Brentford Under-21s begin their 2025/26 Professional Development League campaign with a home clash against Hull City Under-21s at Wheatsheaf Park on Wednesday afternoon (1pm kick-off BST).
The young Bees will aim to retain the league title that they won last season by beating AFC Bournemouth 3-2 in the final in May.
Sam Saunders takes charge of his first competitive fixture since being appointed Brentford B head coach over the summer.
Speaking ahead of the game, Saunders emphasised that player development will remain at the heart of everything the group does this season.
“Winning the league last season was a fantastic achievement, but our job is always to keep pushing the players to be the best they can be,” he said.
“We’ve got lads who have gone out on loan and earned those opportunities – Ethan Brierley at Exeter, Tony Yogane at Dundee and Benjamin Fredrick at FCV Dender – which is exactly what this environment is about. It’s a credit to their hard work and shows the pathway is there.
“For the group here now, it’s a fresh season and a fresh challenge. Hull will be a tough opponent, but it’s important we start well, set our standards and keep improving every week.”
The match offers supporters a first look at the reshaped under-21 squad. Kick-off is at 1pm at Wheatsheaf Park, and admission is free.
Last time out
Saunders' side faced a tough final pre-season test as they lost 2-0 to Chelsea Under-21s on Sunday afternoon.
Before that, they gave AFC Wimbledon's first team a real challenge, losing 2-1 to two late goals despite an excellent team performance.
Michel Boni scored in that game, whilst new signing Theo Mawene has impressed during pre-season.
About Hull City
The Tigers come to Wheatsheaf Park after finishing fourth in the northern section of the Professional Development League last time out.
They finished eight points outside the play-off places, recording 17 wins and 14 losses, without drawing a single league fixture.
The last time the two sides played each other was in September of 2024, where the young Tigers came out as 2-1 victors.
Ticket information
This game is free to attend and tickets are not required to enter the stadium.
Match coverage
The club will have updates of the game against Hull City on social media, as well as a match report on the club's official website and app.