“I knew there would be a little bit of a spotlight on me,” said Alan. “It was a great reception from the fans and I can’t thank them enough.”

The midfielder was encouraged to shoot from the large end of season crowd every time he touched the ball after coming on as a second half substitute. The Irishman admitted he was nearly swayed to try his luck and finish his Brentford career in style, adding: “I did have it my head a little bit to go on and hit it and hope for the best, but I knew it wasn’t the right thing to do.”

Blackburn got the three points but they have fallen to the third tier for the first time since 1980 as results elsewhere condemned them to relegation.

“I think Blackburn were really good today,” said Alan. “They knew they had to go out and win the game and produce a good performance. All credit to them but unfortunately results went against them.

With Alan’s departure he now has to find pastures new before the season starts in early August.

“I’ll take a couple of weeks rest and let the body have its time to heal,” said Alan. “Playing all year takes its toll, not just physically, mentally as well. I’ll try and escape from that on the mental side, let the body recover and get back into it in two and a half weeks.”