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Posted: **Mon Aug 03, 2015 9:19 pm**

Brentford v Ipswich Town

Saturday 8th August 2015 – 15:00

Griffin Park

Opening Thought – Jamma

Hands up who else can’t quite believe how quickly the new season has come around! It obviously helped (if I can put it that way) that our 2014/15 campaign was extended by a couple of weeks but the impending close season, as always, loomed like a vast desert, with the Women’s World Cup as the only oasis of competitive football to sate us ahead of August. Since the fixtures came out in mid-June, though, the opening day of 2015/16 seems to have borne down on us faster than a full-speed Daryl Murphy chasing down the last defender!

On balance, there has been enough of a break to allow players and supporters to get over the ultimate disappointment of our play-off campaign, while not being so long for us to forget just what a successful season we enjoyed last time out. There will inevitably be disappointment at the way in which our promotion challenge was halted but we mustn’t overlook all the endeavour and quality that got us there in the first place. Going in to our first match of the new campaign, against another of the league’s surprise top six contenders from 2014/15, questions will be asked about the dreaded ‘play-off hangover’. We won’t have a definitive answer to whether this will affect us until ten games or so into the season but all of the signs coming out of the camp are positive.

Mick McCarthy has recently been quoted as saying that he is happier with the look of his squad than he was this time last year, and there is a lot of evidence to back him up in this assertion. The headline news of the summer from Portman Road was the sale of our latest ‘Best Left-Back in the Championship™’, Tyrone Mings. But the promising Jonas Knudsen arrives with a wealth of experience and the opportunity to make that position his own. With £8 million + two of Bournemouth’s title winners coming the other way, the general consensus is that this was a very good deal for Ipswich Town.

The last time the Blues made such a big-money sale, in the shape of Connor Wickham’s departure in 2011, the disappointment was heightened by the distinct lack of talent coming through the ranks to take his place. Fast-forward four years and the Academy prospects are looking a lot brighter. McCarthy has been quick to praise the youngsters who have featured in pre-season, even going as far as to say that he is happy with the options available beyond his first-choice back four, in Josh Emmanuel, Myles Kenlock and Josh Yorweth. Further forward, there is the exciting potential of Kundai Benyu as well as the seemingly rejuvenated Alex Henshall, Paul Connolly and Adam McDonnell, who are all expected to make an impact in their second seasons at the club.

For the first time in ages, we have some genuine options in the wide positions, with Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Ryan Fraser both looking like being astute season-long additions, and Larsen Touré also coming in to the equation. Giles Coke is another who has earnt a permanent deal following a successful trial, and will provide competition in the middle of the park. Finally, we seem to be spoilt for choice at both ends of the pitch. Bartosz Bialkowski and Dean Gerken are each staking a claim to start between the sticks, with Mick saying that he has ‘two number ones’ to choose between. But it is up front where our strength really appears to lie, with Brett Pitman and a fit again David McGoldrick competing against last season’s prolific duo of Daryl Murphy and Freddie Sears for a starting place.

I’m sure none of us can wait for the first whistle to blow at Griffin Park on Saturday as it is, but I hope I’ve helped whet your appetite even more for the action-packed, edge-of-your-seat, nerve-shredding nine months to come...!

The Opposition – Brentford

Founded on 10 October 1889, at the Oxford and Cambridge Hotel in Brentford, where a meeting was held, between the members of the Brentford Rowing Club, to decide between association football or rugby union, to serve as a winter pursuit for the rowing club and its members. As a result of a vote, by 8 votes to 5, taken 6 days later, association football was successful as the sport to partake in.

The football club started out playing its home matches at the Clifden House Ground in Brentford, from November 1889 to March 1892.

In October 1892, Benn's Field in Little Ealing was the club's new home. The football club decided to move nearer to Brentford and in December 1894 they moved to Shotter's and stayed there until April 1898. Due to high rent increases, the club were once again forced to move on, so in September 1898 the club moved to the Cross Roads Ground, in Little Ealing, and this was used until April 1900.

