Brentford
The Odds – (Via-William Hill)
League Winners: 33/1
Promotion: 12/1
Relegation: 4/1
The Background
Last season was fantastic for Brentford who thoroughly deserved promotion after such a heartbreaking previous campaign. The Bees clearly don’t mind the number 2 as they finished 2nd place in League 1, got to the 2nd round of the FA Cup, the 2nd round of the Capital One Cup and 2nd round of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. Clayton Donaldson finished top scorer for the Bees with 17 goals in the league. Brentford won promotion in some style under Mark Warburton after manager Uwe Rosler left mid-season for Wigan Athletic. Warburton saw his team score 72 goals in the league and 88 all season which averaged in the league at 1.5 goals per game for the Bees.
The Transfers
Brentford completed the signing of highly rated Moses Odubajo from Leyton Orient for an undisclosed fee which the Telegraph reported to be in the region of roughly £1 million. The highly rated youngster is likely to have a huge impact on the wing during the coming season and his trickery and pace is likely to capture the excitement of the fans. The young, pacy Andre Gray has also signed for the Bees. With Clayton Donaldson leaving for Birmingham, a fresh new face up-front will be risky, but arriving as the Conference’s top scorer, Gray should provide goals. Alan Judge also has signed from Blackburn Rovers after a fantastic spell on loan with the London club. His eye for goal and creativity saw the Bees come back for the midfielder and look to give him another season at Griffin Park. Marcos Tebar Ramiro has also signed from UD Almeria, another fresh face to add into the squad to help Warburton with his plans for the season.
The Star Man
Regardless of the fact that Adam Forshaw won League 1 player of the year, the unsung hero is Alan McCormack. The right-back is so versatile he can play across the midfield or at the back. He finished the season with 45 appearances, a near ever-present feature, along with a couple of goals to his name. McCormack also won the Supporters’ Player of the Year for his stand out commitment and performances throughout his time with the club last season. Forshaw is, of course, another key ingredient to the squad however, as the midfielder is regarded as the club’s main man. Although his talent is evident, some fans may argue that McCormacks’ importance is just as vital.
The Gaffer
As sporting director, Warburton developed a pivotal knowledge both on the pitch and behind the scenes. He ensured stable deals were put in place with contracts, agents, his own scouting and club finances in general. After Rosler’s departure he took over for his first job in football management and finished what Rosler had started. Promotion. A 62.96% win record only losing four games in 27 matches at the helm. His second season in football management is highly likely to be a different job altogether. Warburton knows that survival and stability is key, however his internal knowledge of the club will prove vital in completing a whole season of tough challenges.
The Verdict? 23rd.
