As I approach my tenth anniversary as Chair of Brentford FC, it remains both an honour and a privilege to be in that role and I am delighted to be writing this Bees United end of season review for 2022/23, our second year in the Premier League.
What was that about second season syndrome? Thomas didn’t believe in it and nor did anyone else inside the club.
Southampton (a) – 40 points reached
Take one game at a time and finish as high as we can was Thomas’s mantra, well we certainly did that!
The magic 40 points was achieved on 15 March and a top 10 finish was guaranteed with two games to spare!
What a remarkable achievement it has been.
Our season began with a 2-2 draw at Leicester City after being 2-0 down and was the first sign of our tremendous fighting spirit which was to stand us in good stead throughout the season.
My personal highlights on the pitch were our first home game of the season which brought that quite extraordinary half-time score of Brentford 4 Manchester United 0.
The result and performance will live long in the memory, as will the goal of the season, but more were on the way.
Great performances followed including our 5-2 home win over Leeds, including a quite brilliant hat trick from Ivan Toney who finished the season on 20 Premier League goals, the unforgettable 2-1 away win at the Etihad (the only team to win at Man City this season) and our second successive away win at Stamford Bridge.
There was a twelve-match unbeaten run between October and March (interrupted by the World Cup in Qatar) as we climbed the table.
And as the season end approached, we won five of our last six games including our first ever win away at Spurs and completing the double over champions, Manchester City.
What has impressed me most is the meticulous detail the coaching staff go into to design game plans for each of our opponents and the way in which our use of substitutes had such an impact on the ultimate results, proving once again that this is a whole squad game. I am similarly impressed with the success we have had at set pieces, helped by the magnificence of Mathias Jensen’s long throws.
A significant change within the Club during the year was the construction of new facilities at Jersey Road including the opening of the Robert Rowan Performance centre, a project that was very much overdue and desperately needed. While still temporary, the building that carries Rob’s name has made a huge difference to the players and the environment in which they work in. It was particularly rewarding to start and complete the project in nine months so it was ready on the players return from their World Cup break.
Our B team continues to develop and, in a Champions League format consisting of ten matches, won the Premier League Cup at the Gtech at the first time of asking.
That was a very special night – their first ever game at the new stadium, and it was followed some 10 days later with the Robert Rowan Invitational when our B team beat Manchester City EDS 3-2 in a game with some brilliant goals.
Both of our Women’s Teams reached their respective cup finals which was a great achievement and our first team finished runners-up to Dorking Wanderers, in their league this season. The success of Womens’ football means this is another area of the club where we want to invest.
None of what we have achieved this season would have been possible without the dedication and hard work of our ever growing numbers of staff. The demands of the Premier League should not be underestimated but it has been very gratifying to see the way everyone has pulled together to deliver an exceptional matchday experience, recognised for the second year running as the best in the Premier League, and to deliver on so many of our strategic objectives. We have a really great Executive team who are led superbly by our CEO, Jon Varney and Director of Football, Phil Giles.
Thomas and the entire coaching staff, and the players have performed brilliantly. The togetherness shown by all, alongside our progressive and respectful nature mixed with a large dose of humility makes this a very special club to be part of and one in which I believe will go from strength to strength.
However, a word of caution.
Let’s not forget that we start on nil points on 12 August so anyone who thinks we have made it should not get carried away. But, everyone associated with the Bees should certainly savour this special time.
Having said that, my hopes and aspirations for next season are that we continue to build on the very solid foundations laid by our first two years in the Premier League and make steady progress. That in itself is a huge challenge because the Premier League is relentless but I am confident we have the people to make it happen.
It only remains for me to thank you, the fans, for your fantastic support.
The away support travelling in your thousands and the atmosphere you have created inside the Gtech Community Stadium are a constant source of inspiration to us all.
Together we can look forward to the future with great optimism.
Cliff