As the club grew, Boston Park Cricket Ground, in York Road, Brentford, was then used from September 1900 to April 1904. Finally, in January 1904, the club agreed a 21-year lease on an orchard. The clearance of the orchard, over 200 trees, and the levelling of the land took several months. Griffin Park, as it became known, was now ready for use as a football ground after banking was raised along three sides of the ground and an enclosure, moved from their previous ground, was erected.

In 1920, Brentford became a founder member of the Third Division South. During the late 1920s and 1930s, the club began to make real progress. In the 1929–30 season, the side won all 21 of its home matches in the Third Division South, but still missed out on promotion. They are the last of six teams in English football to amass a perfect home record, and the only one to do so over a season of 42 matches or more. After several more near-misses, promotion to the Second Division was finally achieved in 1932–33.

Two years later, Brentford reached the First Division and finished 5th in their debut season, which is still the club's highest ever league finish.

The club was relegated in the first season after the War, and a downward spiral set in, culminating in relegation to the Third Division in 1953–54 and the Fourth Division in 1961–62. In the process, Brentford became the first team to play the other ninety-one clubs in league football.

The survival of Brentford FC was threatened by a projected takeover by Queens Park Rangers in the late 1960s, a bid that was only narrowly averted with an emergency loan of £104,000.

The club continued to yo-yo between the third and fourth divisions during the next three decades. The club won promotion in 1962–63, 1971–72 and 1977–78 but only on the final occasion was it able to consolidate its place in English football's third tier.

After a 45-year absence, Brentford were promoted back to the Second Division (renamed the First Division with the advent of the Premier League in 1992) in the 1991–92 season, as Third Division champions, though they were relegated again the following year.

There followed several seasons of the club narrowly missing out on promotion via the play-offs.

The club were then relegated to the Third Division (by then the bottom division of the Football League) the following year. Brentford won promotion as champions again in 1998–99.

Former BBC Director-General and Bees fan Greg Dyke was announced as chairman of Brentford on 20 January 2006 as part of the takeover by Bees United, the Brentford Supporters Trust.

Brentford were relegated to Football League Two in April 2007.

On 25 April 2009, Brentford sealed the League Two championship under the management of former player Andy Scott. Scott's excellent first calendar year in charge was recognised with an award, the BBC London 'Manager of the Year 2008'. Scott was also awarded the League Two Manager of the Month award for April/May 2009.

At the end of the 2011/12 season, in which the Club finished 9th in League One, missing out on the play-offs by 6 points, the club's supporters voted to sell the entire club's shareholding to supporter-investor Matthew Benham.

The 2012–13 season saw Brentford go on an FA Cup run, taking holders Chelsea to a fourth round replay, and mount a promotion challenge, missing out on automatic promotion on the final day of the season before losing the play-off final to Yeovil Town.

On 25 June 2013, Cliff Crown was elected Chairman of Brentford Football Club.

On 18 April 2014, Brentford were promoted to the Championship after they beat Preston 1–0 at Griffin Park in front of 10,774 people, sparking a pitch invasion. This meant The Bees' return to the second tier after a 21-year absence.

Last season, they impressed and finished one place ahead of Town in the final table, in 5th, before being knocked out in the play-off semi- finals by Middlesbrough.

One To Watch – Harlee Dean

A large part of the Bees’ success on their return to the second tier was down to their attacking prowess, with the talents of Alex Pritchard and Ramallo Jota in particular focus. With Pritchard having returned to Tottenham, and teams likely to be more alert to their threat going forward this time around, there will be an onus on the defence to tighten up in 2015/16. A lot of the responsibility will be shouldered by dependable centre-back Harlee Dean.

