Sleeping Giants

[beebopalula]

Things are looking up, which is great but sleeping giants? Anyone who thinks that is seriously deluded.

A sleeping giant used to live in TW8 but it died in the early 60's.

 

[Dave Bond]

Hi Chris nice to hear from you. I have nothing but respect for your family who are Bees fans to the core.Your late father god bless him brought you all up the right way. Can you imagine today if a dozen kids were to travel on the back of an open lorry like we did from Northolt to Brentford what the child protection people would have to say never mind health and safety.Incidently I notice that you are now living in Wilts well I have 6 family members coming up from Swindon for our big day at Wembley. To answer the question any small club can be a big club and there are many examples, all you need is someone with more money than they know what to do with. Until then I suppose we will have to keep paying our lifeline ,Bees Utd etc living from hand to mouth. On a positive note it looks like we have sold our Wembley allocation of 20,700 and should now push on to over 25,000.

 

[westwing]

Absolute Top Post. and I repeat does he still love Brentford football club.

No he doesn't and he doesn't give 2 sh!ts !!
i'm starting to like you mate !!

 

[Wise old Bee]

I subscribed to the sleeping giants maxim when I first came to GP in the mid-60s. It was probably the 72-73 season and the dreadful few years which followed which finished that particular dream for me. Since then I have expected nothing and, by and large, haven't been disappointed. A few false dawns have followed but, as has been said on this thread, 11th in the third tier is about it for us. I have seen lesser clubs go past us so I suppose there is always the chance that we could emulate S****horpe, Doncaster, or even Wigan but I'm not holding my breath here. I don't mean to be negative but the truth is often hard to take.

 

[vcmazz]

I have seen lesser clubs go past us so I suppose there is always the chance that we could emulate S****horpe, Doncaster, or even Wigan but I'm not holding my breath here.

Thing is, you kind of know these teams are only on loan to the upper echelons really, don't you? Wigan are the possible exception - they may eventually level out in the second tier. But the likes of Scu nthorpe rolleyes, Doncaster, Fulham, Hull and, much as I love 'em Blackpool, will all return to third and fourth tier football sooner rather than later. They all 'Bradford City' eventually :shrug:.

 

[Brentford_till_die]

Thing is, you kind of know these teams are only on loan to the upper echelons really, don't you? Wigan are the possible exception - they may eventually level out in the second tier. But the likes of Scu nthorpe rolleyes, Doncaster, Fulham, Hull and, much as I love 'em Blackpool, will all return to third and fourth tier football sooner rather than later. They all 'Bradford City' eventually :shrug:.

Where does that leave BFC, doing a Wigan or a "Bradford City"?

 

[vcmazz]

Where does that leave BFC, doing a Wigan or a "Bradford City"?

Neither really. It's Brentford innit? :shrug: Lionel Road might have been a step in the right direction, but I believe we are further away now from being a second tier club as we were when I first set eyes on Griffin Park in 1972. By that, I mean established second tier. There is always the chance of a fluke season or two up there, but we'd be punching way above our weight in my opinion. In fact, before Mr Benham's wallet, I felt we were rapidly becoming 'natural fourth tier'. If it weren't for him I feel the third tier would be the dream at the moment.

 

[sonofabee]

I don't want to seen in the same bracket as other small clubs like Orient, Colchester, Port Vale, Carlisle etc but the fact is in my 48 years on this planet we've had one in the 2nd tier and the bulk of the rest if the time experiencing peaks and troughs in div 3.
I genuinely believe this is our 1 chance to fund promotion and consolidate a place in the championship.

 

[Ewok]

Thing is, you kind of know these teams are only on loan to the upper echelons really, don't you? Wigan are the possible exception - they may eventually level out in the second tier. But the likes of Scu nthorpe rolleyes, Doncaster, Fulham, Hull and, much as I love 'em Blackpool, will all return to third and fourth tier football sooner rather than later. They all 'Bradford City' eventually :shrug:.

Not sure I can agree with you there. By saying that Hull, Blackpool etc are only "on loan" you must mean that the likes of Sheff Weds, Southampton, and a huge number of other clubs are "on loan" to the lower leagues. That hasnt really proved to be the case has it? And unfortunatley Fulham are now an established top division side however much we hate it.

