Rickie Lambert announced his retirement from football today – but 13 years ago he was helping put the final nail in the coffin of a Brentford manager.
Before he went on to find fame and fortune with Liverpool and Southampton, Lambert was plying his trade in the lower divisions with the likes of Macclesfield, Stockport, Rochdale and Bristol Rovers.
And it was with Stockport that he rocked up to a Griffin Park where the storm colds were gathering in March 2004.
Wally Downes, having taken over in the Bees' hot seat almost two years previously, had gotten off to a decent start, considering the manner in which predecessor Steve Coppell's squad had been ripped apart.
An unbeaten start to his reign saw the Bees top the table early on and Downes named Division Two Manager of the Month for August 2002, before the realities of his limited squad kicked in and Brentford finished 16th.
The following season was a struggle from the outset, starting with four straight defeats and six losses from their first seven games.
There was the odd win here and there, but by the time Lambert came to town, the Bees had won just once in 19 games and were staring down the barrel of relegation.
A 3-2 home defeat to fellow strugglers Notts County at the end of February set the alarm bells ringing, and when two more losses followed, a home game against another side battling relegation in the shape of Stockport was seen as Downes' last chance.
A dismal Bees performance saw Lambert break the deadlock from the penalty spot 10 minutes into the second half, before a late second from Chris Williams sealed Downes' fate.
He was sacked soon after, and after Garry Thompson took charge of a midweek 1-1 draw at Blackpool, Martin Allen was appointed in time for the following weekend's home game against Rushden & Diamonds.
A 3-2 win in that game (after being 3-0 up and conceding twice late on) proved to be the first of five wins from their last nine games which saw the Bees stay up by the skin of their teeth, in what is fondly remembered as their Great Escape.
There were brighter days to come for both Lambert and Brentford, although it would take time. Exactly a decade later, in 2013-14, Lambert would find himself a full England international, while the Bees finally made it into the Championship.
Last week, Bees owner Matthew Benham felt moved to speak out following the airing of some frustrations from the stands following last week's draw at Derby County.
A quick look back at that depressing March afternoon – and indeed the direction Stockport have travelled in since – should serve as a reminder of how different things could have been for the Bees without him.