The recently turned 24-year-old arrived at Griffin Park in November 2011, joining on an initial loan deal from Southampton having failed to break into their first team. After becoming an ever-present from January until the end of that campaign, he signed a permanent contract ahead of 2012/13. He carried on where he had left off, racking up 50 appearances by that November and being named captain for a Johnstone’s Paint Trophy tie against Southend the following month. After agreeing a new three-year contract in the summer of 2013, Dean went on to become an integral part of the side that won automatic promotion to the Championship. As a regular fixture in the back four of a consistent team selection, he excelled alongside James Tarkowski as the Bees confounded all predictions last season.

The Gaffer – Marinus Dijkhuizen

A striker, Dijkhuizen spent the majority of his 14-year professional career in the top two divisions of Dutch football, most notably with two spells at both S.B.V. Excelsior and SC Cambuur. He was a part of the SC Cambuur team which secured promotion to the Eredivisie in the 1997–98 season and later played top-flight football with FC Utrecht. He had a loan spell with Scottish Premier League side Dunfermline Athletic during the 2000–01 season. He retired at the end of the 2008–09 season after a player-coach spell at hometown club 's-Gravenzande SC.

In 2008, Dijkhuizen took up a coaching role at Eerste Klasse side 's-Gravenzandse SV, the club where he began his career. He left the club in 2009.

During the 2012–13 Eredivisie season, Dijkhuizen worked as a striker coach at former side FC Utrecht.

Dijkhuizen began his managerial career with Eerste Klasse Saturday club VV Montfoort in 2009. He led the side to two successive promotions in the 2009–10 and 2010–11 seasons, taking the club to the Topklasse. He departed at the end of the 2011–12 season.

Dijkhuizen signed a two-year contract with Derde Klasse Sunday side VV De Meern in January 2012. After officially starting work on 1 July 2012, he managed the club until December 2013.

On 1 January 2014, Dijkhuizen was announced as manager of Eerste Divisie side S.B.V. Excelsior on a deal running until the end of the 2013–14 season. Starting out in seventh position in the table, Dijkhuizen encouraged the side to be more attacking. Dijkhuizen's arrival helped fire the Kralingers to third place in the table and promotion to the Eredivisie, after an aggregate victory over RKC Waalwijk in the play-offs.

The club endured a difficult 2014–15 season in the top-flight, finishing one place above the relegation zone. Dijkhuizen departed the club in May 2015, despite having signed a new two-year contract in December 2014.

On 1 June 2015, Dijkhuizen was announced as head coach of English Championship side Brentford, replacing Mark Warburton. He installed former SC Cambuur teammate Roy Hendriksen as his assistant.

Past Match - Video Highlights - Trev

Here’s a chance to relive the highlights from a memorable Boxing Day, on our last trip to this part of West London:

Trev's Trivia

Players to feature for both clubs:

Tommy Smith ITFC 2007-present Brentford (loan) 2010

Jay Tabb ITFC 2013-present Brentford 2000-2006

Billy Clarke ITFC 2005-2009 Brentford (loan) 2009

Scott Barron ITFC 2004-2007 Brentford 2012-2014

Media Watch - K L Blue

If you have time, this article from The Boot Room provides a good overview of where we are at heading into the new season:
http://tbrfootball.com/ipswich-town-punching-weight/

Stat Time

Head To Head

Brentford Wins......................1 (11.11%)
Ipswich Town Wins.................5 (55.56%)
Draws.................................3 (33.33%)

Brentford Goals....................8 (ave. 0.89 per match)
Ipswich Town Goals...............19 (ave. 2.11 per match)

Head To Head at Brentford

Brentford Wins......................1 (25.00%)
Ipswich Town Wins.................2 (50.00%)
Draws.................................1 (25.00%)

Brentford Goals.....................6 (ave. 1.50 per match)
Ipswich Town Goals................9 (ave. 2.25 per match)

Marko's Caption Contest

See what funny captions you can come up with for this picture of Brentford’s mascots, ‘Buzz’ and ‘Buzzette’:

The Predicted Teams

Brentford

The Bees’ line-up isn’t likely to feature too many changes from the side that went down to Middlesbrough in the play-offs back in May.

