|
"It makes it easier for us that (the trip to Carlisle) is the first game of the season, we are not in a routine yet. Stopping at Lilleshall makes the build up a little more special, we can get all the lads together. We have reports on Carlisle and we are aware of what they do and how they play. Our preparation will be exactly as it was last year. There is nothing like the roar of the crowd when you come out at five to three on the first day of the season.
"I want to manage in the Championship and in the Premier League, but to do that I need to be successful here. My sole focus is to make sure this football club continues to improve and move forward. I want more success. It is a great feeling being promoted. Once you've tasted success it drives you on to get more.
"The fact we have signed new contracts means we are here to finish the job of getting into the Championship. I've signed a contract that reflects what we've done so far and can hopefully do in the future. I fancy that over the next few years I can build this club into a Championship side capable of challenging.
"I'm delighted to sign Steven who is another experienced forward of a proven quality at a higher level. I've been tracking him for a while and last season we were close to securing his services before he went to Oldham to play League One football.
"The fact that we have been promoted gives us the opportunity to bring him to Brentford and a chance to kick start his career. It was progressing nicely until he had a difficult period at Watford. We are hoping we can benefit from his season of frustration and the enthusiasm and commitment he has shown us so far proves he is a prepared to do what he can to go forward."
Meanwhile midfielder Kevin O'Connor told his club's official website about their pre-season preparations :
"This is the strongest squad since the two play-offs years (2004 to 2006), and we have to be looking up the table rather than thinking of just staying in the league. Pre-season has been tough, as always, and we have been doing plenty of running. We have brought in some good players and performed well in the big pre-season games and we are looking forward to the start of the season."
As O'Connor has alluded to Brentford have been extremely busy in the transfer market over the summer, bringing in ten new players while letting twelve leave. Manager Scott himself also in the contract news this week as he signed a 12 month rolling contract - that replacing the five-year deal he penned when he became Bees boss just over 18 months ago.
The men departing Griffin Park being Craig Dobson, Glenn Poole, Brett Johnson, Adam Newton, Gary Smith, Seb Brown, John Halls, Darren Powell and Craig Pead who were all released at the end of last season. While in the summer months striker Nathan Elder has joined Shrewsbury, young midfielder Lewis Ochoa has moved to Maidenhead and frontman Moses Ademola has gone to Blue Square South Woking on a six-month loan deal.
The in-tray has certainly been busy as well, especially in the last few days with a couple of additions upfront. The first being the aforementioned ex-Watford man Steven Kabba, while the second is former £7 million man Carl Cort who is still only 31, Cort having also featured regularly for England under-21s in his younger days.
While at the other end of the pitch the Bees have two new goalkeepers in Lewis Price on loan from Derby, and ex-Aldershot stopper Nikki Bull. Three other signings over the closed season being centre-half and captain Alan Bennett (released by Reading), another centre-half in Leon Legge from Tonbridge Angels and finally Notts County left-winger Myles Weston.
It has been at Dagenham where Brentford have been the busiest in their shopping though as they have picked up three players from the League Two Daggers. The trio, all signing on Bosman deals, being defender Danny Foster, midfielder Sam Saunders and long-time Barnet striker Ben Strevens.
And that is where we start with the injury news for the visitors as 29-year old Strevens will be missing from tomorrow's game after suffering a broken fibula just above the ankle in last Saturday's 3-0 pre-season friendly win at Blue Square Premier newcomers Hayes and Yeading. Fellow frontman Charlie MacDonald also out of action for the Bees at the moment as he nurses a shoulder injury.
The referee for tomorrow's match is Mark Haywood from Wakefield in West Yorkshire, and he will be assisted down the lines by Paul Graham from Manchester and Paul Marsden from Leyland in Lancashire. Meanwhile the fourth official is Matthew Dicicco from Middlesbrough.