The year 2014 would go down as one of the finest in Brentford’s history. It saw The Bees promoted to the second tier for the first time since 1992 and ended with Mark Warburton’s side sixth in the Sky Bet Championship table with more than half the season gone.
The New Year was a busy time for player news at Griffin Park. Richard Lee confirmed he would be retiring at the end of the season after a five year career with Brentford. However no sooner had that news been released than fellow goalkeeper Jack Bonham signed a new three-and-a-half year deal. Fans favourite Sam Saunders was rewarded following his comeback from injury with a 12 month contract extension until the summer of 2016.
On the pitch 2015 started as 2014 had ended with defeat: Lewis Dunk and Chris O’Grady scored late on as Brighton and Hove Albion secured the ultimate smash and grab FA Cup win at Griffin Park. The Bees dominated the match from the off but couldn’t find a way through before The Seagulls secured a Fourth Round tie at home to Arsenal with a pair of late goals.
After three straight defeats in all competitions The Bees were back up and running after a 1-0 home win against Rotherham United. Stuart Dallas scored the only goal of the game, just after the break, as Brentford kept up the pressure in the promotion race. The game was played in front of a sell-out Brentford crowd as the hugely popular Pay What You Can scheme returned with more than £10,000 being raised for Sport Relief.
A compensation agreement was reached with Gillingham over the transfer of Development Squad striker Luke Norris and Alfie Mawson’s loan deal at Wycombe Wanderers was extended until the end of the season. Midfielder Jack Warburton, son of manager Mark, signed a six-month contract to be part of the Development Squad until the end of the season. In what was proving to be a very busy month for Lee Carsley’s side, Kieran Morris extended his stay at Stourbridge for a further month, Mark Smith agreed to remain with Hampton and Richmond Borough until March and Josh Laurent signed on an 18-month deal from Queens Park Rangers.
Youth Team defender Gradi Milenge was also off out on loan as he joined Conference South strugglers Farnborough on a one-month deal while Courtney Senior signed for Wycombe Wanderers on temporary terms.
There were two heavy defeats from two for the Academy teams in early January as the Youth Team suffered their third straight defeat in all competitions despite scoring three away at bottom of the table Colchester United. On a wet and windy morning in Essex The Bees led twice only for doubles from Joel Atkin and Louis Dunne to help consign them to a 5-3 defeat at Florence Park. Then three days later Connor Lemonhaigh-Evans scored a hat-trick as Lee Carsley’s Development Squad started 2015 off with a 5-2 defeat away at Bristol City. Jermaine Udumaga scored twice for The Bees in reply but it wasn’t enough to prevent a second straight loss.