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 …

David Prutton - Old Friends

I met up with Former Forest and Leeds midfielder David Prutton after the Swindon game last weekend - a very nice and very genuine guy.

One thing he mentioned that surprised me was the fact that while he’d been talking to clubs in the summer, he had been really impressed with Andy Scott the Brentford manager he scored against in the 40th minute.

“I spoke to Andy in the summer and he’s got a lot of very progressive and good ideas. My agent knows him and so I spoke to him a couple of times about Brentford and what they had to offer. I just thought it wasn’t the right time to go there plus I was really impressed with what Danny had done last year.

I’ve also got a couple of very close friends here in David Lucas and Jonathan Douglas and you don’t often get the chance to play with people you’re good mates with. I’m not just here for sentimental reasons though, they’re both very good players and you want t surround yourselves with good players if you can. I’ve played in teams where I haven’t had that and it’s very hard work.

For example David is one of the best keepers I’ve seen as a reaction shot stopper and he showed that with a save from our defender Sean Morrison against Brentford..

Another reason I joined Swindon was that Danny Wilson likes to get the ball down and play. Sometimes he wants you to play in areas you wouldn’t think of which isn’t always the way, but he’s got a lot of good ideas.”

Listening to David talk about the game, it didn’t stretch my imagination too far to see him working in the broadcast media at some point in the future. He has a quick sense of humour, but also talks well about the game – certainly easier on the ear than Robbie Savage was on 606 as I drove home!

“It’s only three games in and you can’t get too carried away. It’s got the makings of a team that can do something. We need to keep having belief and make sure the fans keep making lots of noise. Football’s a different beast nowadays.

Back to the County Ground - The Bird And The Bee

I will be reporting on the League One fixture between Swindon Town and Brentford tomorrow afternoon.

Charlie Austin seems to have picked up where he left off last season and has now scored two goals in two league fixtures, but Swindon have yet to pick up their first win (they also went out of the League Cup to Orient), but these early games are often deceptive and I suspect that many of the new players are still bedding in and Danny Wilson won’t know his best starting eleven for a while yet.

Good to see the Topgo striker Thomas Dossevi get off the mark last weekend against Hartlepool and the result was probably a good one for Swindon given that they had to come back from two goals down against the monkey hangers.

Brentford meanwhile managed to make it through the first round of the League Cup by beating Cheltenham, but have lost both their opening fixtures.

Former Oxford striker Andy Scott now manages the Bees and is sure of a warm Wiltshire welcome given his previous associations, but he really is one of the games good guys and up and coming coaches. Brentford have already been approached by other clubs for his services, but have gamely clung on to him since his appointment back in 2007. He managed to get the West London outfit promoted from League Two in 2009.

Scott suffered a life threatening heart disorder which ended his playing career at Orient in 2005.

Gary Alexander is the only Brentford player to have scored in the league this season (although defender Craig Woodman netted in the Cup) and he may be joined up front by former Newcastle hitman Carl Cort against the Robins.

All in all, this fixture looks like a great opportunity for one of these clubs to kick start the season.

I predict a win by Swindon and a two goal margin ... so that’ll be 0-0 then!