cliché, it is what it is. A video shot using CGI representation of something that’s not ready yet in order to start generating interest. We were only going to get this sort of stuff the second it was revealed the amount of premium seats that the club had elected to create.

Hospitality is a key part of modern football. Everybody does it. From Premier league to non-league. From Manchester United to Salisbury FC. It’s a revenue stream that every club looks to tap in to, no matter what individuals may think about it being evidence that the game’s gone or being a sell out to your roots. We already do it at Griffin Park – just not in the scale that the club would like to. What are we supposed to do now? Pretend its not happening and fail to market it? Of course not.

Now it’s true the video itself comes over as a bit naff. In part, that’s hindered by the fact that the product being promoted doesn’t actually exist. Being honest – it looks like something put together by one of the teams in TV’s ‘The Apprentice’. For me, the low point was where my subconscious translated the ‘seat’ line to genuinely read  “And watch the action from a nice padded cell’.

You don’t have to be mad to support Brentford, but it helps. Or whatever the phrase is.

Seat.Seat.Seat. Not cell.

Yet we have to start somewhere. And, frankly, nobody is going to care about a promo video that was about as cheesy as the delicious looking burger on display once our new home is built and once prices are announced. If I can afford it I’ll likely try it out on a special occasion. If I can’t, I won’t.

Either way, the most important thing for me on matchday is watching football with my mates. Having a beer together at half time. Being part of that communal experience. So unless Mr. Benham is prepared to offer me a box at a reasonable rates (yeah) so we can all sit together, it’ll be the regular seats for me. Regardless of how good or bad a video is. Regardless of how ‘unfootbally’ the names of the lounges seem to be – Orchard, Railway and Grand Union. An easy chance to honour our footballing past missed here.

Honestly, there are more important things to focus on in the short term than the first step in a promotional campaign that is only likely to crank-up as the Lionel Road project advances. Once we get information on the regular seats and the prices of all categories – from the top to the bottom – then we can all make an informed decision about what the club is doing and where we may want to position ourselves when STs are available for purchase. 

Until then, it’s all about getting back to winning ways. Starting in Hull.

Nick Bruzon

Now really is the time to go again.

That’s been a long week. Brentford fans awaiting the visit of Millwall have had a lot to think about after last Saturday’s away defeat to Norwich City. However, it all seemed somewhat secondary to the one thought that the broader footballing community has had on its mind – the tragic events at Leicester City later that evening. I have to be honest that, after penning an initial column about both on Sunday morning, subsequent news saw the appetite for talking football dissipate as the story unfolded. The only solace, if there can be any, to be taken from this quite devastating situation has been in hearing all the wonderful stories about Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha. A man with a genuine love for his players, his team and the city. Whilst this was already well known in Leicester, as an outsider looking in to only now understand the full extent of the love and respect in which he is held shows just what a terrible loss this was. I’ve no doubt it’s going to be both an emotional and celebratory one at Cardiff City this afternoon when football begins again for Leicester City.

 

As for Brentford, Thomas Frank welcomes a Millwall side who sit one place below us in 18^th. It seems only five minutes ago we were knocking on the door of the play-offs. That 1-1 draw with Leeds United keeping the Bees in sixth place following what would later turn out to be Dean Smith’s last match as Brentford head coach. Three games later, played out over the space of a frenetic eight days, his successor has seen a record of LLL which included going 3 down to Preston in the space of 23 minutes. The Bees slipped another place last night and are now down to 17^thafter Aston Villa managed a win rather than their customary 1-1 draw.

Yet, importantly, the table remains as tight as it has all season. We’re 7(seven) points away from the play-off places. We’re 6 away from the relegation trapdoor. That’s neither to over inflate our position (the table doesn’t lie) but nor is it to be the harbinger of doom. I’m not. There’s a hell of a long way to go and, as we’ve both said and seen, the squad has undeniable talent. Instead, the visit of Millwall should be seen as a massive opportunity for Thomas to harness that.

