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Celebrated Rock photographer and hardcore Bees fan, Paul Slattery, has taken some outstanding pictures in his time, and his books featuring iconic bands such as Oasis, The Smiths and The Clash underline what an eye he his for a well composed moment in time. I’ve got to know Slatts very well over the past 20 years or so, and he’s often supplied Beesotted, not to mention the Big Brentford Book series and Cult Bees and Legends, with the best from his Bees archive – so, as we near the end to a remarkable season, I offered him the chance to ‘take over’ the Beesotted.co.uk front page for April and May, and in doing so, spreading a positive vibe using images from Brentford’s Championship campaign from 1998/99. I’ll lets Slatts exlain what he’s chosen and why… cheers mate!

Dave Lane

 

These photos are from an ongoing project of photography I take from the terraces at Brentford games. I first started at the beginning of 1991, but of course the next season, everything started to get just a bit exciting, as we not only got promotion, but had the party of all parties back at Griffin Park to celebrate. My camera remembers things that my brain certainly doesn’t that night! Just a year later I had my camera with me again, taking photographs of sobbing fans when we were relegated from Division One at Bristol City, and again at Bristol Rovers in 1998. Of course there was some great stuff in between; like the Cheese Boat to Charlton and hate Corner against Luton, and then, of course, our Division Two Championship win at Cambridge. I cannot tell you how I felt about Ron Noades that night after he decided not bring the team back to Griffin Park. It could have been another great night at our proud old ground… but it wasn’t to be. Anyway, I hope there is a new generation out there with their iPhones and Samsungs etc, snapping away like crazy, because at 63, I’ve done my bit!

Slatts

 

The pictures featured on the front pages slider section are as follows:

  1. Attacking the Shrewsbury goal at old Ealing Road end 13/3/99. We draw 0-0 and stay third.
  2. Young Bees fans at Southend 24/4/99
  3. Going potty at Southend- notice the old fences- after a 4-1 victory and a Lloyd Owusu hat-trick keeps us third.
  4. Hate Corner going crazy two goals up against Exeter, 1/5/99
  5. The Bees score the third goal against Exeter still staying third, but assuring promotion.
  6. The whole team and management take the applause after The Bees smash Swansea 4-0, and go top of the table. 4/5/99
  7. The floodlights of Griffin Park and an extremely busy Royal Oak after the Swansea game.
  8. The Bees take a morning walk past The Anchor pub in Cambridge where many fans are already having their pre- game bevvies. 8/5/99
  9. The Championship decider against Cambridge and Bees fans go crazy when Lloyd Owusu scores our second half winner that seals it for us. 8/5/99
  10. Bees fans waiting for the team’s to greet the fans at Cambridge 8/5/99