SITUATION VACANT

With the Carling Cup due to kick off in two days time, Brentford FC appear to be lacking an experienced left back to start the 2012/13 season.

Over the summer we have seen Pim Balkestein, Craig Woodman, Sam Wood and academy player Ryan Blake move to pastures new which has left us somewhat short in the left back department.

Former Liverpool man Gregory Vignal, 31, lasted just 35 minutes of Tuesday's trial at Wycombe before limping off with a hamstring injury that will rule him out of the running.

Jake Bidwell filled the position for most of last season but the Everton youngster doesn't appear to have returned to West London just yet despite being pursued by Uwe Rosler and Mark Warburton for the entire summer.

Brentford have recently signed Leon Redwood as an academy player but it would be asking a lot of the rookie wingback to start the season as first choice left back.

Tony Craig has also joined the ranks from Milwall, but the experienced left footed defender has been used in a central role so far in pre-season.

This leaves the adaptable Kevin O'Connor or right back Shaleum Logan as the only other options on the table - again not an ideal situation.

Former Bees star Ryan Dickson is believed to be on the available list at Southampton but Brentford seem reluctant to pursue this option despite Dickson's previous excellence in red and white stripes

If Redwood DOES start the season then Beesotted wish him the very best of luck - he looks like an able young player. But how we have allowed ourselves to get into this position so late in the summer is frankly beyond us.

Maybe we'll need the three available goalkeepers after all if Walsall have a decent right midfielder.

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