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Jack Bonham signs 1 year contract extension . And heads out on loan. Does this make sense? 

The Jack Bonham story is a curious one from start to finish. Clearly had or has good potential but a series of gaffes has condemned him to B team football for two years at Brentford. The usual sighting of Bonham is carrying out coats or warming up. Always with a positive happy smile and attitude. Did fans assume wrongly he was content to be sitting on the bench?

I can only comment on what I have seen and other than his first team league debut away at Barnsley he has looked frankly modest and at times nonleague standard. His B team performances have been uninspiring and most fans expected him to be released at the end of last season.

The other side to the story is that he has had little opportunity to play and develop the focus and concentration skills that keepers need. The league cup game against Oxford showed that he was prone to errors but playing in a makeshift defence did not help him. B team games lack the intensity of competitive football and especially for a keeper are not helpful in career development .

So we move forward to the end season away game at Barnsley where although the pressure was off on the team it was massive on Bonham. In simple terms a last chance saloon. A proper game in a hostile stadium . Jack was man of the match. A bad game here and I have no doubt he would have been released.

The club clearly feel as most fans do that he needs regular competitive football and I would go further and say that this should have happened a year ago. The next 6 months at Carlisle will help him enormously. The one year extension with the first 6 months on loan is a bit like an each way bet.  Brentford have two quality keepers now and up and coming young keepers too. Ellery Balcombe. So I suspect Bonham will not be a Brentford player this time next year. Possibly in 6 months even if Carlisle sign him in the transfer window. The longer odds are on Dan Bentley leaving and Bonham again being a second string keeper.

Although this all seems sensible and gives all concerned options, I do have a worry that with 3 keepers in a small squad we are potentially giving up a squad place for an outfield player.

Carlisle are a good side and can be expecting to challenge for promotion this season. That kind of good pressure will be good for Bonham and Brentford. I think this is a good move for the club on balance.