He’s now had a clear week with his squad to run at this. To work at things in training. To get his players firing and be clear just what is his preferred starting XI is (specifically given the injury suffered by Kamo). To try and stop opposition that have, typically for us, started to find form with 3 wins out of the last 4 coming after their own woeful start to this campaign. But which is the team suffering from a brief reversal of form? Who will pick up the points?

Look. Whatever happens it can’t be any more frustrating than Norwich last week. A game played out in awful conditions. Whilst acknowledging the hosts’ lofty position in the league and their clear ability, Brentford looked sluggish. We struggled as the team failing to show their own class. Albeit I thought Ezri Konsa had a stunning game. The atrocious weather – a deluge of diluvian levels descending on us in the first half – can’t have made things easier but it was the same for both sides.

Instead, we seemed guilty of over-elaborating yet remained unable to forge clear opportunities, that anguished triple chance in the second half aside.  As for the goal conceded, sitting in the stand it looked proper amateur hour. There’s nothing more to say. Move on. Fast. I did have to wonder if the Carrow Road scoreboard was sledging us as we went in one down at half-time with only Daniel Bentley’s spot kick save keeping us in it.

Or , it could have been a dig at their own penalty skills

And relax. That was then. This is now. It’s a clean slate and time to go for it once more in the first of two back to back London derbies. The visit of Millwall is followed closely by the trip to QPR (for those of you who have been able to access the lower tier). Personally, I’m gutted that having started the season at 100mph, things have hit the skids somewhat. Yet equally, it is perhaps time to show some of that faith that the management had in the squad last season.

Who could forget our somewhat crumby start to that campaign? Hmm. Move along, nothing to see here. It was a period dominated by scrappy goals given away, painful defeats but Dean (supported by Thomas) telling everybody that this team were playing well and usually deserved to win. Yet once it clicked, Brentford were virtually unstoppable. I’ve got a feeling that today we’re going to see similar bouncebackability.

I was fortunate enough to meet Thomas last week, by virtue of Harry being mascot at Norwich. We had a very positive chat about the team, the players and the change in coaching staff. What I took away from that conversation was nothing but a sense of his drive, ambition for Brentford and self-belief in what we are doing as a club. For all it has been joked about in passing on social media, this is no Marinus situation. Quite the opposite. Three points are coming today. And you can quote me on that.  

When Harry met Thomas

Tidying up the rest of the week’s news. Firstly, have you seen the survey which the GPG have put up on Twitter in regards to the ticketing website? The link is here if not.

It only takes a few minutes to complete and is your chance to share any thoughts – positive or otherwise – in regards to a system which has seen a few challenges in the initial inception. The likes of Beesotted, Bees United and BIAS have shared this one on social media and so I’ve no doubt it has already reached a wide audience. However, if our reader has somehow missed this then here you go….

Secondly. Stadium love. I took my first walk past Lionel Road in a few weeks yesterday. Oh, my. To say this has grown is somewhat of an understatement. Whilst the BFC Drone continues to amaze with those aerial flybys, it’s always great to see our new home from the ground up. Or other angles…  

This picture, taken from the SEGA building, dropped in to the Last Word postbox earlier in the week. It’s incredible how quickly the construction work is moving ahead when you consider it was only in late March that we had the ‘breaking ground’ ceremony. 

To be this good doesn’t, necessarily, take ages

As such inspired, and with the school run back on after half term, I took a stroll on Friday. Below is my own effort, although you may want to refer to the version on Twitter which you can fully expand to see it in all its glory.

Likewise, not forgetting we still have a home at Griffin Park until 2020. A home which, whilst a little rough around the edges compared to our more illustrious friends, still never fails to take the breath away. As the same school run also demonstrated.

See you there at 3pm.

Lionel Road in the morning

Griffin Park by evening

Nick Bruzon

I’m looking to Preston, Norwich, drones and Ash for entertainment. Not Mrs. Brown.

