Biggles
Vital Squad Member
At a cost of around £2m a year, Brentford decided it was simply too much of a risk that their academy – with so much competition on its doorstep in London – would produce enough first-team players to make that investment worthwhile. Instead they are focused on recruiting young players between 17 and 20 who have been released by academies in the Premier League, as well as talent from “undervalued markets” overseas.
There recruitment has moved in a different direction, and they appear to make it work. There "B" team as they call it play friendly games against better teams in the UK and abroad which tests the players more than it would in a academy environment. There aim is to have at least one of the "B" squad make the step up into the first team squad every year. Seems to work for them, I would suggest that's all that matters.
Brentford report on match said they had 12 trialists, they must have a have a conveyor belt of players they look at.
Brentford are in the fortunate geographical position of close proximity to Chelsea, Arsenal, West Ham, Spurs, Palace and even Southampton Academies, all of whom must release several very good youngsters each year. We are in the much less beneficial area of South Barnsley, Donnie, Chesterfield, Rotherham etc. We do try to get the occasional Man C or Man U cast off, or one from the Liverpool clubs, but we face stiff competition from many more clubs, including those in the Midlands.
We did get Brooksy on his release by City, and Rammers (originally) from Bolton, but most of our “successes” have been local lads like the 2 Kyles, DCL, and big Harry.