Andy Scott’s appointment and Greg Dyke – The Guardian

Watching Brentford play last weekend reminded me of the last time I saw them play at Griffin Park.

Andy Scott was looking after the team in a caretaker capacity at the time and a decision on his future was imminent.

Brentford won the game convincingly (I seem to remember it was by three goals against Chester) and it was obvious from talking to the players that they really had a lot of time for Scott and wanted him to get the job.

Scott had his playing career curtailed by a heart problem and – just like others who had faced similar scares such as Glenn Roeder – is able to put a game of football into perspective because of this. That’s not to say he lacks passion, he certainly does, but I guess when you’re staring at death’s door it’s easier to shrug off losing a football match and look forward to putting it right in the next game.

After the game I had the dubious pleasure of being “shadowed” by the reporter from The Guardian who was hanging on my shoulder while I talked to players and so, consequently, getting the same quotes I was. Not great when you’re looking for an exclusive.

Eventually I took to ducking and diving around the Griffin Park stands trying to lose the bugger and succeeded.

When I thought the coast was clear I came out of hiding and spotted the Guardian guy chatting to an opposition player just as Greg Dyke the Chairman walked past.

Dyke was – and still is – a big football fan and is Brentford’s non-executive chairman. He had been front page news on several occasions in the preceding three years following his resignation from his position as Director-General of the BBC. This followed the Hutton Report (an investigation the circumstances surrounding the death of David Kelly, a biological warfare expert and former UN weapons inspector in Iraq.)

Even before this period, Dyke was a well known public figure having held key positions at London Weekend Television and even introduced Roland Rat to TV-AM!

I asked him what the chances were of Scott getting the job and he grinned and told me that “he hasn’t done himself any harm at all as the boys obviously love playing for him”. He told me that a decision would be made the following week, but he had put himself in a good position.

It wasn’t great stuff, but no-one else had talked to Dyke and it was the issue that most Brentford fans were talking about and so I smugly started to walk toward my car.

That was when Guardian man tapped me on the shoulder and asked: “Who was that old guy you were talking to?”

Crisis of conscience. Dyke was about twenty metres away and so could easily be caught and questioned.

I had been asked a direct question, but also wanted to protect my little angle.

“Some bloke who works in television.” I replied truthfully before saying goodbye and guiltily walking away.

Well, I didn’t lie. And frankly, if a Guardian journalist doesn’t know who Greg Dyke is …