Saturday’s been and gone. Brentford now have trips to Preston (Wed) and Norwich City (Sat), hoping for an immediate reaction following the pain of our first home defeat of the season. Bristol City took the points against a team and ref that played us like a fiddle but whom we’ve all done to death on social media over the last few days. Instead it’s an appropriate juncture to talk Lionel Road, shirts, bands and, be warned, Mrs Brown.

A glorious afternoon on Saturday. If not result

First up, Lionel Road. I’m fortunate that my son’s school run combined with the commute to work takes me past the site of our new home on a daily basis. And what a sight it is. The speed with which the Community stadium is rising out of the ground takes the breath away at times. Likewise, the efforts of all those involved in the building process.

That’s me. I’m lucky enough having this on the doorstep so able to see the future coming to life all around. Yet for those a bit further afield, sorties into Brentford are a luxury afforded only on matchday. Which is where we need to stop and give thanks to The Brentford FC Drone on Twitter. With over a thousand followers already, the photos and films put up on social media are a quite wonderful means of being able to see the progress being made. At how incredible a job is being done. At keeping us all emotionally invested in a project on which all our footballing dreams hang. Without the drone we’d be the poorer in terms of information and appreciation, that’s for sure.

I love it. If you don’t follow this account as yet, I’d heartily endorse you climb on board. The aerial derring-do from the Biggles of Brentford can be found on Twitter c/o @TheBFCDrone.

Aerial brilliance from The Drone

Next up, shirts. The eagle eyed amongst you may have seen the infamous ‘Super league’ prototype on eBay a few weeks ago. The one that proposed we switch red and white stripes for red and black, then was promptly booed all around the four sides of Griffin Park when it was shown to the crowd to gauge their reaction at an end of season fixture. Presumably also leaving one of the youth team scarred for life.

First up, huge thanks to Mrs. Bruzon who banned me from bidding for this on pain of death but then secretly did her own shopping for just about the best birthday present this kit nerd could ask for. I have to say, whilst never having the magnificence of red/white, in retrospect is it really as bad as we thought back then? Has time been kind to this one? With Adidas sure to be replaced next season, is there any chance of our new supplier might go back to black?

It exists….

Unlikely on all counts but mentioned as much to say that eBay does seem to be a treasure trove of older shirts at present. There’s everything from player spec Hummel 93/94 to a plethora of the ‘100 years at Griffin Park’ blue/yellow special. That one, in our colours of the time, a particular favourite of yours truly. If anything, perhaps this is a scheme that will put in a reappearance when we either leave Griffin Park or move in at Lionel Road.

For the record, these aren’t my items. There’s more chance of me watching Mrs. Browns Boys than selling a Bees shirt. Likewise, the chances of buying anything at present are slim to zero. Instead, it’s mentioned purely to recognise the rarity of these aswell as direct anybody with an interest towards the chance of picking up something unusual. Just head to their site and a search of ‘Brentford shirt’ should do the rest.

Next up, live music (and the main reason there’s no spare cash for shirts). We’ve been blessed in the last few weeks on the ‘gig’ front. Highlights have included The Bluetones (at the 100 club), ELO (with a geriatric audience approaching their 100s) and then on Sunday an impromptu trip to Norwich to see Ash. This, after some hastily arranged babysitting and spontaneous decision-making the likes of which hasn’t been seen since the exact same second we became parents.

I’ve got to be honest here. I love The Bluetones, even putting aside the Brentford connection. Yet for me, Ash are all time live favourites. The excitement of a random road trip to see them once more, further enhanced by going ‘Full Partridge’ as we headed North into Norfolk. The road sign for ‘Linton’ had me sniggering like a teenage school boy. Mrs B, unimpressed by my knowledge that we had reached the midway point between Norwich and London.

The show was, as expected, magnificent. We were even afforded an early chance to scope out Carrow Road and the local pubs ahead of Saturday’s return visit.

Ash. Norwich. Go and see some decent live music.