 

[vcmazz]

Not sure I can agree with you there. By saying that Hull, Blackpool etc are only "on loan" you must mean that the likes of Sheff Weds, Southampton, and a huge number of other clubs are "on loan" to the lower leagues. That hasnt really proved to be the case has it? And unfortunatley Fulham are now an established top division side however much we hate it.

I have no doubt that in the fullness of time Sheffield Wednesday and Southampton will return to dizzier heights. But what is this 'huge number of other clubs' to which you refer? . Birmingham, West Brom, Stoke, Leeds, Wolves, Manchester City, Sunderland, Norwich, Nottingham Forest, Leicester and forgive me lord - QPR, are all good examples of clubs that have plummeted to the depths but have now either returned to, or are well on their way back to their natural habitat following their loan period :shrug:.

 

[West Wilts Bee]

so far we've sold 17,000 JPT tickets, last night's crowd was 3795...........say's it all !

With respect, home games flooding in at the moment. This recession is hurting most people, and it is here for the forseeable future. Prices are taking their toll, and the Wembley cup, prices wise is a Disgrace. But this is rip off Britain, someone will come and tell me I'm talking bollox.

 

[vcmazz]

With respect, home games flooding in at the moment. This recession is hurting most people, and it is here for the forseeable future. Prices are taking their toll, and the Wembley cup, prices wise is a Disgrace. But this is rip off Britain, someone will come and tell me I'm talking bollox.

I won't. Couldn't agree more mate .

 

[West Wilts Bee]

No he doesn't and he doesn't give 2 sh!ts !!
i'm starting to like you mate !!

Yeah I aint all bad, and I talk a load of sh*t most of the time. It does seem to upset a lot of people sometimes Not everything done though is for the good of the club, and that is a fact. Bound to upset someone though.

 

[Bishop Spark]

This is a really interesting thread and I totally agree with you . Brentford are sleeping giants.

 

[nick logan]

This is a really interesting thread and I totally agree with you . Brentford are sleeping giants.

Are we ? Oh good, cheers.

 

[Bishop Spark]

Are we ? Oh good, cheers.

Not really but my original comments were deleted. Thanks MODs!

 

[Sweepy]

I have no doubt that in the fullness of time Sheffield Wednesday and Southampton will return to dizzier heights. But what is this 'huge number of other clubs' to which you refer? . Birmingham, West Brom, Stoke, Leeds, Wolves, Manchester City, Sunderland, Norwich, Nottingham Forest, Leicester and forgive me lord - QPR, are all good examples of clubs that have plummeted to the depths but have now either returned to, or are well on their way back to their natural habitat following their loan period :shrug:.

Look at old football programmes, and you will actually find that over time there is little change. Most changes in the order are only temporal. Even Bradford are where they actually were 30 years ago. Still waiting for Watford to drop back though.

There are, of course, exceptions. But look through a 30 year old list of clubs and you will probably find the vast majority (at least the ones still in the Football League) are either in the same division (or one apart) now than they were then.

 

[Brentford 4 Life]

Not really but my original comments were deleted. Thanks MODs!

Put them back MODS. Lets see what Bash the bish has to say.

 

[vcmazz]

Look at old football programmes, and you will actually find that over time there is little change. Most changes in the order are only temporal. Even Bradford are where they actually were 30 years ago. Still waiting for Watford to drop back though.

There are, of course, exceptions. But look through a 30 year old list of clubs and you will probably find the vast majority (at least the ones still in the Football League) are either in the same division (or one apart) now than they were then.

Exactly :yes:.

 

[Bishop Spark]

Put them back MODS. Lets see what Bash the bish has to say.

I'm sure you can guess, but in case not - I was expressing my suprise at your conviction that you were somehow a massive club who are currently & temporarily dormant.

I look forward to rise of the giant!! (doubt anyone here will be around to see it though!)

 

[vcmazz]

I'm sure you can guess, but in case not - I was expressing my suprise at your conviction that you were somehow a massive club who are currently & temporarily dormant.

I look forward to rise of the giant!! (doubt anyone here will be around to see it though!)

Dear Mr Spark, if you had taken the time to do a little reading before furiously taking your sexual frustration out on your keyboard, you would have noticed five pages of debate during which no such conviction has been expressed. In fact, quite the contrary. Look forward to seeing you at Wembley. You deserve to live the dream for one day .

