The 2015–16 season was Brentford's 126th year in existence and second consecutive season in the Championship. Along with competing in the Championship, the club also participated in the FA Cup and League Cup. The season covers the period from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016.
Season Review
August Brentford's season began with a 2–2 draw against Ipswich Town. Kevin Bru and Ryan Fraser netted for the visitors but stoppage time goals from Andre Gray and James Tarkowski sealed a point for the Bees. Brentford then welcomed Oxford United to Griffin Park for the League Cup First round but were thrashed 0–4 after fielding a weakened team. During this match, new signing Andreas Bjelland suffered a significant injury to the left knee and was forced out of action for 9 months. On 14 August, Brentford signed right-back Maxime Colin from Anderlecht for an undisclosed fee to replace Moses Odubajo who left to join Hull City. Jota underwent surgery after suffering damaged ankle ligaments in the opening match of the season against Ipswich Town and was expected to be out for around 3 months. On 21 August, Brentford's previous season top goal scorer Andre Gray joined Burnley for a club record fee. Burnley were Brentford's next opponents where they lost 1–0 to a first half Michael Keane header in a game where Gray was ineligible. Brentford then hosted Reading but succumbed to a 1–3 defeat after a poor first half. At the end of the month, Brentford brought in two loan signings: Marco Djuricin from Red Bull Salzburg for a season, and Sergi Canós from Liverpool on an initial half-season loan.
September On transfer deadline day, Brentford concluded their summer transfer business with the signing of midfielder Ryan Woods from Shrewsbury Town for a reported £1 million. Brentford also extended the contract of injured striker Scott Hogan until the end of the 2017–18 season as he continued his recovery from a damaged anterior cruciate ligament. Brentford returned to action after the international break with a 1–1 draw away to Leeds United. Djuricin scored in the first half on his debut but Leeds equalised late in the second half after Woods, also on his debut, lost the ball in midfield which led to Mirco Antenucci slotting past Button. Brentford then travelled to Middlesbrough where they lost 3–1. A brace from Cristhian Stuani followed by a goal from Albert Adomah were enough to leave Brentford in 21st place, just above the relegation zone. Dijkhuizen celebrated his first home win at Brentford against Preston North End. Brentford had conceded within the first minute to a Daniel Johnson finish but won the vital three points after goals from Vibe and Djuricin in the second half with substitute Sergi Canós making a noticeable difference when he came on.
On 26 September, Brentford suffered defeat at home against Sheffield Wednesday in a game which finished with 10 men on each team. James Tarkowski was sent off in the first half with Atdhe Nuhiu scoring the resulting penalty. Alan Judge then curled home after a wonderful long pass from goalkeeper David Button. Jérémy Hélan was sent off for a second bookable offence shortly after but with Brentford pushing for a winner, Lucas João scored the decisive goal in the 90th minute which secured Brentford's fourth defeat in six games. Following that loss, on 28 September, Brentford announced that Dijkhuizen and his assistant, Roy Hendriksen had parted company with the club. Lee Carsley was promoted to First Team Head Coach alongside his assistant Paul Williams with Bees legend Kevin O'Connor replacing Carsley as Development Squad Head Coach. Carsley's first game in charge of Brentford was a 0–2 home defeat to Birmingham City. Second half goals from Michael Morrison and former Bee Clayton Donaldson sealed the win for the Blues.
October On 1 October, Brentford signed Chelsea midfielder John Swift on an initial one month youth loan. Swift made his debut as a sub in Brentford's next game against Derby County. However, he was unable to stop Brentford losing 0–2 in what was a very poor performance overall for the Bees. Chris Martin and Tom Ince scored the goals for Derby in the first half. During the international break, Josh Clarke joined Barnet on loan until the start of 2016. Domestic football returned to Griffin Park with a 2–1 win over Rotherham United. Judge scored two goals with the first one being a fine volley from the edge of the area. Rotherham had equalised through Joe Mattock straight after the break but Judge soon struck again, this time with a powerful header.
