Brentford (BRE)

Brentford History

Brentford Football Club, fondly known as "The Bees," was founded in 1889 in Brentford, West London. The club has a rich history, starting in local and regional leagues before gradually climbing the football pyramid.

In the early years, Brentford experienced mixed success, fluctuating between different divisions of English football. However, in the 1920s, they enjoyed a period of relative success, including their highest-ever league finish of fifth place in the top flight in the 1935-36 season.

Despite moments of glory, Brentford often found themselves in lower divisions in subsequent decades. However, in recent years, they have experienced a resurgence, largely due to astute management and investment in the club.

One of the key turning points came with the ownership change in 2012, when Matthew Benham, a successful businessman and football enthusiast, acquired the club. Benham brought a strategic approach to player recruitment and development, as well as innovative analytics methods, which helped propel Brentford forward.

Under Benham's ownership, Brentford implemented a data-driven recruitment strategy, focusing on identifying undervalued talent and utilizing advanced analytics to gain a competitive edge. This approach enabled them to consistently outperform their financial rivals and climb the ranks of English football.

After several near misses, Brentford finally achieved promotion to the Premier League for the 2021-2022 season. Their promotion marked a historic moment for the club, as they secured their first-ever appearance in the Premier League and securing a highly respectable 13th position in the league that season.