THE GROUND
Victoria Park Clarence Road Hartlepool TS24 8BZ
Victoria Park was originally the home of West Hartlepool Rugby Football Club and Hartlepools United, as they then were, moved in in 1908.
The 7,856 capacity ground, called the Victoria Ground until 1996, has two all-seater stands, one of which houses the dressing rooms, a terrace behind one goal and one stand with terracing at the front and seating at the back.
Away supporters are housed in the all-seater Rink End, behind one goal, and there is room for 1,033.
THE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
It is approximately 262 miles from Griffin Park to Victoria Park travelling via the M1, M18, A1(M) and A19.
From the A19 drivers should take the A689 towards Hartlepool town centre and then the A179 where the ground becomes visible.
There is a car park at Victoria Park and also street parking around the ground.
The nearest station is Hartlepool, which is about half a mile from Victoria Park.
Hartlepool station is served by Grand Central trains, which run from King's Cross, and Northern Trains.
The best way to reach Hartlepool by train involves getting to Darlington or Newcastle - which are served by East Coast trains from King's Cross - and changing to Northern Rail.
The Supporters' Association will be running coaches to every game this season - details of times and prices will be announced in due course.
THE RECENT HISTORY
Hartlepool United finished comfortably in mid-table last season and will embark on a sixth consecutive season in the third tier.
Their league placing last season would have been considerably improved if their home form had not been so poor.
From October, Pools lost nine consecutive home matches, eventually ending up the season with 13 defeats at Victoria Park, 12 of which were in League One.
Pools had narrowly avoided relegation in 2009/10 after a points deduction, imposed just days before the end of the season for playing Gary Liddle when suspended, plunged them in to danger.
A 0-0 draw at Griffin Park on the final day of that season kept them up and they never faced the same problems last time around.
The last decade has been a time of relative success for Hartlepool, a club that has never been out of the bottom two divisions.
After three failed play-off attempts they won promotion to the third tier in 2003 and went even better by reaching the League One Play-Offs in the next two years.
They reached the final in 2005, losing to Sheffield Wednesday, but went down in 2006 only to come straight back.
In the five years since they have established themselves as a lower mid-table League One club without threatening to repeat back-to-back sixth place finishes, their best since finishing second in Division Three North in 1956.
THE MANAGER
Neale Cooper is in his second spell in charge at Victoria Park, replacing Mick Wadsworth who was sacked in December 2011.
Born in India, Neale began his career at Aberdeen and was part of the successful side put together by Sir Alex Ferguson in the early 1980s.
Moving to Aston Villa in 1988, he spent two years at Villa Park then returned to Scotland in 1990, signing for Rangers.
Spells with Reading and Dunfermline Athletic saw out his professional career before he was appointed Ross County manager in 1996.
He moved to Hartlepool United as manager in 2003, spending two years in charge before a switch to Gillingham and subsequently Peterhead.
THE TOP SCORER
Antony Sweeney scored nine goals in all competitions for Hartlepool last season, eight of them in League One.
The 28-year-old central midfield player came through the ranks at Victoria Park and made his debut in 2001, just after his 18th birthday.
In nearly ten years as a first team player he has notched up over 300 Football League games and nearly 60 goals - he is nearing 400 appearances in all competitions.
THE KEY MEN
Jonathan Franks is Pools only signing to date, joining from neighbours Middlesbrough.
Hartlepool United relied on core set of six players last season, all making over 40 league appearances for the club.
Neil Austin was ever-present for Pools in the last campaign, making over 100 league appearances since his transfer from rivals Darlington.
Goalkeeper Scott Flinders begins his fourth season with Pools, and was formerly with Crystal Palace and Barnsley.
Peter Hartley, 24 last April, has been with the club three years, and began his career at Sunderland with a spell on loan at Chesterfield in 2008.
Hartlepool-born Evan Horwood should complete 100 league appearances for home-town club early into this campaign.
Formerly with Carlisle United and Gretna, Evan started his career with Sheffield United but did not make a league appearance for The Blades.
Andy Monkhouse has over 300 appearances for Pools, in two spells sandwiched in between a short stay at Swindon Town.
Midfielder Paul Murray is the old campaigner of the side, turning 36 in August.
He is well known to West London, spending five years at Queens Park Rangers before spells at Southampton, Oldham Athletic, Beira Mar, Carlisle United, Gretna and Shrewsbury Town.
THE FIRST MEETING
October 2 1962, Football League Division Four - Brentford 4 Hartlepools United 0
Brentford line-up: Cakebread; Hawley, Anthony; Coote, Higginson, Crowe; Block, Brooks, McAdams, Dick, McLeod
Brentford goal scorers: Dick (2), McAdams, Block
THE LAST MEETING
April 9 2012, npower League One - Hartlepool United 0 Brentford 0
Brentford line-up: Lee; Thompson, Osborne, Dean, Bidwell; Logan, Douglas, Diagouraga, McGinn (sub Morrison); Saunders (sub Balkestein); Donaldson (sub Bean)
Subs (not used): Legge, Forrester
The two sides play out a goalless draw which dented Brentford's play-off hopes.
Click here for a full match report
THE MEMORABLE DAY
February 12 2005, FA Cup Fourth Round Replay - Hartlepool United 0 Brentford 1
Brentford line-up: Nelson; Dobson, Sodje, Turner, Salako; Rankin, Hutchinson, Talbot, Hargreaves, Hunt (sub Tabb); Burton (sub May)
Subs (not used): Lennie, Fitzgerald, Frampton
Brentford goal scorer: Rankin
Isaiah Rankin's second half header booked Brentford a place in the FA Cup Fifth Round for the first time since 1989.
THE ODDS
Brentford's partner bookmaker Coral is offering 50/1 on Hartlepool winning League One next season.
Those who back the NorthEast side can get ¼ of the odds if they finish in the top three.
Every bet you make with Coral benefits Brentford FC - click here to see the League One market.