Brentford CEO Jon Varney has said that the Community Sports Trust has been the Club’s ‘anchor’ through the years, playing a key role in helping the Bees to where they are on the pitch today.

Speaking at the launch of the Trust’s latest impact report Changing Horizons, Varney stated that the Club will ‘never forget’ the support and work the Community Sports Trust did throughout various difficult times in the Club’s history.

He said: "They are a massive part of the football club. I think at a lot of other clubs, the football club and the Trust work as two very separate entities - that's not the case here at all.

“We're in an industry where there are always choppy waters, and they've been our anchor throughout those choppy waters.

“It's not a million years ago when the club was really on its downers and the Community Sports Trust played a massive part in making sure that the club stayed in existence, and I don't think we'll ever forget that.”

Varney added: “Yes, we are in the Premier League but, when we're going up against the likes of Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea, talking about sponsorships and trying to attract brands into the football club, if we're trying to just beat them in a race based on reach and how much exposure we give them, we're going to lose.

“But, what we do have, is the ability to really talk about our values and make it a real value-driven proposition thanks to the Trust. We’re really starting to reap the rewards of that because we trust that the Trust will deliver for us in that area.”

Jon Varney speaking alongside Brentford head coach Thomas Frank and Community Sports Trust chief executive Lee Doyle

As well as the Trust helping the Club through the years, Brentford’s recent promotion to the Premier League has helped support the Community Sports Trust in various different ways, explained Varney.

“Our success on the pitch has given the Trust a new platform and a bigger platform to go and tell everyone about the great work that it does,” he said.

“That work also requires funding, and what we've tried to do now is work very closely with the Trust and our sponsors within the football club, so they can work alongside each other.”

This message was reinforced by brighter futures and peace coordinator at the Trust, Shaun Preddie, who insists that more young people are aware of the work being done by them because of the Club’s Premier League status.

“When the First Team are doing well, it helps the community,” said Preddie.

“Brentford are now in the Premier League, the young people know who the players are, and everyone wants to be a part of the good things the Club is doing.

He added: “The First Team players will go out and about, talking in their local community, and people can relate to them. People then think, ‘If they’re giving back, we want to be part of projects or go along to receive support’. It’s like a big family.”