 

[Brentford 4 Life]

I'm sure you can guess, but in case not - I was expressing my suprise at your conviction that you were somehow a massive club who are currently & temporarily dormant.

I look forward to rise of the giant!! (doubt anyone here will be around to see it though!)

Bish. Do you see Fulham returning back to the bottom 2 tiers or will they be Premier League for years to come?

 

[vcmazz]

Bish. Do you see Fulham returning back to the bottom 2 tiers or will they be Premier League for years to come?

The Fulham we know and love had a following of 2,000 people. They now have 20,000. This means that statistically it is 90% certain that Bish doesn't realise they were ever in the bottom two tiers and so won't understand your question. I can answer it for you though. Within the next decade, Fulham will indeed, once again be a third/fourth tier yoyo club. Glad to help .

 

[Bishop Spark]

Bish. Do you see Fulham returning back to the bottom 2 tiers or will they be Premier League for years to come?

Premier league for years to come. We are as strong as we have ever been - we have a really good squad at the moment and are very hard to beat. We are investing in youth and are bringing players through the academy as well as scouring Europe for top talent. Plans are in place to increase the capacity at the Cottage to 30k. Good times my friend, good times.

 

[rebus]

Okay, this is not a Fulham/Brentford bashing thread first of all.

We are a small club due to previous mismanagement and lack of vision. It has always been that way since Edwardian times apart from a mercurial spell between 1926 and 1938. The rest has, unfortunately been decay. It will take years to repair even a little of this. In my view, knocking down the Royal Oak and replacing it with, quite frankly a poorly designed and built stand gave off the view that the club was happy to be small time.

One of the reasons I am extremely proud to be on the board at the present time is that we have a real opportunity to tackle several decades of mediocrity with Matthew Benham's support. I'm hoping, well praying, we win on April 3 and that gives us a platform to change the mindset of the club into winners and Championship football. 20,000 ticket sales proves people are out there if we do something on the pitch.

 

[Brentford 4 Life]

The Fulham we know and love had a following of 2,000 people. They now have 20,000. This means that statistically it is 90% certain that Bish doesn't realise they were ever in the bottom two tiers and so won't understand your question. I can answer it for you though. Within the next decade, Fulham will indeed, once again be a third/fourth tier yoyo club. Glad to help .

Premier league for years to come. We are as strong as we have ever been - we have a really good squad at the moment and are very hard to beat. We are investing in youth and are bringing players through the academy as well as scouring Europe for top talent. Plans are in place to increase the capacity at the Cottage to 30k. Good times my friend, good times.

There really is 2 sides to every story. Up the Bees!

 

[Ambrose_1889]

Premier league for years to come. We are as strong as we have ever been - we have a really good squad at the moment and are very hard to beat. We are investing in youth and are bringing players through the academy as well as scouring Europe for top talent. Plans are in place to increase the capacity at the Cottage to 30k. Good times my friend, good times.

Aside from Wigan, Fulham are the smallest club in the top flight at this moment in time. For as long as this is the case, your aim will always be to secure Premier League football on a season by season basis. I am unpleasantly surprised to see that you have dodged the drop for such a sustained amount of time and you have been very lucky on several occassions. But whether it's now, five years, ten years, for a club like yours, that luck WILL run out. The real issue re: Fulham is how you recover from relegation. Do you bounce back within a season or two? Because if not, it will become very difficult.

And I know I'm biased against your club, but doesn't it taint your 'success' over the last ten years knowing that you wouldn't be there without Fayed's money? You bought three promotions.

Okay, this is not a Fulham/Brentford bashing thread first of all.

We are a small club due to previous mismanagement and lack of vision. It has always been that way since Edwardian times apart from a mercurial spell between 1926 and 1938. The rest has, unfortunately been decay. It will take years to repair even a little of this. In my view, knocking down the Royal Oak and replacing it with, quite frankly a poorly designed and built stand gave off the view that the club was happy to be small time.

One of the reasons I am extremely proud to be on the board at the present time is that we have a real opportunity to tackle several decades of mediocrity with Matthew Benham's support. I'm hoping, well praying, we win on April 3 and that gives us a platform to change the mindset of the club into winners and Championship football. 20,000 ticket sales proves people are out there if we do something on the pitch.