27 David Button
10 Moses Odubajo
6 Harlee Dean
26 James Tarkowski
3 Jake Bidwell
14 Marcos Tébar
20 Toumani Diagouraga
28 Nico Yennaris
18 Alan Judge
23 Ramallo Jota
19 Andre Gray

Ipswich Town

Jonny Parr is struggling with a thigh injury so Josh Emmanuel could be handed his competitive debut, having impressed in a number of pre-season outings. It will be particularly interesting to see which combination Mick goes for up front...

33 Bartosz Bialkowski
29 Josh Emmanuel
4 Luke Chambers
5 Tommy Smith
3 Jonas Knudsen
7 Ainsley Maitland-Niles
8 Cole Skuse
27 Teddy Bishop
14 Ryan Fraser
9 Daryl Murphy
20 Freddie Sears

Match Referee – David Coote

Final Thought – Jamma

In many people’s minds, this is the best part of the season. After being starved of meaningful football for 3 months, that familiar feeling of nervous anticipation leading up to 3.00pm on a Saturday is back. But it isn’t just the pre-kick-off excitement and the glorious weather which invariably seems to accompany the opening weekend that makes this time of the year so special. With all 24 Championship clubs starting on a level footing, this is the one stage of the season when we all have equal aspirations of promotion. Football fans up and down the country will be saying to themselves ‘This is our year’, and the Blue Army are no different. As the longest-serving club in the second tier, this is a refrain that we have become all too used to hearing at Ipswich Town. But, whereas all the pre-season optimism would have dissipated within the first month of the campaign under previous regimes, we have genuine cause for confidence heading into 2015/16. Mick McCarthy and Terry Connor have built a team that has steadily progressed season on season. With this improvement in league position has come a gradual increase in the quality of the squad, which has been developed rather than completely overhauled following our best season in a decade. Maybe I’m guilty of getting swept up in all the excitement but this really could be our year…!

The fixture computer once again hasn’t disappointed, as it has thrown together last season’s two losing play-off semi-finalists on the opening day. While this will have little bearing on Saturday’s events, the match-up provides an intriguing clash between two of the surprise packages from 2014/15 who will be looking to go one better this time. We have seen a mixed bag in pre-season, with a comprehensive victory in Ireland followed by an entertaining 7-goal thriller against our friends from Fortuna. Erratic results domestically were wrapped up by a creditable draw against an impressive FC Utrecht. Mick McCarthy has given some idea of his first-choice XI but he wouldn’t be Mick without that unpredictability that we have come to know and love! Don’t rule out seeing a surprise inclusion from our host of promising youngsters, or maybe even a last-minute new signing… Brentford also provide something of an unknown quantity, coming off the back of their best campaign in living memory but having replaced the man who masterminded their success with a Dutch coach who is an advocate of the ‘Moneyball’ approach. The packed-out away end will no doubt be dreaming of a repeat of our last trip to Griffin Park, when a 4-2 win on Boxing Day sent us temporarily to the top of the table. A repeat of that result – and league position at this early stage of the season – will be very welcome indeed!

BRENTFORD 1 IPSWICH TOWN 2

Posted: **Mon Aug 03, 2015 10:31 pm**

1-0 to Brentford, hopefully I am wrong

CAPTION COMPETITION

I asked a bunch of girls I know at work to set me up on a blind date only string attached "no blondes" and low and behold this is what I end up with!!!

Posted: **Mon Aug 03, 2015 10:39 pm**

That's really positive James....

I'm going to this game so hopefully it's a good one and we come away with the points. I'm going for a 2-1/3-1 win.

Posted: **Mon Aug 03, 2015 10:47 pm**

I think we'll do well to get anything out of this game, for me 1-1 and a point would be a good result after a lack lustre pre-season build up.

