There was plenty of player movement in the final few weeks of January as the Transfer Window drew to a conclusion. Popular winger Jota signed an 18-month loan deal with La Liga side Eibar before penning an emotional letter to fans outlining his personal reasons for a return to Spain while Daniel O’Shaughnessy joined FC Midtjylland until the end of the season. Moving the other way were young defenders Nathan Fox and Emmanuel Onariase who both signed an 18-month Development Squad contracts, joining from Cray Wanderers and West Ham United respectively. Long-serving central midfielder Toumani Diagouraga signed for Leeds United after six years and 250 appearances in West London on the eve of The Bees match against The Whites.
After four straight defeats to start the year Dean Smith's side looked to have turned a corner as they took a deserved four points in four days against Preston North End and Leeds United. The 500 or so Brentford fans who travelled to Deepdale were treated to a sublime away performance as The Bees completed the double over Simon Grayson’s side. Jake Bidwell gave The Bees the lead with his second of the season but that advantage lasted only two minutes, Adam Reach slotting home from inside the box for the hosts. Alan Judge then took down a fine Yoann Barbet pass and converted coolly to put Brentford back ahead before a David Button wondersave from Joe Garner maintained that advantage. It was left to John Swift to wrap up the points late on with a deflected effort. Under the lights the following Tuesday night, Leeds United struck late on to deprive Dean Smith’s side of a deserved three points. Sam Saunders’ scored his first Brentford goal in 14 months to put The Bees ahead but, after The Bees missed a host of second-half chances, Mustapha Carayol came off the substitute’s bench to equalise for Leeds inside the final ten minutes.
The Under-18s search for a win continued as they were beaten 3-1 by Charlton Athletic at Jersey Road. The league-leaders struck twice in the first-half and then added a third on the hour, just after Julius Fenn-Evans had brought Brentford back into the match, to ensure they did the double over Jon De Souza’s side. However the Under-18s were able to celebrate victory for the first-time since October a week later as they came out on the right side of a seven goal thriller at Jersey Road against Crystal Palace thanks to Josh Bohui’s penalty, a double for Danny Parish, and a late Giovanni McGregor free-kick. De Souza’s side weren’t able to build on that win though as Millwall scored late on to secure a 2-1 win at Jersey Road seven days later. Danny Parish had cancelled out Alex Mulrooney-Skinner’s opener late on but Junior Tiensa scored the winning goal with just eight minutes left on the clock.
Andy Gogia continued his rich run of goalscoring form as he netted the only goal in a 1-0 friendly win over Brighton and Hove Albion on the South Coast. The game gave players like Yoann Barbet, Marco Djuricin, and Josh McEachran much needed minutes as they worked up to full fitness. Macauley Bonne’s brace ensure that the Development Squad’s wait for a win went on after a 2-1 defeat to Colchester United at Jersey Road. Brentford went ahead through top scorer Jan Holldack but The Us hit back to take the points.
Sergi Canos’s form over the Christmas period saw him make his Spain Under-19 debut in a friendly defeat against Italy. The 19-year-old winger played 45 minutes for Luis De La Fuente’s side in the 1-0 defeat on home soil.