HE MIGHT be nicknamed Mad Dog, but Martin Allen's fledgling managerial career has been characterised by cool thinking, considered decisions - and hard work.

Having successfully guided Brentford away from the relegation zone after his appointment on March 18 last year, he has this season put them on the verge of the play-offs (they go into tomorrow's game sixth with a game in hand).

The achievements of the former QPR, West Ham and Portsmouth midfielder, on a tight budget, haven't gone unnoticed, with Championship club Watford reportedly wanting him after Ray Lewington was sacked last month.

The 39-year-old certainly has the ambition to move up from League I, but he wants to do it with the homely West London club.

Long in the shadows of more powerful neighbours Chelsea, Fulham and QPR, Allen is eager to make the Bees a bigger force.

"I know QPR well, having started my career there, and I don't see why we can't be as big as them," said the man who started his coaching career at Reading, then became second in command at non-League Barnet before being appointed manager of the North London club.

As a player, he had six years at QPR before a £670,000 move to West Ham in 1989.

He stayed with the Hammers until 1996, when he made a £500,000 switch to Portsmouth.

In three seasons at Fratton Park he enhanced his reputation as a no-nonsense operator, and he has taken that approach into coaching and management.

"I like players who have character and commitment," he says.

"You need those ingredients whether you play in the Champions League or the Ryman League.

"We don't have any big time Charlies. They may do it some of the time but not on a regular basis."

Allen also demands his players put in time on the training ground.

"I don't think the players had a day off during my first three weeks in charge," he adds.

"We worked morning and afternoon on our pattern of play and gradually the results began to improve and the players could see the benefits of their hard work.

"It's not quite as bad as that now, but we still put the work in, because you have to."

Allen's close-season re-shaping of the squad featured five major arrivals, ex-England ace John Salako from Reading, Northampton midfielder Chris Hargreaves, Colchester's former Bradford defender Andy Myers, Barnsley striker Isaiah Rankin and Portsmouth frontman Deon Burton.

"The first three are experienced players who have plenty of league games between them and give the younger players at the club the benefit of their experience," he explains.

"As for Isaiah and Deon, they have both under-achieved at their previous clubs."

Defender Michael Turner came from Charlton in November, On deadline day, Allen brought in Watford duo Marcus Gayle and Scott Fitzgerald to bolster his promotion bid.

"My aim is to get Brentford into the Championship, and if I don't manage to achieve that it won't be through lack of trying," he adds.

"We haven't got a massive budget here but, first and foremost, we have put together a good bunch of hard-working people and that can take you a long way in football."

Brentford: Nelson, O'Connor, Turner, Sodje, Frampton, Rankin, Pratley, Gayle, Salako, Burton, Fitzgerald, Myers, Tabb, Harrold, Bankole (glkpr), Lawrence, Talbot, Hutchinson.

Town: Rachubka, Mirfin, Adams, Clarke (N), Clarke (T), Brandon, Ahmed, Fowler, Schofield, Booth, Abbott, Senior (glkpr), McAliskey, Mendes, Holdsworth, Lloyd, Brown, McCombe.

Referee: Paul Armstrong (Berkshire).

SUPPORTERS have the chance to see stars of the future when Town's Academy team take on Manchester United at Storthes Hall tomorrow (11.00).

Both clubs have developed a reputation for handing young players a first-team chance.

"Playing against United at any level is an occasion," sid Town Academy chief Gerry Murphy.