Posted: **Tue Aug 04, 2015 7:57 am**

Many thanks for the very good preview. It all starts here on the long long road to possible glory next May and there won't be many harder away trips than this one. Neither side has had a particularly impressive pre season but in truth that counts for little, this is where it gets serious.

Picking our starting 11 is anything but easy especially after the business we have done over the last couple of days, we have so many options to choose from, just who gets the keepers shirt is anyone's guess but I will hazard a guess that Bart will start as our number One this season. With Berra out much will depend on the availability of Jonathon parr and should he make it I can see a back Four of Parr Chambers Smith Knudsen, failing that young Josh Emmanuel looks like getting a very early baptism of fire at RB. For me Maitland-Niles, Fraser and Skuse are certs in the Midfield with Bishop hopefully the final piece in the jigsaw although Giles Coke seems to have made an impression on MM and could feature. Assuming Murphy is fully match fit it will be him and one other, I had thought Brett Pitman would get the nod but now I am not so sure, Freddie Sears looked ok against Utrecht while Didsy has impressed me very much and played himself right back in to contention, decisions, decisions and what a nice problem to have.

Whoever MM decides to go with I am sure as always the lads will give it their all and won't let us down, I had the pleasure of being at Brentford last boxing day it was one of the best away days all season for obvious reasons. The Bees have made something like 10 signings and with any luck it may take them time to get used to playing together, hopefully we catch them a bit cold. I think a point would be a decent return from a tough fixture and I would be happy with that so it's a 1-1 draw for me.

Any ideas what pub the Town fans will be hitting pre game ? Lets get the season rocking from the off and have a good sing song with our pre match beer to get us all in the mood for what promises to be another exciting and hopefully successful season. COYB'S

Posted: **Tue Aug 04, 2015 10:28 am**

lucy wrote:That's really positive James....

I'm going to this game so hopefully it's a good one and we come away with the points. I'm going for a 2-1/3-1 win.

If you believe that Lucy get your money on it.

1-2 to Town @ 12/1
1-3 to Town @ 33/1

According to the bookies Town are the second least likely side in the Championship to record an away win on Saturday with Huddersfield being the least likely.

As I said I'd be happy with a 1-1 draw which is the bookies shortest odds for the correct score at 6/1.

Posted: **Tue Aug 04, 2015 3:55 pm**

Thanks for the preview! Yeah, it's always a great feeling to start a new season. One of my main criticism last year was our midfield lacking pace and creativity. I believe MM has addressed those areas. Also, with Didsy and Pitman added to our attack we should score more goals this year. As some others have said, my only concern is our defense. Brentford should be a good test for the back four with the Bee's new manager's attacking philosophy. I'll stick with my PL score 2-2.

Posted: **Tue Aug 04, 2015 3:57 pm**

Jonathan Douglas has now been confirmed as our 8th signing of the summer, and could make his debut against his former club on Saturday. What price Douglas to score first in a Town win?

Posted: **Tue Aug 04, 2015 4:01 pm**

Caption: "Allo darlin, you wanna come over da hive for a bit of sugar and honey?"

Posted: **Tue Aug 04, 2015 4:55 pm**

I might as well give the caption competition a go: 'Brentford unveil their latest new signing, Jimmy Bullard.'

Posted: **Tue Aug 04, 2015 5:36 pm**

Just don't feel we're anywhere near ready. None of us can guess the team because there's been no indication through the pre-season friendlies. Murphy looks particularly off the pace but without him we have no target man. Defence worries me. 3 -0 defeat.

Posted: **Tue Aug 04, 2015 8:48 pm**

2-0 to town, i think we will get a comfortable win.

Posted: **Wed Aug 05, 2015 12:56 am**

Personally, I wasn't disappointed in the least at the end of last season. A great one to build on for a push this one...lets get on with it!!!

2-1 Town win to start with. And a BIG well done, great to have these previews back

Caption,

(Male bee) "And as you can see, she even comes with honeycombs!!!"

