Bees fan and journalist, Jim Levack, calls the past two days ‘watershed’ moments and takes stock after a couple of important interviews have been published – Beesotted’s exclusive with Brentford owner Matthew Benham – and Greville Waterman’s talk with Phil Giles, the club’s Director of Football.
In years to come, this week may well be seen as a watershed in the fortunes of Brentford Football Club.
Twice in as many days the people at the helm have emerged to settle supporters’ fraying nerves by providing some clarity about where we’re heading.
That in itself is a major step forward, particularly for Matthew Benham, a family man uncomfortable in the limelight who prefers to operate under the radar.
His chat with Beesotted (which can be seen here if you haven’t already read it) answered many of the questions that have been festering for months.
Phil Giles too has moved to allay concerns on the BFCtalk blog about the recruitment process and general modus operandii at Griffin Park in an honest and open interview.
Let’s not beat around the bush here… Brentford’s PR with even its closest and most loyal advocates since Warburtongate has, quite frankly, been a shambles.
I’ve used the words naïve and even dismissive to discuss the club’s handling of what’s been going on, and justifiably so.
But if there’s one adjective that epitomises the recent welcome information sharing and greatly reassured even a miserable git like me, it’s this… humility.
From the outset I had my doubts about a solely stats based approach and, some might say characteristically, didn’t hold back in letting people know.
Defenders will argue that it never was a solely stats-based approach, but if that was the case then this week’s interviews are many months too late.
My wife tells me that one of my faults has always been saying what I think, but I’d rather my views on something about which I care so deeply – however much they might jar with some people – were out there.
Messrs Giles and Benham are probably far more diplomatic – and hence successful – than me, but their admission that mistakes have been made is hugely refreshing and edifying.
Without mistakes we never learn. The only way you make something better is by learning from how you got it wrong. The ability to admit tweaks are needed comes only from humility and people who possess humility are ultimately better human beings and more successful.
Perhaps the most disappointing thing about this season is the mistaken belief that anyone who questions the club’s approach is, by some warped extrapolation, a sworn enemy of Matthew, Phil and Co.
We are, after all, ALL Brentford fans who want the same thing so it pains me to see various factions – some with insider knowledge, some with none – playing point scoring power games on social media.
Bottom line is that we have under a dozen games left of a Jekyll and Hyde season where some supporters feel short-changed.
Now that the club’s top brass have given us a rare insight into the way they are thinking, perhaps it’s time for everyone to lay off and get behind the side for the rest of the season… starting at Rangers and then Blackburn.
Jim Levack

Fully agree with your article we have to get behind the team and hopefully push up the table and we can recoup in the summer and witn some new faces we will come back stronger.Just hope we get to go ahead for Lionel road soon that will give a big boost
Looks like we will have to beat Fulham to stay up, unless we get a couple of quality loanees.
Of course, all supporters are behind BFC in spirit, but it is difficult to get enthusiastic about the present team sheet, the season has been saved by a press ganged youth coach, who the club then lost, because he lost his previous role and by a great goalkeeper and midfielder.
I think Benham offered little that was truly revealing, pretty obvious and anodyne stuff, very pr-safe briefed stuff, not a glove was laid on him, or attempted to be laid on him, to explain how a great team last season, became this very average outfit. The admission that he was scared to go in the dressing room, etc, after Warbutongate, Spoke volumes, quite funny really. There was nothing new about the progress, if any, re the still unresolved new stadium, in fact it implied serious drift was the future as far as a brick being laid is concerned.
Platitudes do not satisfy me and he really had to concede the little he did re errors, otherwise he would look preposterous, given the hash this season has been.
If there is no reaction at QPR, then it is a serious situation and something has to change, for real.
… or he could have stayed in his bunker and said nothing.
I’m glad he’s admitted he got things wrong because it’s the only way we were ever going to move forward.
Yes, it was anodyne and had a pushy journalist got to him he might have been pressed further, but it’s all about small steps.
Given the nature of the man I think this was probably quite a significant step forward for him, hence why I think it is something of a breakthrough.
This season has been a series of mishaps born out of a misguided signing policy but he has admitted too many continentals too soon may have been an issue – again a significant admission.
The present team sheet lacks experience and guile agreed, but this will be resolved in the summer…. or Mr Benham will have local journalists knocking on his door.
Talk is cheap, and easy. The ‘top brass’ have turned the club into a shambles and a laughing stock. Congratulations on getting the interview with Benham, but I’m afraid all the enlightening interviews in the world won’t change the fact that this lot haven’t got a clue about football. We’re in very big trouble, and being in denial will simply make it worse. I will continue to get behind the team, but I’m merely watching the demise of our championship status and it’s very sad and unnecessary.