James Tarkowski has warned fellow centre back Harlee Dean that he intends to be back in the Brentford side for next Saturday's game at Bolton.

Tarkowski will sit out on tomorrow night's home game against Sheffield Wednesday after picking his his fifth booking of the season at Wigan on Saturday, earning a one-match ban.

He and Tony Craig have been the Bees' first choice centre backs this season, but when Craig picked up a suspension back in August Dean kept his place for six games before making way once more.

And while Dean will be looking to earn another extended run in the side, Tarkowski is in no mood to give up his shirt.

Bradford City v Brentford - Sky Bet Football League One
Rival for the shirt: Harlee Dean

He said: “I'm a bit disappointed with my booking. There was a scuffle between Tony Craig and one of their players, I saw it and stepped in. I was actually helping the ref out by acting as peace-maker, but he booked me as I pushed another of their players out of the way to get to the scuffle.

“It's not ideal. Harlee will come in and have an opportunity, and if he performs well he performs well, but I'll be looking to play next Saturday.

“We're pretty pleased with the point as Wigan are a talented side with good players, but we were the better side and will be more disappointed. But we can't be overly disappointed with a point when you come to a place like this and look at the success they have had and the wages they pay.

“I'm a little bit gutted to miss the Sheffield Wednesday game as I was looking forward to playing against my pal form our Oldham days, Kieran Lee. He's a former Man United youth player and technically very good, so we will have to cope with him.”

Tarks' pal: Kieran Lee in action for Oldham against Brentford's Charlie MacDonald, who would later join the Latics

Tarkowski is still wearing a protective cast during games, although not off the pitch, due to a broken finger he suffered two months ago, and admits it's not healed as he would have hoped.

He added: “It's not recovering the way I wanted it to, it should have been out of the cast two weeks ago. The pain has gone now but the bone not fully healed, and it's the sort of thing which can give you problems in the future.”

Follow all the build-up, matchday action and post-match reaction to Brentford v Sheffield Wednesday right here on GetWestLondon.