Transfers & loans
Transfers in Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.1 July 2015 DF Yoann Barbet Chamois Niortais £500,000 1 July 2015 MF Akaki Gogia Hallescher FC Free 1 July 2015DF Jan Holldack 1. FC KölnFree 1 July 2015 MF Konstantin Kerschbaumer Admira Wacker Undisclosed 1 July 2015 MF Ryan Williams Morecambe Free 2 July 2015 DF Andreas Bjelland Twente £2,100,000 10 July 2015 MF Josh McEachran Chelsea £500,000 23 July 2015 FW Philipp Hofmann Kaiserslautern Undisclosed 24 July 2015 FW Lasse Vibe IFK Göteborg Undisclosed 14 August 2015 DF Maxime Colin Anderlecht £900,000 1 September 2015 MF Ryan Woods Shrewsbury Town £1,000,000 22 January 2016 DF Nathan Fox Cray Wanderers Free 29 January 2016 DF Manny Onariase West Ham United Undisclosed
Total spending: £5,000,000
Loans in Players loaned inDate fromPos.NameParent clubEnd dateRef. 31 August 2015 MF Sergi Canós Liverpool End of season 31 August 2015 FW Marco Djuricin Red Bull Salzburg End of season 1 October 2015 MF John Swift Chelsea End of season 17 March 2016 FW Leandro Rodríguez Everton 14 April 2016
Transfers out Players transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef. 14 July 2015 FW Will Grigg Wigan Athletic £1,000,000 4 August 2015 MF Stuart Dallas Leeds United £1,300,000 4 August 2015 MF Jonathan Douglas Ipswich Town Free 7 August 2015 DF Moses Odubajo Hull City £3,500,000 21 August 2015 FW Andre Gray Burnley £9,000,000 25 January 2016 MF Toumani Diagouraga Leeds United £600,000 1 February 2016 DF James Tarkowski Burnley £3,000,000 Total income: £18,400,000
Loans out Players loaned outDate fromPos.NameSubsequent clubEnd dateRef. 19 August 2015 MF Josh Laurent Newport County 14 October 2015 3 September 2015 MF Herson Rodrigues Alves Hampton & Richmond Borough 25 September 2015 9 September 2015 GK Nik Tzanev Lewes 6 October 2015 11 September 2015 DF Aaron Greene Boston United 11 October 2015 22 September 2015 DF Daniel O'Shaughnessy Braintree Town 19 October 2015 15 October 2015 DF Josh Clarke Barnet 3 January 2016 27 October 2015 GK Mark Smith Hampton & Richmond Borough 21 December 2015 26 November 2015 MF James Ferry Wycombe Wanderers 23 December 2015 26 November 2015 MF Jermaine Udumaga Wycombe Wanderers 2 February 2016 8 January 2016 GK Mark Smith Lowestoft Town 3 February 2016 16 January 2016 MF Jota SD Eibar End of season 28 January 2016 DF Daniel O'Shaughnessy FC Midtjylland End of season 28 January 2016 MF James Ferry Welling United 1 March 2016 2 February 2016 DF Audrius Laučys Hemel Hempstead Town 2 March 2016 20 February 2016 GK Mark Smith Hampton & Richmond Borough End of season
Released Players releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.4 July 2015DF Tony Craig Millwall4 July 20153 November 2015DF Raphaël Calvet AJ AuxerreJanuary 201619 December 2015MF Marcos Tébar UE Llagostera1 January 20161 February 2016MF Josh Laurent Hartlepool United1 February 20161 February 2016FW Montell Moore Charlton Athletic15 February 20161 February 2016MF Ryan Williams Inverness Caledonian Thistle1 February 201611 April 2016DF Gradi Milenge Grays Athletic10 September 201615 April 2016FW Jermaine Udumaga KSF Prespa Birlik6 August 201630 June 2016DF Aaron Greene A.F.C. Sudbury8 August 201630 June 2016DF Audrius Laučys Concord Rangers19 August 201630 June 2016DF Daniel O'Shaughnessy Cheltenham Town12 July 201630 June 2016MF Courtney Senior Colchester United1 July 201630 June 2016GK Mark Smith Aldershot Town2 August 201630 June 2016GK Nik Tzanev AFC Wimbledon28 April 2017
Pre-season and friendlies
Championship
League results summary
Results and position by round
League table
Matches On 17 June 2015, the fixtures for the forthcoming season were announced.
