You’d need a remarkable memory – or a comprehensive encyclopaedia – to remember a time when Brentford FC fans had it so good.
They finished the 1935/36 season in fifth place in the ‘old’ First Division, which still represents their best-ever performance.
Fast forward 90 years and the Bees are on course to achieve something similar, with Keith Andrews’ side sitting in seventh place in the Premier League with a handful of fixtures left to be played.
In an era of the haves and the have-nots, Brentford’s David continues to unsettle the elite’s Goliaths… no wonder they’re fast becoming the second team of many ‘purist’ football fans that enjoy seeing the tables turned.
Buzzing bees
The betting markets are often a good guide of what to expect during the football season, with many predicting Brentford to struggle this term.
And yet, with fewer than ten games to go, the UK betting markets now price the Bees at 1/25 to finish in the top half of the Premier League table.
Meanwhile, a bet calculator now confirms that a £10 wager on the Southwest Londoners to finish in the top six would return just £39 – such has been the perceived over-performance of Andrews’ men.
In a campaign without former head coach Thomas Frank and key players like Bryan Mbuemo and Yoane Wissa, you can see why expectations were not great for Brentford.
But, as has become common throughout Matthew Benham’s time as owner, smart succession plans were already in place.
Andrews is securing an internal promotion from set piece coach to replace Frank as head honcho, while Igor Thiago has taken to life in the Premier League with aplomb… only the incomparable Erling Haaland has scored more goals than the Brazilian.
If Brentford finish seventh or higher, it would surely go down as the greatest season in the club’s history… with no disrespect intended to the Class of 1935/36, of course.
Set for success
It’s unheard of for a set-piece coach to step up as manager.
In some ways, that was a reward for the Bees’ effectiveness from set plays under Andrews during the 2024/25 campaign, with 13 goals scored and just two conceded, a fantastic return from corners, free kicks, and the like.
It’s somewhat ironic that Brentford’s prowess from set pieces has diminished in line with Andrews being appointed as head coach, with just five goals notched from such scenarios in 2025/26.
But they have found a potency from open play situations, hence their elevated league position, while remaining solid when defending opposition set pieces – at the time of writing, Brentford have the joint-best record in the Premier League when it comes to preventing their opponents from scoring.
Football is increasingly becoming homogenised in open play, with better defensive networks that are able to negate the impact of the leading attacking players, no matter how much they cost.
And so set pieces are becoming an increasingly important battleground. Arsenal may yet win a first Premier League title in two decades thanks to their artistry at corners and free kicks, so these marginal gains are of ever-growing value.
In Andrews, Brentford have one of the very best in that regard. And he could yet help the buzzing Bees to their highest league finish in nearly a century.
Featured image credit: Photo by Jannes Glas on Unsplash
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