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A couple of seasons ago I was for the first time actually interested in the Premier League because of a small team that got there. Bournemouth.
But I was also very interested the season before in two small teams who had gained promotion to the Championship and should not really have survived there. Yep, Bournemouth again and Brentford. who were arguably smaller. This is an article about the current owners and managers of that Club, and their model and thinking in running a successful football club in a high league without trying to compete with the big boys of transfer fees etc. It has a lot of merits and maybe we should look at it with a view to inspiring our club. After all, GI has said they want to run things differently. Over to you

So the philosophy of how underdogs can thrive in modern football is by "using their brains". Well that's a non-starter for Torquay United then. Bottom of the league, lose on Saturday and we need three wins and draw to get out of the relegation zone.

So where's our replacement manager? well brain surgeon Dr Harrop tell us say "things don't happen overnight" but by the same token says “stick with us ... we need every 12th man out there that we can" . Well I'm sorry but "stick with us" is the enigma code for "give us your money" And as an adage when a club is brain dead there is nothing to use.

As for Dr Harrop "working so hard..." how hard is it to appoint a manager out of five potential candidates. I am more worried by the day about this managerial appointment as I begin to wonder if all those predicted to get the job have sat down, listened and walked after hearing what resources they have to work with.

Yes, lets do "look at it with a view to inspiring our club" - We are restarting our academy - Brentford ditched theirs completely as it was unworkable and financially crippling and now just sign up Premier League academies rejects saving themselves £1.5 million a year in the process. But I guess our under 9's academy is not quite the same thing.

This bit I love " When they were running their academy, Brentford's location in London was a disadvantage". HELLO! What's going on there - is poor location not number 1 on our statement list .

But Brentford's last statement I agree with "We have to sign players that have a resale value." What is the resale value of Torquay players ?
Answers on a postcard please, even if it is just blank !

The problem with Moneyball is that it requires a fairly extensive scouting and subsequent data analysis resource - either directly employed by the club or contracted out. The sort of "speculate to accumlate" acumen the club has been lacking for the past 7 or 8 years

Don't believe all you read about Brentford closing their academy......it was simply because they weren't paying their bills. The rest about 'being in the wrong location' and 'big clubs poaching their players' was hogwash.

Revenue streams going into the new stadium project had dried up too at that point and consultants working on that weren't paid and then dispensed with.

In my opinion any club doing what Brentford did whilst maintaining Football League membership should have been sanctioned by having their right to sign new players suspended or even revoked. The ruined a lot of young careers and those of their coaches too.

Was so tempted to bite, but obviously Merse knows everything and I can't be bothered with a keyboard tiff. What a shame we can't have a Mr Benham at Torquay, a lifelong fan with plenty of money. I am delighted at the way things are going at Brentford despite my initial misgivings when Warburton left. F'kin 'hogwash' my arse, I know you have opinions on everything in the universe, I just envy you having the time to do such thorough research on every topic under the sun (can't find a rolling eyes smilie, but if I could it would be right bloody here. Sigh...)