“Never Again. The Filthiest Football I Have Seen… BITES, HACKS, KICKS… A Human Bull Fight in Which Portuguese Players Went Mad…”
Those were the amazing claims made by former Brentford manager, Harry Curtis, during the club’s first visit to Portugal in 1936 – a tour which the Bees clearly endured some intimidating behaviour by less than welcoming hosts.
Thankfully, time is a great healer, and Brentford’s new manager Marinus Dijkhuizen, heads back to the Iberian Peninsula for some pre-season bonding, as well as the first warm up match of the fast-approaching 2015/16 season.
We hope that Portuguese Second Division outfit, Farense, to be played at the Estadio da Nora in Albufeira on July 14th, will be a little less feisty than this wonderful, 80-year-old, report suggests their forefathers were!
“The Brentford F. C. party which, during the past fortnight, has been visiting Portugal, returned to London on Wednesday night. The following morning Argus obtained from Mr. Harry Curtis an exciting and full account of the Bees’ adventures in Lisbon.Â
In vivid sentences, Manager Curtis tells how players of the Champion Sporting Club, the Portugese cup-holders, went mad in the last game of the three (picture above). How they hacked, bit, and jumped on prostrate opponents. How one player ran 10 yards and kicked Bateman while he was on the ground. How he himself had to run down on to the field and intervene in a dog-fight between 20 players because the referee and linesmen had walked off. How he threatened to withdraw his team from this ‘human bull fight’ unless some order was obtained.
And many other interesting things which occurred on this colourful trip. How the home crowd whistled at their own players on one occasion because of the foulness of their play. No wonder Brentford are proud of returning unbeaten, their record being: versus Lisboa, 4-4; versus Benfica Club, League Champions, 5-0; and versus Champion Sporting Club, cup-holders, 2-1.
It sounds a cracking trip!!
Dave Lane
@beesotted100
The above article is taken from The Brentford 125 Anniversary book that will be re-printed in a limited edition later this year. Full advanced purchase only details will appear on this website in a week or so.
