BRENTFORD fans will be staging a protest by holding red cards aloft at the home league game against Huddersfield this Saturday when manager Wally Downes and his players will be focused on bouncing back from two cup defeats (writes TONY FLOOD).

Members of Brentford Independent Association of Supporters will be campaigning against the possibility of leaving Griffin Park to share with Kingstonian at Kingsmeadow, and voting in favour of trying to secure a site at Lionel Road, near Kew Bridge, for a new stadium.

But managing director Gary Hargraves says: "The Board is working relentlessly to avoid going to Kingstonian instead of staying at Griffin Park while we find a new permanent ground."

Downes says: "The players will be concentrating on trying to reach the play-offs. We will have Jamie Fullarton and Stephen Evans back after suspension and Martin Rowlands should be fit following an ankle injury suffered playing for the reserves.

"But Mark McCammon is suspended and we will also be without Kevin O'Connor and Leo Roget. They were both hurt in the FA Cup defeat by Burnley, with O'Connor suffering concussion following a clash of heads and Roget damaging his hamstring."

The honest and fully committed Downes was so upset by Saturday's defeat that he publicly branded himself stupid' for making a substitution that backfired. By being so hard on himself he defected criticism from Andy Frampton and Ibrahima Sonko, who made crucial mistakes.

Brentford made £200,000 from the FA Cup run and would have picked up another £120,000 if they, instead of Burnley, had gained a fifth round visit to Fulham (£75,000 in fourth round prize money).

O'Connor and Roget could be fit for Tuesday's away league game with Mansfield.

The Bees' longest serving player Ijah Anderson, who has only recently returned from a loan spell at Wycombe Wanderers, has agreed to join Third Division strugglers Bristol Rovers for a short trial period with a view to a permanent move.

Ijah has made 242 appearances for Brentford, but only 11 of those have been this season. He joins up with three former Bees at Rovers in Robert Quinn, Danny Boxall and Kevin Austin

Brentford reserve keeper Alan Julian, 19, has been put on standby for Northern Ireland's under-21 friendly international with Finland on February 11th at Glenavon F.C. Alan, who has previously been called up for the Northern Ireland Under 18s and Under 19s, was born in Ashford, Middlesex, but qualifies for the men in green by virtue of his Irish grandfather John Julian.

January 31, 2003 15:00