Posted: **Wed Aug 05, 2015 6:35 am**

Posted: **Wed Aug 05, 2015 7:21 am**

I was speaking to the Brentford vice chairman last week, and he is extremely optimistic about the new season, the owner, Matthew, has used his business practice and modeled it into the football club. It's all about statistics of the players, and they are operating a transfer policy based on those results. Part of the reason Warburton left the club was not wanting to have someone else, identifying and buying the players, where he saw it as the managers role.
That being said I think it is a real risk considering the recent success that Brentford have had, to go down this route, with a largely unproven manager, some supporters are questioning the signings, and transfers of players, so i'm not disappointed to be playing them right now.
Think once again Mick has got the right players in, hopefully adding Mcghee would give us that little extra we need, but overall i'm really looking forward to the new season, a 1-2 win for Town on saturday, although I won't be able to cheer as i'm in the Brentford end with another Town fan, No tickets left!
COYB's

Posted: **Wed Aug 05, 2015 11:51 am**

Great preview Jamma. Knew you were the right choice to bring on board.

It's building up to be one of the most exciting opening weekends we've had for ages. We've been busy in the transfer market, with most of the signings being well received. When did that last happen? As has been said elsewhere, I'd like to see the back line have some fresh blood thrown into it, but overall I've been happy with what I've seen happening.

Regardless of how it ended last season, we performed well. We punched above our weight for most of the season in my mind and finished where we were probably hoping to be.

Now it's time to kick on. I still have full faith in McCarthy. The standards have risen each year he has been here and the lack of pace that exposed us last year seems to have been looked at.

Don't write us off. It's going to be a fantastic season. Of that I have no doubt.

Posted: **Wed Aug 05, 2015 12:02 pm**

caption : and now for my next trick.....tadaaa, oh drat !

Posted: **Wed Aug 05, 2015 5:38 pm**

Quasar wrote:caption : and now for my next trick.....tadaaa, oh drat !

Lol very good

Posted: **Wed Aug 05, 2015 7:44 pm**

Really looking forward to seeing the boys at Brentford and hopefully we will not get beaten. Brentfords owner has his concept and he did the same at Midtjylland his Danish owned club. Despite winning the league for their first time ever,sacked the manager and last night lost the chance to enter the champions league. .......what a fool. But he has his business model and is sticking to it regardless.
Hopefully this is the best time to get them away from home.

1-1 for me.

Posted: **Thu Aug 06, 2015 1:38 pm**

to try to predict a score to this game would be utter folly considering that neither team has fielded anything like the teams that will start on Saturday.
All I hope for is to see us field a well-balanced team with the same attitude and fighting spirit of last season.
If we do that, the result will take care of itself

Posted: **Thu Aug 06, 2015 3:02 pm**

Town boss Mick McCarthy says he'll have no qualms about handing 17-year-old right-back Josh Emmanuel his debut at Brentford on Saturday with Jonny Parr a confirmed absentee.

“He’s not fit, he’s still carrying his thigh injury that he picked up in one of the pre-season friendlies,” McCarthy said regarding the Norwegian full-back.

“I’ll have no qualms about playing Josh Emmanuel. Playing him doesn’t worry me at all, he’ll be fine.”

McCarthy outlined what he likes about the Academy product: “His attitude, for one. The pace and power of him, nobody’s going to bully him physically because in this league you can get done if you’re not physically ready. Well, he’s all of that.

“Emotionally ready? Well, if he plays we’ll find out. Technically ready? I think he’s certainly got good ability, he’s got to work on that, the understanding of the game and defending.

“But if he has to play, he’s got to play and I think he’s done really well in the games.”

Everybody else is fit aside from Luke Hyam, who is sidelined for around another three months having undergone knee surgery earlier in the summer.

