There was a focus on young players in the EFL last week and two making progress at Brentford got a special mention. The EFL’s first ever Youth Development Week too place last week, celebrating the opportunities for young players in the second, third and fourth tiers of English football. English players under the age of 21 make up 25 per cent of the three divisions below the Premier League, where there have already been almost 1,500 starting opportunities this season. The EFL marked the work of the leagues and their clubs during a week-long celebration.
At Griffin Park, Brentford are one of the clubs that offer the most opportunities to young players. Only five of the 25 players with current First Team squad numbers are aged over 25 with six of the 14 players involved when The Bees played Nottingham Forest on Saturday aged 23 and under.
As part of EFL Development Week, the Evening Standard picked out six of the bext young players in London. Brentford pair Rico Henry and Ezri Konsa were included on that list. The full piece can be seen here.