Excellent post.

 

[Bishop Spark]

And I know I'm biased against your club, but doesn't it taint your 'success' over the last ten years knowing that you wouldn't be there without Fayed's money? You bought three promotions.

No - not at all. You can ask any club who have been fortunate enough to have money pumped into their club (and believe me, I do realise how fortunate we have been) if it has tainted any sucess that comes their way and the answer would be the same.

Whats more important is that if a benefactor came along and bankrolled Brentford into the premiership and European competition none of you would say it was a tainted sucess - you would just be enjoying the ride.

 

[brooks]

http://www.aboutaball.co.uk/aboutab.../historical-ranking-of-english-football-clubs

Shows historical ranking of English clubs up to 2009. We are about where most people would expect to find us. If we are sleeping giants then Orient must be the new Barcelona.

 

[Ambrose_1889]

I'm not sure I would enjoy the ride. I want success for Brentford but I don't want us to lose our identity. I disagree with the way the Premier League and UEFA operate and the huge impact it has on supporters (ticket prices, etc) and smaller clubs. For me, the pinnacle would be to be an established Championship club. I don't want what Fulham have had. It's as plastic as 20,000 of your 24,000 home 'supporters'.

As you may have picked up on, we do have a benefactor by the name of Matthew Benham and he is a very wealthy and generous man. Most importantly, he is a Brentford fan and has been since he was 10 years old. His investment into BFC is purely because of his love for Brentford, it's totally different to Fayed/Mittal/Mansour/Glazer/etc where it is strictly business or a rich man plaything. Benham is more in the mould of Bloom or Hoyle. Fulham, Wigan, Hull, etc all bought their way into the top flight. Blackpool did it the right way. If the Qatari royal family decided to buy BFC and to bankroll us to be one of Europe's premier clubs, competing for the PL title and Champions League, etc I would be very dissapointed as we would cease to be the same club I fell in love with.

It will come crashing down around you one day and I can't wait to see it

 

[Chopper]

If we got to the premiership with a investor pumping in the money I would enjoy the ride no doubt about it. There isnt really many cases apart from maybe Blackpool where you dont need money to get into the promised land.

 

[Bishop Spark]

I'm not sure I would enjoy the ride. I want success for Brentford but I don't want us to lose our identity. I disagree with the way the Premier League and UEFA operate and the huge impact it has on supporters (ticket prices, etc) and smaller clubs. For me, the pinnacle would be to be an established Championship club. I don't want what Fulham have had. It's as plastic as 20,000 of your 24,000 home 'supporters'.

As you may have picked up on, we do have a benefactor by the name of Matthew Benham and he is a very wealthy and generous man. Most importantly, he is a Brentford fan and has been since he was 10 years old. His investment into BFC is purely because of his love for Brentford, it's totally different to Fayed/Mittal/Mansour/Glazer/etc where it is strictly business or a rich man plaything. Benham is more in the mould of Bloom or Hoyle. Fulham, Wigan, Hull, etc all bought their way into the top flight. Blackpool did it the right way. If the Qatari royal family decided to buy BFC and to bankroll us to be one of Europe's premier clubs, competing for the PL title and Champions League, etc I would be very dissapointed as we would cease to be the same club I fell in love with.

It will come crashing down around you one day and I can't wait to see it

Sorry pal I just dont believe you. If Brentford were bonkrolled to the point of competing for the Champions League you would be loving it. And rightly so. No-one who has followed Brentford through the tough times would turn their back once a bit of sucess came their way because "it didnt feel right"

And if that did happen then you would be atrracting 25k fans each week just like we have done. The concensus here seems to be that they are all plastic fans but you yourselves have proved that that kind of support is there - it just needs sustained sucess to ensure that support turns out on a regular basis and not just once in a blue moon when you get to wembley. Football fans are the most fickle bunch in the world so it takes a lot to get people coming back on a regular basis - particularly so in these days of Sky Sports and the constant focus on the big 4 / 5.

And why do you think it will all come crashing down around us? Is that just wishful thinking?

