Fulham legend Simon Morgan tells a typical self-deprecating joke about the Whites and the weather-beaten Cottage during most of the 1990s.
“After Fulham were taken over by Mohamed al Fayed, opposition fans would sing: ‘where were you when you were ****? I could have said: ‘I was captain!’ "
This was Fulham before the Harrods millionaire changed everything in May 1997.
This was Fulham without the pot, you know the rest, as future manager Ian Branfoot, eloquently put it.
The season after this two-legged defeat to Bees, Fulham sank like a stone.
In fact, March the following campaign, the chairman took over from the manager at half time as Fulham trailed to Leyton Orient and carved out a 2-2 draw - but there again Jimmy Hill could never be described as a shrinking violet.
The larger-than-life player, PFA chairman, manager, TV pundit, one-time linesman and eventually man in the Fulham chair watched Brentford beat Fulham 2-0 at the Cottage seven days earlier in front of 5,067 paying customers, and was there with the manager he would dramatically uproot at Orient, Don Mackay, for the Griffin Park return, 22 years ago almost to the day.
Brentford finished the job with another 2-0 win, 4,806 saw it, and the fizz evaporated at the first time of asking for the Whites’ Coca-Cola Cup campaign.
The buzzing and newly promoted Bees had two managers of the future in their line-up.
Acting Crystal Palace boss Keith Millen was in the centre of defence, and Chris Hughton was also a pillar of the back four.
They were to go out to Spurs the next round, but against Fulham, Gary Blissett scored in both games. Jamie Bates got the second at Griffin Park, and Bob Booker, the other at the Cottage.
Brentford: Benstead, Bennett, Booker, Hughton, Jones, Millen, Ratcliffe, Smillie, Statham, subs: Gale, Godfrey
Fulham: Stannard, Morgan, Pike, Nebbeling, Thomas, Hails, Marshall, Farrell, (sub, Newson), Baah, Ferney, Onwere
