Jonathan Douglas turns 41 today. To celebrate his birthday, we asked the former Brentford midfielder to take us on a trip down memory lane…

Douglas was signed from Swindon in 2011/12 and, alongside Richard Lee, was named as a deputy to Bees captain Kevin O'Connor.

The central midfielder was named Brentford's Supporters' Player of the Year in his first year at Griffin Park, having missed just 26 minutes of League One action.

He was a part of Uwe Rosler’s side that reached the League One Play-Off final in 2012/13 before playing a pivotal part in our promotion season in 2013/14.

A Republic of Ireland international, Douglas finished his Brentford career with 187 appearances, before he moved to Ipswich Town in 2015.

First

Time you realised you could make a career out of football

It was probably when I made my First Team debut for Blackburn. I probably would have been around 18 at the time, I played in the cup and I knew I would go and train with the First Team.

I was with the likes of Damien Duff, David Dunn, players of that calibre. I was nervous but excited.

I made the big decision to move away from home when I was 16, so I knew I needed to work hard when I got to Blackburn. That moment felt good because all my hard work was starting to pay off and I could see the benefits from it.

I knew I had a long road ahead of me, but I also knew that I was probably capable of having a football career.

You signed an autograph

I think I was probably with the Ireland Under-16s at the time. I remember I was called up for a game against France in Ireland.

We had young supporters coming along and asking for our autographs then, which was a bit surreal.

I was still at school in a little town in Ireland, probably about 3,500 people live there, and then, all of a sudden, young lads and girls want your autograph - that was very strange.

Game for Brentford

My first game was Yeovil at home, but the first one I really remember was against Oldham away, I scored, and it was a great experience.

Just signing for the club was great. I wasn't too sure about living in London, I used to play in London and I didn't really like it, I didn't think I settled.

But as soon I got to Brentford and met Uwe Rosler, I knew it was a great decision.

Best

Moment as a Brentford player

It was probably getting promoted to the Championship. I had been trying to do that for a long time – I'd hit the crossbar quite a few times too, losing Play-Off finals and things like that.

To get promoted with Brentford was great, it was a great day and a great achievement for us.

After we won, most of us went back to the local pub called The Lord Nelson, which was pretty handy because me and Sam Saunders literally lived across the road from it!

Player you played alongside at Brentford

I was lucky to play alongside quite a few. I'd probably say it's between Alex Pritchard and Alan Judge.

Alan Judge went through a year/18-month spell where he was unstoppable; and we signed Pritch on loan, and he came in and did really, really well.

Myself and Toumani [Diagouraga]’s jobs in midfield were to break things up and give it to the likes of Judgey, Pritch and Jota as well, who would then supply the likes of Andre Gray, and Clayton Donaldson before that.

As I was told a long time ago, you have your piano carriers and your piano players, and I was one of the carriers.

It's hard to say between the two I mentioned earlier, but I'll give it to Judgey considering he’s Irish!

Player you faced during your time at Brentford

I remember actually we played against Coventry at Griffith Park and I thought, on that day, David McGoldrick was a different class.

He was a centre-forward, held everything up, and we couldn't get really get near him. So he's probably one that sticks out.

Worst

Moment as a Brentford player

I'd say the Doncaster game at home, when we missed a penalty and they went down the other and scored, which meant that we had to go through the Play-Offs, which we lost against Yeovil in the final.

I’d say that Doncaster moment because we were so close to getting promoted. That's probably the one.

Piece of luck

It was probably when I was younger. I made my debut when I was playing for Blackburn at 18 and, two weeks after that, I did my cruciate ligament and I was out for about a year. That's probably the worst luck I’ve had.

It was tough because, in the early 2000s, the recovery rate from cruciate injuries wasn't as good as it is now.

Firstly, you're worried that it might be the end of your career, and, secondly, you don’t know if you’ll get back to being anywhere near good enough to make it as a professional.

It was definitely a worrying time.

Worst dressing room

I didn't really like going to Accrington Stanley, to be honest. It was always cold and we would get changed in portacabin-type dressing rooms.

Luckily I only played there a couple of times, but it isn’t the most attractive place to go and play.

You just try and brush it off and just get on with it because, at the end of the day, to be fair to them, the pitch is great, so we never really had any complaints about that.