 

[vcmazz]

Sorry pal I just dont believe you. If Brentford were bonkrolled to the point of competing for the Champions League you would be loving it. And rightly so. No-one who has followed Brentford through the tough times would turn their back once a bit of sucess came their way because "it didnt feel right"

And if that did happen then you would be atrracting 25k fans each week just like we have done. The concensus here seems to be that they are all plastic fans but you yourselves have proved that that kind of support is there - it just needs sustained sucess to ensure that support turns out on a regular basis and not just once in a blue moon when you get to wembley. Football fans are the most fickle bunch in the world so it takes a lot to get people coming back on a regular basis - particularly so in these days of Sky Sports and the constant focus on the big 4 / 5.

And why do you think it will all come crashing down around us? Is that just wishful thinking?

Right. So what you're saying is then, 'Fulham are nothing special'. At last we agree on something. .

 

[Bishop Spark]

Right. So what you're saying is then, 'Fulham are nothing special'. At last we agree on something. .

Well nothing special in terms of the big 4/5 but I do believe that we are a solid premiership club who are capable of finishing in the top ten and to have a half decent go at the cups each year. In that respect we match my expectations fully.

 

[Ambrose_1889]

I wouldn't be turning my back on Brentford. I simply wouldn't be able to afford the price of the club's success. Your average ticket for a match at Tottenham/Man Utd/Arsenal/Chelsea must cost the best part of £50. I thought £34 was too much for Wembley next month but then I see what UEFA are charging people for the Champions League final. It's disgraceful. I'm Brentford til I die, that's not the issue. But my entire football experience would change and in my opinion, it would be for the worse. Not being able to afford many aways, being surrounded by Japanese tourists and middle class families at home games. I don't want us to be another Fulham or Wigan or Reading.

Of course I want Brentford to succeed in everything we do which is why it would be so bittersweet for me. I want the success for BFC but I hate everything that the Premier League stands for and I don't want to be a part of it. For what it's worth, I know several Fulham fans who have either been priced out of most matches (I hate price banding too) or just think the matchday experience has suffered since the recent 'success'.

You saying you get 25k each week is a false figure. That includes away fans, neutrals/tourists, people who can't afford Chelsea and people who have a Fulham ST to watch Premier League football at affordable prices (and believe me there are A LOT of them). 25k is in no way a true reflection of your fanbase. If we take 25k to Wembley, that proves nothing to me I'm afraid as whatever we do, however hard we try, the crowd will drop back down to 5k for the next home game. The majority of our tickets sold for Wembley won't be going to Brentford supporters.

And it will come crashing down around you. What comes up, must come down, especially for a club who's main aim is survival each season. As I said teams like yourselves, Wigan, Hull, West Brom, Blackpool, Burnley... you're all just waiting to get relegated. It's about how you react when it happens. And I suppose how FFC/Fayed deals with the loss of revenue and mounting debts. And the loss of revenue for Fulham if they get relegated and don't get back up within 3-5 years will be massive. The crowds you got pre-Fayed suggest your attendance will fall massively and your new 'support' won't hang around to prop you up.

 

[Bishop Spark]

I can understand your comments re: premiership pricing and TV times - Sky dictating when & where games are be played (often changing things at short notice) and it does affect how people watch the game. In our case its away games that have suffered (I dont know if you had noticed!!) people just cant afford £50 tickets and £100+ train fares. And I can assurre you that most true old school Fulham feel the same - even to the point of contemplating whether a spell in the championship wouldnt be such a bad thing. Then you see us tonk Man Utd 4-0 and Rooney getting sent off and you realise just how much fun you are having!!

I know you desperatley want us to get relegated - probably more than you want to get promoted yourselves, but to say that we are waiting to be relegated is way far off the mark. We are an established top league side. This is our 11th season in the premiership. We have a fantastically strong squad. we play the game in the right way. The longer we are in the Prem the higher our profile which is why we can attract the kind of players we do. We are NOTHING like Hull, Blackpool or Burnley.

