Regular Beesotted contributor and respected journalist, Jim Levack, seems pretty wise not to let the Wolves-supporting cleaner in his office wash his mug!
My cleaner at work has a huge tattoo of the Wolves emblem on his inner arm. His daily routine is to hoover and then collect the used cups and mugs… apart from mine!
It’s a five-year-old Brentford mug that must, on no account, be cleaned by anyone but me. He knows that now and, after several attempts to take it, he leaves well alone.
Lately I’ve taken to sauntering out of the office whistling the “we’re top of the league’ tune and we’ve had a good bit of banter. Out of that have come several interesting facts.
- One, Wolves fans don’t like Leon Clarke, but clearly that might change if he starts scoring.
- Two, they believe they have a right to be promoted because they are the biggest club with most tradition in the League.
- But three, and this is the most interesting bit, they are also – to a man – genetically programmed to expect Wolves to spectacularly blow it.
Living in the nice bit of the Midlands as I do, I worked on the Birmingham Mail for many years – a hotbed of Bluenoses, Villa fans and Wolves followers.
A good mate of mine once told me how at the end of every season the Wolves faithful used to unfurl a banner which read “You’ve let us down again”… although obviously that would have been pronounced “dowen”.
Another colleague has recently been forced to do a video blog after each game for the Mail, during which he appears to be contractually obliged to mention us and Orient.
And that brings me to my main point. Brentford under Mark Warburton seem genuinely ambivalent towards what the other contenders are up to.
Focus is a word bandied around a lot in sport, but every aspect of Brentford’s preparation for games and reaction after them reinforces the mentality around the club right now.
Brentford will perform to the best of their considerable collective abilities – backed by a superb medical team and analysts – and if that isn’t enough, then the squad is strong and deep enough to tweak things.
But the one thing that this current Bees squad has – and in 40 plus years of watching I’ve not seen better football – which could make the biggest difference, is its unity.
The players are together and it shows, especially in performances like that on Saturday when grit and gumption earned another precious point
It’s a togetherness that runs right through the club and is built on the most solid of foundations which are making the football world sit up and take notice.
My point is that once upon a time Brentford had an inferiority complex. Not any more, and the Wolves fans I see each week know it and are secretly concerned by it.
We will go into important games like Crawley with an assurance that the preparation has been faultless, and in the end that could be enough for the Molineux banner to be dusted down once again.
Jim Levack
@jlmblee1
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Once again talking like a cunt! Of course we are the bigger club! Superb medical team? What a witch doctor with a drum!
that point you earned against a team in the bottom four! Wowee, you were five points in front now you are two, a few year’s ago we were eleven points in front of our neighbours from up the road, they caught us and passed us.
sing in may if you are still top.
The Wolves and the O’s are coming to get ya, it looks like the play offs again for you so you can stuff it up again.
As for that cup-i wouldn’t touch it- full of shit like it’s owner.
I thought the point of the article was to promote either some informed discussion or else some entertaining banter. The response from John is just plain abusive. Please think next time before you post.
Why are Brentford so arrogant? And why slag Wolves fans off? Good luck with the promotion. We just want an automatic spot!
Interesting article. I just wondered for what reason you felt you had to write this now.
It wouldn’t be anything to do with the fact that now Wolves have closed the points gap you feel a little vulnerable ?
There is a long way still to go until the end of the season and a collapse here or there by any team, including Brentford, Wolves and Orient will give a completely different picture at the seasons end.
From a Wolves supporters perspective I hope we have had our dip in form and things progress in the way we wish.
Clearly someone is getting excited that their team is mixing it with Wolves. Wolves fans don’t like Leon Clarke??? I must have misheard the north bank chanting his name on his debut. Wolves fans do expect success……..that’s what happens when you have history and tradition. Like most people from brentford you could support spurs or arsenal. You may then understand expectation.
As an Ealing based Wolves fan I would love both Brentford and Wolves to go up. It looks to me like Leyton Orient are starting to slip a bit so that might make things a bit easier. I think Kenny Jackett has had a brilliant transfer window so expect Wolves to kick on. The game between Wolves and the Bees should be a cracker.
Interesting timing for this article. What’s more interesting is that a number of Brentford fans I’ve spoken to are worried about getting promotion. Being in the bottom half of the Championship isn’t going to bring in the same crowds as being the top 6 of League one. Some would argue you’re financially better off where you are.
Does that just go for little old Brentford or for big clubs like Wolves too. What a load of tosh. Have you had a look at who is likely to be in the Championship next year and how congregated around the South East they will be?
I’m not saying it isn’t expensive to assemble a competitive squad in the Championship but I wouldn’t worry about our crowds. We’ll get bigger away crowds and the home crowds will come out to watch all those big famous teams that we are so in awe of.
Oh and in case you’ve not noticed, we play rather attractive football.
The more success you have the more difficult you will find it to keep hold of your best players…..Good luck.
Stay where you are Brentford…….masters of league1. Fair play to those who do follow you . Must be reassuring knowing you have a great medical team!
Actually, the ” You’ve let us down AGAIN!” banner has only ever made one appearance. other similar banners have read “You’ve kept us up again!” at the end of the two seasons we managed to keep our heads above water in the Premiership. Oh and there is a long way to go yet pal. we have a history of screwing things up at Wolves at the last minute, that is fair to say. However, we have had our little blip in form now and if you think injuries and squad size will have no effect between now and the seasons end you are mistaken. Look out Bees the Wolves are coming to get ya!
I’d mainly like Brentford to be promoted. I don’t really care who else goes up, although if it isn’t Wolves I will enjoy thinking of how angry “John” will have become.
Interesting that after a run of 18 games unbeaten (15 wins, three away draws) that one newspaper reported Brentford as “stuttering” today.
