Tommy Smith expects tomorrow's clash between Brentford and Fulham to live up to some of the most highly-charged derbies in the country.
Smith has played in some of the most volatile atmospheres there are in his long career, and expects the roof to be raised at Griffin Park tomorrow too.
But the experienced striker has warned his team-mates not to get sucked into the hype surrounding the game once they get out onto the pitch.
He said: “I've played in Cardiff against Swansea and Watford against Luton, which were both quite crazy at times, and although I missed Portsmouth against Southampton through injury, that was another great atmosphere.
“It was also a great atmosphere last time we played Fulham, and we're expecting more of the same on Friday. They will want to ruffle a few feathers and have got a lot of experienced players, but they will be a different team to when we played them in the League Cup.
“But it is important to be aware of need not to get carried away and stick to the game plan. You have to play the game and not the occasion.”
Smith's is keen to avoid a repeat of his last experience of a west London derby before that League Cup game in August, when his QPR side were drubbed 6-0 by Fulham three years ago.
He said: “I'd blocked that one out! We were 4-0 down when I came on at half time, so we only lost 2-0 when I was on the pitch!”
Brentford go into the game on the back on a three-match winning streak which has catapulted them up to sixth in the Championship, but Smith insists those games count for nothing now.
He added: “We're not getting carried away by the three wins. We don't want to get to the point where we think we can just turn up and win. As soon as you take your foot off the pedal you get punished, those three wins will be forgotten once we cross the white line.”
Keep up to date with all the build-up, matchday and post-game reaction to Brentford v Fulham right here on GetWestLondon
