BRENTFORD, needing to raise money to pay their outgoings, would be prepared to sell goalkeeper Paul Smith if they receive a bid in the region of £300,000 (writes TONY FLOOD).

Southampton and Birmingham are among the Premier Division clubs to show an interest in Smith, and the man who discovered him, Brentford scout John Griffin, says: “We don’t want to sell Paul because he is one of the best keepers outside the Premiership, but everyone has their price.” Brentford winger Steve Hunt was expected to sign for Brighton this week, but the deal was in danger of being called off because the Seagulls manager Steve Coppell, Hunt’s former boss at Griffin Park, cannot afford to pay what Brentford want and is not prepared to go to a tribunal.

So Hunt could instead go to Walsall, managed by ex-Brentford youth team manager Colin Lee, Peterborough or QPR. Alternatively, he still has the option to accept Brentford’s final pay offer.

Hunt was among the Brentford players who returned to training at Griffin Park yesterday. The only absentees were Kevin O’Connor and Ibrahima Sonko, who have been given an extra week’s break as they have been on international duty with Ireland and Senegal respectively.

Utility man O’Connor has signed a new three-year contract to stay at Brentford and centre-half Sonko is near to agreeing a one-year deal.

Sonko, who made his senior debut for Senegal in the recent African Nations victory over Guinea, is rated by Bees manager Wally Downes as one of the best defenders in the Second Division.

Brentford are giving trials to five players, two of them from Premier Division clubs, and have the option of turning to former star Dean Holdsworth to solve their striking problem.

Holdsworth, 34, has been released by Bolton after finishing last season on loan to Rushden and Diamonds. But he would need to take a big cut in wages if Brentford were to sign him.

Brentford, who start the league season away to Tranmere on August 9th, have been drawn away to West Bromwich Albion in the first round of The Carling League Cup on Tuesday, August 12th (7.45 pm).

The Bees’ last trip to The Hawthorns was in August 1998 for a Worthington Cup match, when Kevin Rapley’s goal in a 2-1 defeat gave them hope in the return leg, which they duly won 3-0.