Striker Andre Gray reflected on a season that saw him finish as Brentford’s top goalscorer in his first season at Championship level.
“To get fifth place was a massive achievement,” said Andre.
“The boys have took the positives out of it more than the negatives.
“I think the whole team has been us against the odds; we’ve done a lot more than prove ourselves in this league.
“From being favourites to go down to be in contention to be favourites just proves how far we’ve come as a team.”
Andre’s arrival last summer for an undisclosed fee from Luton Town with expectations that he would not be first choice, but ended up missing only one league match in the entire campaign.
“Personally I didn’t know what to expect,” said Andre.
“I knew it was going to be a massive jump; it was only until I started training I realised how big it was.
“Throughout the season, the manager gave me belief, made me progress, going from doubting myself and questioning if I can do it and now I’m coming off the back of scoring 18 goals, 17 in the league, and knowing I could have scored ten more.
“I’ve missed a lot of quite good chances but you’re coming across better defenders, better goalkeepers; you have to be that one step sharper at times.
“It’s all part of the learning curve for me.”
Mark Warburton and David Weir will leave Brentford on May 31, with Andre commenting that this was part of football’s transient nature.
“I signed for Luton and a week later the manager that signed me got sacked,” said Andre.
“I had to get on with it, I couldn’t do anything about it.
“Obviously the doubt is there if a new manager comes in and you’re not his kind of player.
“Luckily he was and made me a success, as did John Still.”