Brentford legend Kevin O'Connor has recalled the moment he made his 500th appearance for the Bees during the club's 2013/14 promotion season in the latest edition of On the Rise, describing it as "perfect" and "like a movie".
'King Kev' had reached 497 appearances for the club and, with three games remaining, he had the chance to become only the fourth man - after Peter Gelson, Jamie Bates and Ken Coote - to reach 500 games in a Brentford shirt.
When asked if he knew he'd make it to the magic 500 mark, he explained: “I had a rough idea, but the focus of the season was more about promotion.
“I wasn’t coming on in games, which I shouldn’t have been because I didn’t need to, so I remember going to [Mark Warburton] and saying to him not to do it just for the sake of doing it.”
Away at MK Dons, he came on for James Tarkowski after 65 minutes. 498. Away at Colchester, he came on for Alan McCormack after 85 minutes. 499. And when Tony Craig was forced off injured after 26 minutes in the final game of the season against Stevenage, he reached the most unbelievable milestone.
“It must’ve been Warbs’ plan all along. He didn’t let on he was going to do it, but he clearly did it for me, which was an amazing gesture,” O’Connor smiled.
“It might not have happened at all if we’d gone up on the final day of the season before because we’d have stepped up a level. Things happen for a reason sometimes.
“I’ve got goosebumps now talking about it. It was a boiling day and they gave us a guard of honour.
“I remember coming out on to the pitch; Dougie [Jonathan Douglas] gave me the armband and the noise will live with me forever. It wasn’t an easy game, but it was perfect.
“It sounds like a movie in that respect; I don’t think you could have made it any better.”
Does it ever play on his mind that, without the disruptive injuries of the two seasons before, he may well have played the required number of games to take him above Coote to 560?
“Maybe, but you never know whether I’d have made 59 appearances in those three seasons. I like to think I would have done,” he stated.
“I sleep well at night but, of course, I’d have loved to have made it to 560. I’m very happy with 501 and I was very lucky to get to that number. It probably won’t get beaten, I don’t think. I did all I could.”
Read the full interview in Saturday's match programme; available online, and in and around Gtech Community Stadium for £3.
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The Nathan Caton Column
Read Brentford Buzz, a new feature where we will shine a light on our B-team players. From the training ground to life away from the pitch, we will highlight each unique individual in the squad
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