 

[SQUELCH]

We are NOTHING like Hull, Blackpool or Burnley.

true - they all p!ss over your support

 

[Brentford_till_die]

I can understand your comments re: premiership pricing and TV times - Sky dictating when & where games are be played (often changing things at short notice) and it does affect how people watch the game. In our case its away games that have suffered (I dont know if you had noticed!!) people just cant afford £50 tickets and £100+ train fares. And I can assurre you that most true old school Fulham feel the same - even to the point of contemplating whether a spell in the championship wouldnt be such a bad thing. Then you see us tonk Man Utd 4-0 and Rooney getting sent off and you realise just how much fun you are having!!

I know you desperatley want us to get relegated - probably more than you want to get promoted yourselves, but to say that we are waiting to be relegated is way far off the mark. We are an established top league side. This is our 11th season in the premiership. We have a fantastically strong squad. we play the game in the right way. The longer we are in the Prem the higher our profile which is why we can attract the kind of players we do. We are NOTHING like Hull, Blackpool or Burnley.

Middlesborough, Charlton, they were stable in the Premiership "once", your turn will come!
I notice you take "hundreds" of fans to away games, can well understand however if ticket prices are really expensive.
Couple of Reading mates who went every away game in the Championship, the year they got in the Premieshite they had to miss Man Utd away!!! To expensive!!

 

[Ambrose_1889]

I can understand your comments re: premiership pricing and TV times - Sky dictating when & where games are be played (often changing things at short notice) and it does affect how people watch the game. In our case its away games that have suffered (I dont know if you had noticed!!) people just cant afford £50 tickets and £100+ train fares. And I can assurre you that most true old school Fulham feel the same - even to the point of contemplating whether a spell in the championship wouldnt be such a bad thing. Then you see us tonk Man Utd 4-0 and Rooney getting sent off and you realise just how much fun you are having!!

I know you desperatley want us to get relegated - probably more than you want to get promoted yourselves, but to say that we are waiting to be relegated is way far off the mark. We are an established top league side. This is our 11th season in the premiership. We have a fantastically strong squad. we play the game in the right way. The longer we are in the Prem the higher our profile which is why we can attract the kind of players we do. We are NOTHING like Hull, Blackpool or Burnley.

Get over yourself lol

Oh and the three clubs you mention are all bigger than you. Being in the Premier League doesn't make you a big club. Only Wigan are smaller than you and that's because they're a fourth tier club that got lucky. Bit like yourselves.

But you're boring me now and we're going round in circles so yeah, enough about Fulham and your excuses for sh*t away support... :thetruth:

 

[Chopper]

Although I dont like Fulham and hope they go down he has got a point you need to get the plastics in and convert them and they will have a bigger hardcore than when they were last in the championship. Like we would if we stayed in the championship.

 

[rebus]

Middlesborough, Charlton, they were stable in the Premiership "once", your turn will come!
I notice you take "hundreds" of fans to away games, can well understand however if ticket prices are really expensive.
Couple of Reading mates who went every away game in the Championship, the year they got in the Premieshite they had to miss Man Utd away!!! To expensive!!

This thread is about whether BFC is a sleeping giant. There are plenty of other threads on here to slag Fulham off.

 

[Les Beeavinu]

He's gone now. Any responses to his drivel will be deleted.

 

[vcmazz]

He's gone now. Any responses to his drivel will be deleted.

Why? :shrug:

 

[Ambrose_1889]

Although I dont like Fulham and hope they go down he has got a point you need to get the plastics in and convert them and they will have a bigger hardcore than when they were last in the championship. Like we would if we stayed in the championship.

I disagree. If Fulham were to get relegated and spend the next 10 - 15 years in the Football League, their support would fall to about 10k in the Championship and back down to their hardcore of 4,500 in the third or fourth tier, allowing for higher average attendances in successful seasons like most clubs at this level. 20k of their 24k average attendances aren't true Fulham fans and would defect to QPR or Chelsea to watch Premier League football. That is the key point; they attract fans of the Premier League with their cheap ticket prices, not Fulham fans, certainly not those who could be considered the "hardcore".

This is relevant to BFC as it could well be a situation we find ourselves in one day. Fifteen years ago, us and Fulham were very similar sized clubs. Given league positions, I'd say we were slightly bigger. But now most people see FFC as being on a totally different level to BFC and that's what money does to a club. It manufactures success and glory - just look at Wigan. They were getting sub-2k crowds not that long ago! Now suggest to a modern Sky Sports football fan that they are actually smaller than say, Bradford or Luton and they would laugh at you. At heart, Fulham are still a lower league club. Away attendances and home attendances pre-Fayed prove that.

