Alex Duff
@duffofbrentford.bsky.social
Author of Smart Money (Brentford FC), Le Fric (Tour de France) & Football's Secret Trade (Player transfers).
Big, if true .. at ManU. 🧐
November 13, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Big, if true .. at ManU. 🧐
I understand the good people of @escapecollective.bsky.social are responsible for this.. 😳
#1 in cycling on Kindle; paperback sold out in Australia; hardback gone in UK.
Allez, Vive Le Fric 🇫🇷
#1 in cycling on Kindle; paperback sold out in Australia; hardback gone in UK.
Allez, Vive Le Fric 🇫🇷
November 6, 2025 at 1:06 PM
I understand the good people of @escapecollective.bsky.social are responsible for this.. 😳
#1 in cycling on Kindle; paperback sold out in Australia; hardback gone in UK.
Allez, Vive Le Fric 🇫🇷
#1 in cycling on Kindle; paperback sold out in Australia; hardback gone in UK.
Allez, Vive Le Fric 🇫🇷
In other football / Central Line nostalgia:
Stan Bowles used to take the Central Line to training at Orient when he lived at Lancaster Gate.
Stan also took public transport to his first Brentford match in 1981, carrying his boots in a plastic bag.
Stan Bowles used to take the Central Line to training at Orient when he lived at Lancaster Gate.
Stan also took public transport to his first Brentford match in 1981, carrying his boots in a plastic bag.
October 20, 2025 at 10:20 AM
In other football / Central Line nostalgia:
Stan Bowles used to take the Central Line to training at Orient when he lived at Lancaster Gate.
Stan also took public transport to his first Brentford match in 1981, carrying his boots in a plastic bag.
Stan Bowles used to take the Central Line to training at Orient when he lived at Lancaster Gate.
Stan also took public transport to his first Brentford match in 1981, carrying his boots in a plastic bag.
Here's Ron Greenwood on the Central Line with the FA Cup in 1964.
October 20, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Here's Ron Greenwood on the Central Line with the FA Cup in 1964.
Gino Pozzo has fired 15 Watford managers in the last decade.
In the modern era, few football club owners are in the same league.
In the modern era, few football club owners are in the same league.
October 9, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Gino Pozzo has fired 15 Watford managers in the last decade.
In the modern era, few football club owners are in the same league.
In the modern era, few football club owners are in the same league.
The Times: let's just outsource all U.K. government policy to the Dutchies 🇳🇱
October 9, 2025 at 1:22 PM
The Times: let's just outsource all U.K. government policy to the Dutchies 🇳🇱
Great to see 'Smart Money' is available in public libraries in Brentford, Chiswick, Hounslow, Richmond, Sutton and Luton! Come on You Hatters. Keep the faith.
October 6, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Great to see 'Smart Money' is available in public libraries in Brentford, Chiswick, Hounslow, Richmond, Sutton and Luton! Come on You Hatters. Keep the faith.
Moneyball not so much any more.
Brentford has 20th costliest squad by transfer fees in world football, according to CIES Football Observatory.
More than former European champions AC Milan, Benfica and Marseille. Not far off Barcelona either 👀
Brentford has 20th costliest squad by transfer fees in world football, according to CIES Football Observatory.
More than former European champions AC Milan, Benfica and Marseille. Not far off Barcelona either 👀
September 17, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Moneyball not so much any more.
Brentford has 20th costliest squad by transfer fees in world football, according to CIES Football Observatory.
More than former European champions AC Milan, Benfica and Marseille. Not far off Barcelona either 👀
Brentford has 20th costliest squad by transfer fees in world football, according to CIES Football Observatory.
More than former European champions AC Milan, Benfica and Marseille. Not far off Barcelona either 👀
Challenge: To all professionals (and retirees) in the journalism, film, television, theatre, entertainment, and arts world, join the challenge to post a photo of yourself in your job. Just a picture, no description. The goal is to flood social media with our profession.
