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INTRODUCTION

Ipswich and Brentford had identical ends to last season – continuing miserable records in the play-offs by ending up as losing semi-finalists.

While we went out to Middlesbrough, they lost to arch rivals Norwich 4-2 on aggregate – meaning they will be extending their position as the Championship’s longest-serving team into a 14th season in 2015/16.

It left Town with a record of one promotion from eight appearances in the play-offs.

Manager Mick McCarthy has been busy in the summer – with the signing of Jonathan Douglas this week not his only new arrival.

Earlier in the summer he signed Bournemouth striker Brett Pitman on a free transfer and Cherries winger Ryan Fraser on a one-year loan deal with no recall option – after losing highly-rated left-back Tyrone Mings to the Premier League new boys for £8m.

McCarthy replaced Mings with Danish international Jonas Knudsen while he also brought in teenage Arsenal winger Ainsley Maitland-Niles on loan – and then the day before signing Dougie, he also picked up former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Giles Coke and Guinea internatioinal winger Larsen Toure after trials.

LAST SEASON

We failed to beat Ipswich last season – losing 4-2 at home on Boxing Day and then drawing 1-1 in Suffolk in early March, with ironically Jonathan Douglas scoring our equaliser.

Ipswich tore us apart at Griffin Park with many fans thinking they were the best team we had seen at the time.

Daryl Murphy put them ahead in the first minute and scored again in the 21st minute before Paul Anderson made it 3-0 on the half hour mark.

Substitute Sam Saunders scored two late goals for us – either side of Ipswich’s fourth which went to ex-Bees loan centre-half Tommy Smith.

Murphy scored early on in the return game but Douglas equalised before half-time only for Murphy to somehow miss an even easier chance to restore the lead early in the second half than the one he took before the break.

IN CHARGE

Mick McCarthy is one of the most experienced managers in the game.

He has been in charge of Ipswich for nearly three years after replacing Paul Jewell in November 2012.

That makes him the fifth longest-serving Championship manager as the season kicks off behind Karl Robinson (MK Dons – May 2010), Steve Evans (Rotherham – April 2012), Steve Bruce (Hull – June 2012) and Sean Dyche (Burnley – October 2012).

Previous to that he was at the helm at Wolves for nearly six years and had a similar amount of time as Republic of Ireland manager with three years at Sunderland sandwiched in-between, while his managerial career began at Millwall.

His managerial achievements include leading the Republic to the 2002 World Cup finals and taking them to the second round and leading both Wolves and Sunderland back to the Premier League as champions of the Championship.

As a centre-half, Mick won 57 caps for the Republic while playing his club football with Barnsley, Manchester City, Celtic, Lyon and Millwall.

BEES CONNECTIONS

Jonathan Douglas joins two other ex-Bees at Portman Road in Jay Tabb and Tommy Smith.

Tabby, hugely popular with Bees fans, is starting his third season with Ipswich after starting his career at Griffin Park and making more than 150 senior appearances in six years with us.

In some of the pre-season friendlies he has been playing in the unaccustomed position of left-back so it’s anyone’s guess where he will line up on Saturday.

Centre-half Smith started his professional career at Portman Road in 2007 and has played more than 200 times for Ipswich. He made eight appearances in a loan spell for us in 2010.

Stephen Hunt, who was on Ipswich’s books when we last met, has left the club and is currently looking for a new one.

IAN WESTBROOK

@ianwestbrook

 

Drinking in Brentford

For Ipswich fans coming to the game, you are probably aware there plenty of pub options pre-match and all are most welcoming. Colours are fine and there is no ‘bouncer culture’ on the doors of our boozers – not yet anyway. All fans are welcome and most fans usually cite Brentford as their favourite away-day which we’re quite proud of.

As is etched in common folklore , there were four pubs around the ground until a few weeks ago – unfortunately one closed down to leave only three now. The Griffin is closest to the away end (like 30 secs walk) and is very popular with away fans – but also very very busy. The New Inn is on the other side is also popular with away fans. The Princess Royal is the other option (The Royal Oak was the one that closed down).

Other pubs slightly further afield for the more creative amongst you include (and this is by no means a definitive list) the  … The Globe (Windmill Rd) is the Beesotted fanzine main pub – a very friendly pub indeed (they even do quite funny promos check link). The other boozer is The Lord Nelson (Enfield Rd)  – both incredibly friendly and cozy away-frienly pubs and 30 seconds walk from each other .. frequented by ‘away fans in the know’. Boro fans and Bees fans had one hell of a party before our league match in January in both these boozers (despite us losing)- and The Plough (Northfields Ave – 1 minute walk from the tube) in Northfields is a decent stop-off if you are coming by tube to Northfields before making your way down to the ground (normally stopping off at The Globe and Lord Nelson en route on the Northfields pub crawl).

Easily the best way to Brentford for Ipswich fans is to get the Central line from Liverpool Street to Holborn and the Piccadilly line from Green Park to either Northfields or South Ealing (40 mins). Northfields is preferred by fans in the know as it has a decent pub crawl run on the way to the ground (Plough, Lord Nelson, Globe). South Ealing has one posh pub en route that doesn’t really like football fans so we won’t even give it a mention here. It’s 20 mins walk from either South Ealing OR Northfields to the ground or you can get the E2 bus from Northfields or 65 bus from South Ealing for the short 5 minute journey.

Some fans prefer to take the tube to Vauxhall, again bear in mind the Victoria Line shenanigans, then get the overground to Brentford mainline station. Depending on your connection time, this could be a slightly longer route as you could be waiting for up to 15 mins for a train and the train takes 26 mins to Brentford.

If you do take this route, there is also a pub right by Brentford station always referred to as … er …  the Pub by Brentford station.

For ale head to the Magpie and Crown pub on Brentford High Street. The Royal Horseguardsman can probably hold 15 of you at a push. The Brewery Tap is a cosy boozer by the river. And if you are super adventurous, get off at Kew Bridge and visit the brand new boozer One Over the Ait right on the river – beside the bridge. Great views over The Thames. It’s around 15 mins walk to the ground from here.

There are loads more too. A quick Google search and you’ll find them all. There are many many more too if you have a look around.

Parking is pretty easy away from the ground going up towards and over the A4 Great West Rd (ie. North) via Ealing Rd or Windmill Rd.