 

[bennyb]

Okay, this is not a Fulham/Brentford bashing thread first of all.

We are a small club due to previous mismanagement and lack of vision. It has always been that way since Edwardian times apart from a mercurial spell between 1926 and 1938. The rest has, unfortunately been decay. It will take years to repair even a little of this. In my view, knocking down the Royal Oak and replacing it with, quite frankly a poorly designed and built stand gave off the view that the club was happy to be small time.

One of the reasons I am extremely proud to be on the board at the present time is that we have a real opportunity to tackle several decades of mediocrity with Matthew Benham's support. I'm hoping, well praying, we win on April 3 and that gives us a platform to change the mindset of the club into winners and Championship football. 20,000 ticket sales proves people are out there if we do something on the pitch.

great post were no sleeping giant but weve got the potential to be a bigger club

 

[Voice from the Braemar]

Premier league for years to come. We are as strong as we have ever been - we have a really good squad at the moment and are very hard to beat. We are investing in youth and are bringing players through the academy as well as scouring Europe for top talent. Plans are in place to increase the capacity at the Cottage to 30k. Good times my friend, good times.

30k ??? thats another 5k to give out FREE to schools, charitys, local asylums etc then lol

your right about not going down for the foreseeable future though........and its bleedin gutting lol

 

[Brentford 4 Life]

I dont usually agree with Bishop but he a spoken a lot of sense here. Sadly fulham wont be going down for a while unless there budget is cut or other clubs around them all increase their budgets. Fulham probably have about 7-10K hardcore now when about 15 years ago they probably had 5-7k (similar to us now sadly). Every year they spend in the Prem this will increase as they are setting a foundation for a generation of fulham fans watching a Prem club. I can see Fulham away support picking up as well over the next 10 years if they remained in the Prem and as Bishop suggets have good cup runs. Fulham/Fayed did buy their current success but name me a club that hasnt bought their relative success? Brighton, Crawley, QPR, Chelsea, Man City, Sunderland all clubs that have paid for what their getting. Only Blackpool have really earned their place as Ambrose says. I dont beleive anyone who says they wouldnt enjoy Bees at the top of the pile. Aspects of it they wouldnt like i.e sillly kick off times but i would love to see Brentford being favourites for the FA Cup and having a few European away days. I dont like the Premiership and would rather see us win the FA Cup. The Champions League is a joke competiton but i would love a trip or 2 abroad watching the mighty Bees. Hopefull with Benham we can have some glory. Up the Bees!

 

[Roy_loak]

my mate and his mrs have been cottage s.t holders for years but never go away, tottenham this season was their first away game since the old king died. anyway, they don't half moan about the pillocks they have to put up with at games not singing, or shouting crap comments like "go on number 16!" and "who's the black fellow, isn't he fast" etc etc. however, as much as i detest fulham i always hope they beat chelski.
back to topic, no we aren't a sleeping giant, we are BEES and if i could go back to the start i'd do it all again without a moment's hesitation.

 

[vcmazz]

we are BEES and if i could go back to the start i'd do it all again without a moment's hesitation.

Exactly. And this is the thing people like the bish just don't get :shrug:. He comes on here all, 'Aren't we great and aren't you rubbish?', but what he doesn't understand is that we really don't care. He does, but we don't. He's the one on our website - we're not on his :shrug:. If Alf Farthead had gone to all that trouble to buy us into the Premier League, I'm sure I'd have better things to spend my time on than Fulham forums :yes:.

 

[Ambrose_1889]

I just can't get over the reasons behind Fulham's success. It's not resentment or bitterness because as I said, I don't want what Fulham have had, but Fayed just picked a club in West London at random to use as his plaything. He held no affection for the club. Could have just as easily been us, QPR or Chelsea. And if it had been us, we'd be exactly where Fulham are now. It's not their success, it's his success. I'd still be a Bee but I'd feel so detached from BFC if the dirty old man had given us their recent history.

Benham is one of us. He's stood on the terraces with us, he's travelled all over the country to support the lads and now he's giving something back. He's doing it because he loves the club. His investment is for all the right reasons, unlike Fayed.