I’ve already seen a flurry of posts on various social media outlets suggested that that’s it, a done deal, nailed on – Brentford are going up.
It would appear that for once the Bees are hanging onto their own and borrowed assets, which is in itself a huge step in the right direction.
While the transfer window may bring more surprises – after all, every player has a value – as of today, things look pretty damned good in the Brentford garden.
An excellent 37 points from 39, some of the best football I’ve seen in (coughs) years at Griffin Park, a new stadium on the horizon, impressive coaching appointments – all are rock solid foundations for future success.
See, even I’m at it now… weighing up the developments of the last year or so to be swept along on a wave of optimistic euphoria.
But as Bees fans know more than most, football does have an uncanny habit of creeping up and biting you on the backside.
Which is why I’d like all Brentford fans to ban the P word and pretend that we’re now in pre season.
Sure, we’d still be near the top on alphabetical order, but the incentive not to slip down the table in the second half of the season would ensure continued success.
Fans of Wolves and Orient – and even rank outsiders Peterborough backed by the infamous Alan Swann – must be rubbing their hands at our uncharacteristic over confidence.
But hubris is a dangerous thing and almost always leads to a fall, even though I can’t see this current squad succumbing.
It’s just that the more fans talk of the P word, the more it seeps into the psyche. If we then hit a glitch, the adverse reaction of fickle fans will be more stark and harder to handle.
That’s why the supporters need to be as realistic, ruthless and resilient as the squad has been so far, to make sure the second half of the campaign is as good as the first.
My old man always told me to avoid clichés like the plague, but in this instance the old adage of taking one game – or possibly batches of five – at a time has never been truer
Jim Levack
Wise words. I’m looking at batches of four games with an average target of 8 points. I may tweak up or down depending on the opposition but the overall target is realistic, allows us to lose the odd game and will see us promoted.
Easier said than done, so I will rely on the players to do it and me to talk about it!
Agree with this about not getting carried away. I always think that Easter is the time to start jumping up and down if results go the right way
Sav, you just said it!
Interesting to read about how Nigel Pearson and all of the Leicester players take the exact opposite approach and discuss and use the P word on a daily basis. http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/sport/article3971102.ece?CMP=OTH-gnws-standard-2014_01_09
Personally I think it’s better practice pyschologically to embrace it rather than treat it like the elephant in the room. We’re top of the table so it’s obviously front of mind for all….