Getting home on Monday I was still in high, high spirits. Then, a double whammy hit me like the proverbial runaway freight train. A double whammy of brown. Mrs Brown. Urghh. We go again. Again…

Firstly, c/o Bluetone Adam Devlin. He shared this on Twitter…..

Seriously. How? Why? Presumably this was a spoof story, yet it seemed to be true with the same piece coming up elsewhere. How can the ‘joke’ be spread so thin? Genuinely, WHO is watching this? Who would willingly pay money to go and see him (man. wig. cardigan etc) ‘live’. Cripes, the live music scene is still so vibrant. So intoxicating. So exciting. And then you get this. Ersatz music wrapped up as entertainment.

Yet it seems the ‘joke’ is being spread even thinner. We’ve already had the tv show, ‘da movie’ and then a second series – All round to Mrs Browns. A primetime chatshow / audience participation event that retained all the zany characters we, apparently, know and love.

But wait. Come here. There’s more. Now, aswell as being offered the musical there’s also ‘For Facts Sake.’ BBC One giving us a new chance to enjoy another flaky spin on the same tired format. This was on last night as I wondered, yet again, just what dirt Brendan O’Carroll has on the BBC. How does he keep on getting commissioned?

I don’t get it. I have tried and I have said this before. It’s entertainment for morons. Brain dead lemmings too afraid to admit the one joke has been told many, many times yet are now too embarrassed to jump off the bandwagon.

The man dressed as a woman act died many years ago. This is nothing to do with gender or stereotypes, purely comedy. And there isn’t any here. Despite the baffling lack of genuine laughs, the plaudits and series’ keeps coming.

It’s also nothing to do with football. But sometimes you need to get things off your chest. Prosthetic or otherwise.

The Bluetones. Go and see some proper live music. Not Brown

Nick Bruzon

Want to see how Lionel Road looks at silly o’clock? Better than a talking dog.

International break. Time to down ‘Last Word’ tools for a while given there’s been no Brentford news of note (what £5k fine or website misdemeanour?). More telling, the school run being back in full force means that rather than writing nonsense, any spare time in the morning is currently spent persuading HB that getting up at 6.30 for Year One is an infinitely better prospect than laying in, watching some TV and then going to the park for a kickaround with his mates. Something he’s spent huge swathes of the last six weeks doing. Not. Jealous.

The plus side of this means no Paw Patrol. I can (just about) go with the fact that rather than employ the emergency services, the mayor of PP town has chosen to supply a bunch of talking dogs with jet packs, helicopters and JCB’s to resolve any crisis she faces. Usually involving a missing chicken.  As you do. Yet putting that to one side, there is no more annoying sound on TV than the dogs then laughing at one of their own jokes. Material which is generally about as weak as just about anything on these pages and, whilst clearly aimed at kids rather than adults, is still an unwelcome infliction on any parents within earshot. The things you have to put up with for father-son bonding.

I realise its a kid's show but is there a more awful sound on TV than the Paw Patrol laughing at their own jokes ?
HB has it on repeat this afternoon. Time to go out… pic.twitter.com/Nw1LFxi3Em

— Nick Bruzon (@NickBruzon) August 31, 2018

Sorry. We digress. It’s not football but I needed to say that and enjoy the therapeutic relief of unloading.

Yet more importantly than no more of those infernal puppies, we get to go past the Lionel Road site on the way to school and, I have to say, things are looking fantastic. Progress is coming along at pace and to see Brentford’s new home rising out of the ground in front of us is an incredible thing to witness.

So much so that I was tempted out of bed on Saturday for an early morning sojourn at first light. Specifically, given how impressive the main stand had looked at 8am on Friday when the sun was already high in the sky.

Friday morning, 8am. It was bright.

For me (Clive), it was worth the early start. Unlike Marshall’s stand up routine (one for the Paw Patrol victims amongst us).

Here’s a a couple of shots of how things were looking at a time when, ordinarily, I’d be imploring a young child that he needs to get out of bed for school.

Friday, reverse view

 

Saturday morning, silly o’clock

Show’s over folks. Nothing else to see

Nick Bruzon