Have to say it doesn’t say a lot when your manager leaves you for the mighty……….. Er Wigan.
Wigan are a division up from Brentford and Wolves and prior to this season were an established Premiership club.
The division that they are in, is the one that Jackett resigned from before dropping down a division, after it all went a bit tits at Millwall
Wigan have never been an “established” Premiership club. Every single year barring one they managed to escape relegation by the skin of their teeth. WWFC has had many more seasons in the top flight than they have; Wigan couldn’t even sell 20,000 tickets against Yanited with away fans included. Much like the MK Dons, Wigan has a completely artificial (in the sense that it’s not an area where football is traditionally followed) and passionless fanbase.
KJ went stale at the Wall – that much is true, but the knuckle draggers who started a mass brawl at Wembley were most probably the final straw for him. He achieved a lot at a small club with limited resources. Without him Millwall and their small fanbase would’ve been certainties for relegation from the Championship. One thing I will say about Kenny is that he knew exactly when it was time to go and find a new challenge. At Wolves, KJ has been given the opportunity to test his abilities at a club with far greater expectation involved and so far he’s coming up trumps. If promoted to the Championship, he will be expected to go one better by the board and fans and he knows it.
To be honest it’d be a travesty if the three teams at the top didn’t go up (with the Os going up through the play-offs of course). One of the 3 teams is going to miss out on automatic promotion with a record points total. Imagine the possibility of staying down with over 90 points, unthinkable really isn’t it?
Kenny jackett like most real football fans understands the concept of club size, history and tradition which is the reason he came to Wolves. Millwall didn’t want him to go.I think it’s fair to say a season spent in this stinking division is a small price to pay for greater things. As for Wigan being established so are Fulham….however there list of honours expands at the same rate as Brentfords . Enjoy it at the top . Your bubble is bursting….
The Wolves fans seem to have conveniently forgotten that they have let a 12 point gap slip this season, but then that’s selective memory for you.
Just like when they thought Bully should be playing for England in Division Three, the delusions of grandeur are rearing their unpleasant head again. That said, I’d be more than happy for them to join us in the top two.
Oh and by the way how are we supposed to take a manager with the name Kenny Jackett seriously? Honestly, it’s like having a manager called Martin Overcoat or Brian Gilet.
Comment
Well your managers name makes me think of bread,how can u stop thinking of toast when u hear it.LOL
We haven’t forgotten the 12 point gap. Earlier I did say that we have had our blip.
No selective memory my friend
Of course, from Wolves point of view I hope we don’t have another. As I also said, it is a long time to the end of the season and all of us, including Brentford could have a blip.
Your comments were fine until the final two sentences which let you down a bit.
There is plenty of room for Brentford, Wolves and anyone else who want to go to the Championship and beyond.
Take it from those who know, it is easier said than done.
Anyway, the Bees are doing fine at the moment,so are Wolves and so are Orient.
You or I don’t know, come the season end what the situation will be but perhaps all 3 of us will go up, 2 via automatic places and Brentford via the play offs. (Joke)
Don’t take life so seriously.
Lets face it the Brentford – Wolves thing is stupid. Know your History Wolves Fans. Yes small, poor ole Brentford used to attract crowds of 30k per week in the 30s/40s.
I see no reason why Brentford would not hold their own in the upper half of the championship next season and the fact of the matter is the here and now, and that the once big club Wolves are 2nd behind the current leaders Brentford – soon to become a bigger and better club.
As I’ve stated previous, you will find the jump to the championship bigger than you think. Your better players will attract more interest & you may struggle to keep them. If that happens you may also struggle to replace them like for like. Time will tell, both clubs are where they deserve to be right now…..enjoy the run in.
Soon to be a bigger and better club! Have to say I think the FA cup, European cups and top division status may be beyond you fellas! . As for Steve Bull and other Wolves legends that have played for England….Remind me which Brentford player last represented England??
What happened to Brentford Nylons anyway?
Dont mention Brentford Nylons My mum bought me some B.Nylons Bedding sheets when i was a kid they were f—-ing awfull like trying to sleep on a slippery nylon skating rink!
Think they closed Down years ago anyway saving lots of kids the terrible experience of Brentford Nylons Sheets!
Touchy lot some of these Wolves……to be honest, Brentford will either run away with it or cock it up royally at some point and leave us in the play-off places and we all know what happens if we are in the play-offs.
What I don’t get is why any “big” club with a decent history seem to think that it is their god-given right to be in a higher position than the smaller clubs.
Anyway, Wolves have a budget that is somewhat ridiculous for this division. Leyton Orient are a massive threat. It’s gonna be tighter than a nun’s fanny.
Brentford v Wolves will be the big test for the Bees. It’s the proverbial 6 pointer.
I just hope Orient implode before then, so we can all relax and be football friends.
My father in law supports Wolves
As a Wolves fan I’d like to apologise for some of my more arrogant friends. Our arrogance has got us into trouble in the past and has rendered us as unpopular in some quarters!!
Good luck to Brentford for the rest of the season. For the dedication of the Bees fans over the years when there are so many Premier League teams around them, I sincerely hope you go up this season!
With the Wolves of course!
“….who though Bully should be playing for England in division 3” – which he did (proving us right) and had a good record for England.
Just to point out also, when you were getting crowds of 30k in the 30’s 40’s, so were most clubs and we were getting 50-60k. No point using attendances when the ticket was the price of a piece of paper and no seating meant you could jam 30,000 into a cow shed (no pun intended).
You’re right about our budget though (although I sense jealousy from the rest of the league over it), the reason we have a big budget is in our attendance figures – considering the number of supporters staying away because they don’t agree with how the club has been run, we’re still averaging 20k. In this division we are the Arsenal to Brentford’s Crystal Palace, that is the unfortunate nature of the money in football these days.