August 12, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Challenge: To all professionals (and retirees) in the journalism, film, television, theatre, entertainment, and arts world, join the challenge to post a photo of yourself in your job. Just a picture, no description. The goal is to flood social media with our profession.
Don't know who was first president at the Tour de France but here's Charles de Gaulle with 1960 race leader Gastone Nencini. The race was stopped near CdG's country house for a few minutes to pay respect to him.
July 17, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Don't know who was first president at the Tour de France but here's Charles de Gaulle with 1960 race leader Gastone Nencini. The race was stopped near CdG's country house for a few minutes to pay respect to him.
Claudia Schiffer in a Brentford t-shirt on Instagram: no photshop involved. 📸
July 16, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Claudia Schiffer in a Brentford t-shirt on Instagram: no photshop involved. 📸
In related news, Claudia Schiffer is now also a shareholder in Brentford Football Club.
Welcome to Hounslow, Lady Vaughn 🤩
Welcome to Hounslow, Lady Vaughn 🤩
July 15, 2025 at 6:57 PM
In related news, Claudia Schiffer is now also a shareholder in Brentford Football Club.
Welcome to Hounslow, Lady Vaughn 🤩
Welcome to Hounslow, Lady Vaughn 🤩
A reminder that marginal gains did not start with Team Sky.
In 1970s Belgium, Lucien van Impe would put his watch forward one hour, a month before the Tour de France began, so his body clock was not out of sync with French summertime across the border.
Happy TdF countdown ⏱️
In 1970s Belgium, Lucien van Impe would put his watch forward one hour, a month before the Tour de France began, so his body clock was not out of sync with French summertime across the border.
Happy TdF countdown ⏱️
July 1, 2025 at 3:47 PM
A reminder that marginal gains did not start with Team Sky.
In 1970s Belgium, Lucien van Impe would put his watch forward one hour, a month before the Tour de France began, so his body clock was not out of sync with French summertime across the border.
Happy TdF countdown ⏱️
In 1970s Belgium, Lucien van Impe would put his watch forward one hour, a month before the Tour de France began, so his body clock was not out of sync with French summertime across the border.
Happy TdF countdown ⏱️
There is, of course, a precedent of a small Gallic clan standing up to a more powerful entity ..
June 25, 2025 at 6:16 PM
There is, of course, a precedent of a small Gallic clan standing up to a more powerful entity ..
The Tour de France is much more than a commercial asset.
It's been in the family since 1947
It's as French as Charles de Gaulle
It's a nationwide summer fête
It needs govt. approval to operate
'Not everything is for sale,' as the heir Jean-Etienne Amaury (below w/ mother & sister) once told me.
It's been in the family since 1947
It's as French as Charles de Gaulle
It's a nationwide summer fête
It needs govt. approval to operate
'Not everything is for sale,' as the heir Jean-Etienne Amaury (below w/ mother & sister) once told me.
June 25, 2025 at 4:02 PM
The Tour de France is much more than a commercial asset.
It's been in the family since 1947
It's as French as Charles de Gaulle
It's a nationwide summer fête
It needs govt. approval to operate
'Not everything is for sale,' as the heir Jean-Etienne Amaury (below w/ mother & sister) once told me.
It's been in the family since 1947
It's as French as Charles de Gaulle
It's a nationwide summer fête
It needs govt. approval to operate
'Not everything is for sale,' as the heir Jean-Etienne Amaury (below w/ mother & sister) once told me.
In the 1930s, Brentford's most successful era, coaching or tactics were frowned upon.
Harry Curtis: 'Brentford is not one of those clubs which plan their games beforehand around a blackboard.'
Thomas Frank. mid-match:
Harry Curtis: 'Brentford is not one of those clubs which plan their games beforehand around a blackboard.'
Thomas Frank. mid-match:
June 9, 2025 at 1:50 PM
In the 1930s, Brentford's most successful era, coaching or tactics were frowned upon.