Score overview
OppositionHome scoreAway scoreDoubleBirmingham City0–21–2Blackburn Rovers0–11–1Bolton Wanderers3–11–1Brighton & Hove Albion0–00–3Bristol City1–14–2Burnley1–30–1Cardiff City2–12–3Charlton Athletic1–23–0Derby County1–30–2Fulham3–12–2Huddersfield Town4–25–1Hull City0–20–2Ipswich Town2–23–1Leeds United1–11–1MK Dons2–04–1Middlesbrough0–11–3Nottingham Forest2–13–0Preston2–13–1QPR1–00–3Reading1–32–1Rotherham United2–11–2Sheffield Wednesday1–20–4Wolverhampton Wanderers3–02–0
League Cup
On 16 June 2015, the first round draw was made, Brentford were drawn at home against Oxford United.
FA Cup
First team squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 2015–16 season. Squad No. Name Nationality Position Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in Notes Goalkeepers 16 Jack Bonham GK Watford 2013 27 David Button GK Charlton Athletic 2013 31 Mark Smith GK Queens Park Rangers 2014 Loaned to Hampton and Richmond Borough and Lowestoft Town Defenders 2 Maxime Colin RB RSC Anderlecht 2015 3 Jake Bidwell LB Everton 2013 5 Andreas Bjelland CB FC Twente 2015 6 Harlee Dean CB Southampton 2012 22 Jack O'Connell CB / LB Blackburn Rovers 2015 29 Yoann Barbet CB Chamois Niortais 2015 36 Josh Clarke RB / RW Youth 2011Loaned to Barnet 39 Tom Field LB Youth 2012 Midfielders 4 Lewis Macleod CM Rangers 2015 7 Sam Saunders RM Dagenham & Redbridge 2009 10 Josh McEachran CM Chelsea 2015 12 Alan McCormack CM / RB Swindon Town 2013 15 Ryan Woods CM / RM Shrewsbury Town 2015 17 Konstantin Kerschbaumer CM / AM Admira Wacker Mödling 2015 18 Alan Judge AM Blackburn Rovers 2014 19 John Swift CM / LM Chelsea 2015 On loan from Chelsea 23 Jota AM / RM Celta de Vigo 2014 Loaned to SD Eibar 24 Akaki Gogia AM / LM Hallescher FC 2015 28 Nico Yennaris CM / RB Arsenal 2014 38 James Ferry CM Youth 2012 Loaned to Wycombe Wanderers and Welling United 40 Reece Cole CM Youth 2012 47 Sergi Canós RW Liverpool 2015 On loan from Liverpool Forwards 8 Marco Djuricin ST Red Bull Salzburg 2015 On loan from Red Bull Salzburg 9 Scott Hogan ST Rochdale 2014 11 Philipp Hofmann ST 1. FC Kaiserslautern 2015 21 Lasse Vibe ST / RW IFK Göteborg 2015 37 Courtney Senior ST / RW Youth 2011Players who left the club mid-season14Marcos TébarAMUD Almería2014Released 19Andre Gray ST Luton Town 2014 Transferred to Burnley 20Toumani Diagouraga CMPeterborough United 2010 Transferred to Leeds United 20Leandro Rodríguez ST Everton 2016 Returned to Everton after loan25Raphaël CalvetCBAJ Auxerre2013Released 26James Tarkowski CB Oldham Athletic 2014 Transferred to Burnley 30Ryan Williams CM Morecambe 2015 Released 34Josh LaurentCMQueens Park Rangers 2015 Loaned to Newport County, released 35Jermaine UdumagaAM / STCrystal Palace 2014 Loaned to Wycombe Wanderers, released Source: soccerbase.com
Coaching staff Last updated 1 February 2016
NameRoleDean SmithHead CoachRichard O'KellyAssistant Head CoachPhil GilesCo-Director of FootballRasmus AnkersenCo-Director of FootballSimon RoyceGoalkeeping CoachTom BatesCoachBartek SylwestrzakCoachGianni VioCoachLuke StopforthHead of Performance AnalysisNeil GreigHead of MedicalMatt SpringhamHead of Conditioning Tom PerrymanConditioning CoachJames PerdueConditioning CoachDaryl MartinPhysiotherapistRichard ClarkePhysiotherapistMatt StrideTeam DoctorBob OtengKit Logistics Manager
Statistics
Appearances and goals
Last Updated 7 May 2016
Source: brentfordfc.co.uk Italic: denotes player is no longer with team
Goalscorers
Last Updated 7 May 2016