November had ended with Brentford third in the Sky Bet Championship, within touching distance of top spot after a perfect month of results.
December brought an end to that run of wins as Huddersfield Town ran out 2-1 winners at the John Smith’s Stadium. The hosts scored in each half through Sean Scannell and a Jake Bidwell own goal. Jonathan Douglas set up a thrilling last 20 minutes but The Bees could find no way through. It proved to be only a temporary blip as seven days later Blackburn Rovers were beaten 3-1 at Griffin Park. Jonathan Douglas, Andre Gray and Jota scored for Mark Warburton’s side as they secured a sixth win in seven matches that kept them well up at the top of the Sky Bet Championship.
Brentford’s great form in November was rewarded with a Manager of the Month and Player of the Month double. Mark Warburton picked up the manager’s award after guiding The Bees to five wins from five while Andre Gray, who scored five goals in the month, picked up the Player of the Month prize.
After going nine matches without a win Lee Carsley’s Development Squad made it two wins on the bounce with a 2-1 local derby win over Queens Park Rangers. Jermaine Udumaga and Josh Laurent traded goals in the first-half but the match was settled late on when Betinho coolly slide home from ten yards. And they looked to be on course to make it three straight wins a week later away at Ipswich Town but conceded twice to fall to a 3-2 defeat. Louis Hutton and Tyrell Miller-Rodney had The Bees 2-1 up on the hour but the hosts scored twice in three minutes to mean it was a long trip back down the A12 for Lee Carsley’s side.
A weakened Youth Team suffered just their second defeat in eight matches as they were beaten 4-1 in South Wales by a rampant Swansea City. With Tuesday’s FA Youth Cup tie against Hull City on their minds Jon rested a number of the first XI, Reece Cole’s late consolation goal from the spot being the only real high-point for The Bees against a strong Swans’ side. That decision to rotate the squad looked to be paying off as Jon De Souza’s Youth Team led 2-0 away at Hull City with just 15 minutes to go. However Will Annan scored twice in the final quarter of an hour to send the game to extra time and then completed his hat-trick just before half-time in extra time to send The Tigers through.
Toumani Diagouraga’s fine form saw him rewarded with a new two-year deal. The midfielder had made 14 appearances in the Sky Bet Championship and was an ever present during the perfect November. Having originally joined The Bees in 2010 the tall midfielder was now closing in on 200 appearances for Brentford.
Kieran Morris joined Evo-Stick Northern Premier League side Stourbridge on a one month loan deal.
Brentford were drawn at home to Brighton and Hove Albion in the Third Round of the FA Cup, the tie would be played the weekend of January 3rd.
Taylor Wessing won the Property Team of the Year at the British Legal Awards for their work on the new Brentford Community Stadium.