Harry Curtis: 'Brentford is not one of those clubs which plan their games beforehand around a blackboard.'
Thomas Frank. mid-match:
Harry Curtis: 'Brentford is not one of those clubs which plan their games beforehand around a blackboard.'
Thomas Frank. mid-match:
Thomas Frank is / was the most successful coach in Brentford's 136 year history.
(Harry Curtis was the general manager, not coach, when the Bees finished 5th in 1936.)
Of course, he can only take some of the credit...
(Harry Curtis was the general manager, not coach, when the Bees finished 5th in 1936.)
Of course, he can only take some of the credit...
June 9, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Thomas Frank is / was the most successful coach in Brentford's 136 year history.
(Harry Curtis was the general manager, not coach, when the Bees finished 5th in 1936.)
Of course, he can only take some of the credit...
(Harry Curtis was the general manager, not coach, when the Bees finished 5th in 1936.)
Of course, he can only take some of the credit...
White smoke at Spurs? 💨
'Deal almost done.'
Big, if true.
'Deal almost done.'
Big, if true.
June 7, 2025 at 12:35 PM
White smoke at Spurs? 💨
'Deal almost done.'
Big, if true.
'Deal almost done.'
Big, if true.
The BMW* which Brentford had in the Championship six years ago turned out to be a nice little earner.
£120 million or so.
*Benrahma-Mbeumo-Watkins.
£120 million or so.
*Benrahma-Mbeumo-Watkins.
June 3, 2025 at 12:19 PM
The BMW* which Brentford had in the Championship six years ago turned out to be a nice little earner.
£120 million or so.
*Benrahma-Mbeumo-Watkins.
£120 million or so.
*Benrahma-Mbeumo-Watkins.
Pini Zahavi, 82, will publish a memoir this year.
Once a football journalist, he became one of sport's biggest dealmakers from the 1990s, getting into 'third party ownership' when nobody outside South America knew what that was.
Let's see if it's fascinating or self-aggrandizement.
Once a football journalist, he became one of sport's biggest dealmakers from the 1990s, getting into 'third party ownership' when nobody outside South America knew what that was.
Let's see if it's fascinating or self-aggrandizement.
May 31, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Pini Zahavi, 82, will publish a memoir this year.
Once a football journalist, he became one of sport's biggest dealmakers from the 1990s, getting into 'third party ownership' when nobody outside South America knew what that was.
Let's see if it's fascinating or self-aggrandizement.
Once a football journalist, he became one of sport's biggest dealmakers from the 1990s, getting into 'third party ownership' when nobody outside South America knew what that was.
Let's see if it's fascinating or self-aggrandizement.
South London Press is no more 😢
Short paragraphs; no farkin' fancy words, thank you very much; page after page about Millwall.
As iconic as Henry Cooper and the Old Kent Road. 👊🏻
Short paragraphs; no farkin' fancy words, thank you very much; page after page about Millwall.
As iconic as Henry Cooper and the Old Kent Road. 👊🏻
May 27, 2025 at 6:03 PM
South London Press is no more 😢
Short paragraphs; no farkin' fancy words, thank you very much; page after page about Millwall.
As iconic as Henry Cooper and the Old Kent Road. 👊🏻
Short paragraphs; no farkin' fancy words, thank you very much; page after page about Millwall.
As iconic as Henry Cooper and the Old Kent Road. 👊🏻
"For Brentford, their 0.04 xG per long throw-in is top of the list among all Premier League teams."
Via @ahmed-walid.bsky.social
@markcarey93.bsky.social
Via @ahmed-walid.bsky.social
@markcarey93.bsky.social
May 9, 2025 at 9:28 AM
"For Brentford, their 0.04 xG per long throw-in is top of the list among all Premier League teams."
Via @ahmed-walid.bsky.social
@markcarey93.bsky.social
Via @ahmed-walid.bsky.social
@markcarey93.bsky.social