Tom Adeyemi said Brentford’s must-win-for-promotion final day shoot-out is a dream situation.
The Bees came from behind to draw 1-1 with Hartlepool United in their final away game of the season yesterday.
The point leaves them third in npower League One, two points behind Doncaster Rovers, who are second.
Doncaster come to Griffin Park next Saturday and Brentford will be promoted if they win the game.
Doncaster were beaten at home by Notts County in their final home game of the season while a win for AFC Bournemouth sent them up.
Tom said he was aware of what had happened before Brentford kicked off at 5.20pm in front of the Sky Sports cameras but Manager Uwe Rösler wanted to make sure the players that started the game against Hartlepool weren’t.
“We’d have taken this position all day if offered it in August,” said Tom.
“I said to one of the players about two months ago that this is the situation we want.
“If we can get three points on the last day of the season, we will be up.
“That was the dream.
“It has come to that.
“It could have been even better.
“I was on the bench so I knew what had happened with Bournemouth and Doncaster.
“The lads that were starting weren’t aware.
“The Manager felt it was best we concentrated on our game.
“We came in to the game thinking we needed to win both this one and next week.
“We didn’t want to change that.
“That was the thinking behind it.”
Hartlepool started the game well and deserved to go ahead 25 minutes in.
But Brentford responded and Marcello Trotta equalised before half time.
The Bees dominated the final hour of the match but could not find a way to win it.
“Our trademark seems to be coming from behind and scoring late goals,” said Tom, speaking to Bees Player after the match.
“The late goal wasn’t to be today but we got the point that keeps us in it.
“Any win next weekend does it for us.
“The pitch was bobbly, they were a physical side.
“We couldn’t play the fluid passing game we are sometimes able to.
“It was a game for second balls.
“The Manager told me when I came on to win the second balls and drive us on.
“When I am at my best that is what I can bring to the team.”
Tom came closest to winning the game when he burst through on a trademark run.
He fired in a low shot that looked set for the back of the net before Peter Hartley slid in to turn it behind.
“It was more than half a chance, to be fair,” said Tom.
“I went through and didn’t quite connect well enough.
“I will have to watch it again but I felt when I hit it the keeper wouldn’t have got it.
“The defender slid in and stopped it from being a goal.
“I could have hit it better but it’s one of those things.”
Tom missed Brentford’s last two matches against Portsmouth and Sheffield United as he picked up a thigh strain in the away win against Crewe Alexandra.
He trained for the first time on Friday but said he was ready if needed against Doncaster.
“I picked up a thigh strain in the win at Crewe,” he explained.
“That meant I wasn’t available for Portsmouth.
“I was trying to be ready for Sheffield United but it wasn’t quite good enough.
“Yesterday was the first day I joined in full training.
“I came on and hopefully I can be involved next week.
“It’s up to the Manager but I feel I am ready to go next weekend.”
Tom said Brentford showed their strength in depth against Hartlepool.
They were without Clayton Donaldson and Tony Craig through suspension and had to shuffle the pack.
Club Captain Kevin O’Connor started a First Team game for the first time since picking up a serious ankle injury in November.
He played in an unfamiliar central defensive role and was largely untroubled.
“It’s disappointing to lose two massive players,” said Tom.
“But it is a testament to our squad that we coped.
“Kevin O’Connor has come in after a long layoff and played in a position he is not 100 per cent comfortable with and played like he had never been away.
“You only have to look at the strength we had on the bench today to see the depth.
“It gives the manager options for every game.”
Tom said it would help Brentford having to win the game against Doncaster and knowing a point was not enough.
“The Manager said that a point meaning we have to win next week is a good thing,” he added.
“If we were playing for a point you are stuck in no-man’s land.
“We know we have to attack them from the start and get the goals we need.
“We will prepare in the same way we always do and try and get the result we normally do at home.”
Bees Player subscribers can see a full video interview with Tom Adeyemi here.