If you were to attend a Brentford B game, one of the first sounds you would hear would be the voice of captain Caelan Avenell barking instructions and encouragement at his teammates.
It’s a trait that the 22-year-old has always possessed, even in his younger years, but this season he has the added responsibility of the captain’s armband.
While Avenell is a regular starter now for Sam Saunders’ side, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the versatile defender, who joined the west Londoners in September 2024 following a successful trial period, signing his first professional contract.
Prior to joining the Bees, Avenell was faced with back-to-back ACL tears, forcing him to miss his two scholarship years while at Fulham.
While it was a difficult period in the defender’s life, the injuries forced Avenell to think about life after football. This positive mindset in the midst of a low point of his football career led him to complete his UEFA C and B coaching licenses while at Fulham.
When university age rolled around, Avenell began completing a degree in sports and exercise science while juggling a third-year scholarship at the Cottagers.
“It was tough, very tough, especially at a young-ish age; I was 17 and 18… in my opinion they’re the most important years of a footballer’s career, because that’s when you develop the most, that’s when you get the most experience,” he explained.
“To be out for 24 months, maybe even longer, it was tough. But I always go back to, as much as it was a tough time, as long as the family’s healthy and happy and I’ve got the right people around me, that’s all that matters really.
"To be out for 24 months, maybe even longer, it was tough. But I always go back to, as much as it was a tough time, as long as the family’s healthy and happy and I’ve got the right people around me, that’s all that matters"
“That’s what made me then look at things outside of football as well; it made me start to realise how football can just go like that. There’s always a positive with a negative I say, and with the negatives, it made me realise that you need backups.
“The main priority is always football, but we have so much spare time as footballers… so something to keep the mind ticking and while doing that, getting qualifications for when you retire.”
Avenell is now in the fourth year of his degree, with a fifth year to go to complete the degree. While committed to his playing career, the 22-year-old stressed the importance of a Plan B for young footballers.
“It all depends on if you’ve got the right people around you, not just loads of yes men, but people who bring you back to reality and keep you humble,” he said.
“I also think if you haven’t had any hard times within football and it’s all been quite smooth sailing, then it can become ‘This is what my path’s going to be’ and you’re not expecting any negatives.
“It’s so important for younger footballers to think of after football and even during football as well, because even if you have a good career, you could retire at 35 and you’re not really going to retire unless you’ve made millions.
“You’re always going to want to do something, so it’s basically just making sure it’s not too late to get prepared.”
For Avenell, post-football dreams involve his own football coaching business and a sports science and physiotherapy clinic.
He said he has leaned on the Brentford medical staff for assistance and guidance while completing his studies.
“I was just having a conversation with (academy nutritionist) Esme [Tuttiett] about one of my modules, which is a nutrition module, so she was helping me out,” said Avenell.
“Day-to-day, learning from the guys where that’s their main focus and main job, you learn a lot off of them.”
Along with professional football and university, the defender and his partner are also expecting their first child in January, while balancing the renovation of their house.
The exciting new chapter away from the pitch has helped Avenell’s perspective on football and life change.
“I used to lose a game of football and I’d genuinely think it’s life or death and I’d be in a mood for a few days,” he said.
“Now my whole perspective on things has changed; my priorities have changed.
“I’ve got a son on the way and that kind of changes my perspective; there’s just so much more to life than football, which I always knew, but it’s heightened now.
“Then renovating a house is another little hobby as well, you could argue. Me and my dad have been doing all sorts, plastering, helping with the electrics; we’ve tried to do a lot of it, so that’s also been fun away from football.”
While Avenell understands football isn’t life and death, you’d be fine in assuming that it is when you watch the defender lead Brentford B out onto the pitch.
His constant communication from the backline is something he has always possessed, but he concedes it is on his mind more this season as the B team go through a transitional year within the squad following an off-season of player movement.
“I’ve always seen myself as a bit of a leader in previous seasons. I think an armband’s just to see who the captain is, but you can still be a captain without the armband,” he explained.
“I’ve always been seen as somebody who’s a bit older than my actual age. Unintentionally, I’ve always just been a bit loud on the pitch; it’s just how I play, really.
“I don’t think I could ever see myself playing a game of football while being quiet and not saying one word and not communicating with other people.
“It also helps me out as well. If everyone around me knows their job and gets those bits of communication from me, then it makes my life easier.”
"I don’t think I could ever see myself playing a game of football while being quiet and not saying one word and not communicating with other people"
Since coming to west London as a trialist, Avenell has gone from strength to strength across the past two years, helping the Under-21s lift consecutive Professional Development League titles and make a Premier League Cup final.
This has extended into training sessions with the first team, experiences he doesn’t take for granted given his up-and-down journey to date.
“I tell myself to go day-by-day, obviously learn off all the hard moments in my career, but go day-by-day and if opportunities come, then I’m prepared and ready,” he said.
“I’m just grateful to have opportunities to be in and around the first team and be at such a good club when there were times where I nearly gave it all up and packed in football.”
Avenell and the Bees return to Premier League 2 action on Monday as they travel to face Bournemouth at Wyatt Homes Stadium, kick-off at 7pm.