With the promotion winning season of 2013/14 still fresh in the memory, preparations for The Bees’ first season back in the second tier since 1992/93 began in earnest in June.
Alan Judge, who had scored seven goals in 22 matches at the back end of the Sky Bet League One season while on loan from Blackburn Rovers, signed on a three-year permanent deal from the Lancashire club. Alan was not the only new face at Griffin Park ahead of the Championship season as midfielder Marcos Tebar joined from UD Almeria and Andre Gray, who struck 30 times for Luton Town as they won the Skrill Premier, signed a three-year deal. In what proved to be a busy month at Brentford Moses Odubajo also completed a move to Brentford, joining from London rivals Leyton Orient. The Bees backroom staff was also added to as Matt Springham was appointed Head of Conditioning.
It wasn’t just new signings that Mark Warburton was putting in place ahead of a first season in the second tier in 21 years. Northern-Irish Winger Stuart Dallas extended his stay in West London by signing a new three-year contract and the ink had barely time to dry on his contract before David Button put pen to paper on a new three-year deal of his own.
With all these new faces arriving there was one favourite going the other way as Clayton Donaldson left The Bees after three seasons and 53 goals to move up the M40 to Birmingham City.
Away from the first-team it was also a busy time for Jon De Souza and the Development Squad as no less than nine players signed professional deals with the club. Alfie Mawson, Joe Maloney, Jermaine Udumaga, Josh Clarke, Mark Smith, Lionel Stone, Kieran Morris, Emmanuel Oyeleke and Montell Moore all signed up to be part of The Bees’ Under-21s for the upcoming season.
The Under-16 Milk Cup squad were drawn against Benfica in Northern Irish Youth tournament to be held in July and August while the first-team were drawn away at Dagenham and Redbridge in the First Round of the Capital One Cup. In a month for fixture news The Bees found out their 2014/15 Sky Bet Championship fixture list with the pick of the bunch being the Easter weekend local derby away at Fulham.
The future of Brentford FC at Lionel Road came one step closer as The Bees and Hounslow Council signed the Section 106 Planning Agreement, which has enabled the Council to issue the formal Planning Permission for the new Community Stadium at Lionel Road South, together with 910 residential units, a hotel and improvements to the public realm.
The club was saddened to learn late on in the month that long-time Brentford fan Alison Franklin had lost her battle with serious illness at the age of 56.