Skipper Luke Chambers is set to move into the centre of the defence alongside Tommy Smith with Christophe Berra suspended for one match following his red card in the play-offs at the end of last season. Jonas Knudsen is set for his debut at left-back.

No surprises there then, what I have seen of Emmanuel suggests to me he will do well for us and he could become a very good player, clearly it will take time and I hope the fans go easy on him should things not be going hios way at Brentford. The youngsters will only improve by getting these chances.

Posted: **Thu Aug 06, 2015 4:22 pm**

Any news on the Blue Army's pub of choice for Saturday? We've got plenty of choice, with one on each corner of the ground! The New Inn is supposed to be the 'away pub', although visiting supporters are welcome in all four...

Posted: **Thu Aug 06, 2015 5:14 pm**

Jamma123 wrote:Any news on the Blue Army's pub of choice for Saturday? We've got plenty of choice, with one on each corner of the ground! The New Inn is supposed to be the 'away pub', although visiting supporters are welcome in all four...

I was gonna ask the same thing ? Hopefully the noise coming from which ever one we choose will be a bit of a giveaway.

Posted: **Thu Aug 06, 2015 7:39 pm**

Great start to the new season - with excitement levels rising as Saturday approaches. Many more previews ahead; I wonder what they're going to reflect as things crack on! One thing for sure, they won't be dull, with all the 'regulars' anticipating their arrival, and making the usual spectrum of comment and views known. Great!

As for Saturday, honestly don't know. So going for 2-2.

Caption comp: Honey Bee says 'I know you love me, but can't help feeling there's going to be a sting in the tail'!

Posted: **Thu Aug 06, 2015 9:43 pm**

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. 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.

Posted: **Fri Aug 07, 2015 12:28 am**

bluemike wrote:
Jamma123 wrote:Any news on the Blue Army's pub of choice for Saturday? We've got plenty of choice, with one on each corner of the ground! The New Inn is supposed to be the 'away pub', although visiting supporters are welcome in all four...
I was gonna ask the same thing ? Hopefully the noise coming from which ever one we choose will be a bit of a giveaway.

There seems to be a multitude of pub, literally on every street corner next to the ground. All said to be away fan friendly. Listen for the noise from the Tractor Boys!

Posted: **Fri Aug 07, 2015 7:44 am**

bluemike wrote:
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. 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.

Thanks for passing on the info, Mike - it doesn't sound like we'll be struggling for a drink!

We'll just listen out for Hallam's singing and that will be the pub to go to!

Really looking forward to my first trip to Brentford.

Come on you Blues!

Posted: **Fri Aug 07, 2015 12:25 pm**

Caption Comp .
Honey monster puffs unveil new mascot.
Tell em about the honey mummy..

Posted: **Fri Aug 07, 2015 1:12 pm**

Caption comp: Brentford reveal the chairman's "forward thinking" of new coaches, after Warburton's release!!

Posted: **Fri Aug 07, 2015 3:07 pm**

Hi there y'all English people, hope y'all had good summers. Big Mick & Tel certainly did eh?! Good stuff.

Excellent opening preview there, Jamma although I haven't read the entire thing yet. And thanks for putting that caption picture up.

Tricky first game of the season, and hopefully pre-season is nothing to go by. Hoping the mighty TB's sneak a tight win. Won't be betting on it though. And Hallam......, make sure you get a bevvy in all four corner boozers before heading in......, I wanna hear YOU on the FL show!

Ref caption:
Ref says to himself, *who is that Mick is bringing on? Another fking Jambo?* "OI, ONE EX JAMBO ON THE PARK IS ENOUGH, GET HIM THE FK OFF!"

Speaking of captions, there is a beautiful caption competition trophy all engraved up with last years winner on it. Got it done when i was on holiday. A picture of it will hopefully be posted on here soon. I'm hoping it'll make you all want to get your names on it and thus posting in plenty of funnies. I'm hoping.

Loving the mugshots as well by the way!

nice.

Tractor-Boys.com

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