After play-off final heartache last season, Brentford are currently sitting top of the Championship and showing the credentials of a side destined to reach the Premier League.
The Bees are currently on an unbeaten league run of 21 games, winning four consecutive Championship games in the process putting them top of the division with 57 points.
Brentford Head Coach Thomas Frank has managed to galvanise his side after their play-off final defeat to Fulham last season, into becoming one of the most dominant and most feared teams in the Championship, scoring more goals than any other team so far this campaign.
Gary Paul, a Bees fan who started watching Brentford regularly in the mid 90s said: “It would be truly unbelievable to reach the Premier League.
“I remember being in the away end at London Road 13 years ago watching Peterborough turn us over 7-0 in League Two, thinking why am I doing this week in week out?
“Now, I’m confident of the club developing further to be able to prosper in the Premier League.”
Brentford’s recruitment has played its part in their success of late and summer signing Ivan Toney has played a major role in their renaissance this term contributing 23 goals in the league so far, making him the Championship’s top marksman.
The former Peterborough forward has also helped the side with his unselfish approach managing to record nine assists already this campaign, making him the current leader on both the goals and assists charts in the Championship.
Ryan Dilks from The Second Tier podcast believes Toney has been an enormous signing for Brentford and did not doubt he would be able to fill the role left by Ollie Watkins.
He said: “His numbers are frankly ridiculous, and it’s led to me saying on the podcast recently that he’s the best Championship striker ever.
With Brentford leading the way in the Championship so far, what is the secret to their success?
Dilks explained that you can look at how the Bees have held on to and replaced key players from last season and how the likes of Josh Dasilva, Rico Henry and Ethan Pinnock have stepped up a gear from last campaign.
He added: “However, the biggest factor for me is Thomas Frank.
“He’s made this team capable of winning ugly, which simply didn’t happen enough in the previous campaign.
“Games where they have scraped a 1-0 win or held on for a draw, would have been games they lost before.”
What about if Brentford finally reached the big time, can they become an established club in English football’s top tier?
Dilks said: “Yes definitely, for years now they’ve shown themselves to be one of the most savvy clubs in the country when it comes to transfer business.
“They’ll have to do it again should they go up but with the added appeal of the Premier League, it’s mouth-watering to think who they could bring in.
“I believe the squad now would stay up.”
Following Brentford’s 3-1 victory over promotion rivals Reading on Wednesday Frank said his team are just focused on the next game, and that going top of the Championship didn’t matter.
This approach seems to be working for the Bees as they aim to reach the promised land of the Premier League.
Featured Image Credit: AndyScott, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
