[{"team":{"id":49673,"name":"Brentford FC","short_name":"Brentford","tla_name":"BRE","type":"club","gender":"male","status":"active","official_name":"Brentford Football Club","founded":1889,"colors":"Red,White,Black","nicknames":"The Bees","createdAt":"2024-11-04T12:40:32.759Z","updatedAt":"2025-08-11T14:18:06.741Z","website":"http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk","address":"27 Great West Road","address_city":"Hounslow, Borough of London","address_zip":"TW8 9BW","locale":"en","stb_id":"brentford-fc","tier":null,"description":null,"top_position":null,"history_and_foundation":"## Brentford: a football revolution with intelligence\n\n**Brentford** is a **London club** that for a long time **did not attract much attention**, but suddenly began to **change the perception of modern football**. Founded in **1889**, this club from **west London** has long been **\"own for its own\"** - with narrow stands, a modest budget and loyal fans.\n\nToday, **Brentford** is no longer just a **pretty underdog**, but a **well-organized, intelligent team** that gives a fight even to the top teams. Not because he spends more — but because he **thinks better**.\n\n> \"Brentford proves that to be competitive in the Premier League, you don't have to spend millions — you just have to have a system and a mind.\"","sporting_achievements":"## Brentford history\n\nFor a long time, the **story of Brentford** was written **without loud headlines**. The club played in **lower English leagues**, changed **coaches**, **stadiums**, **structure**, but always remained a part of **local culture**.\n\nIn the **1930s**, the team rose to the **First Division**, but after the **World War II** they went down again and settled for a long time in **League 1 and League 2** - effectively the **third and fourth tiers** of English football.\n\nEverything began to change in **2012**, when the club bought **Matthew Benham** — an **analyst** who decided to build football **on data, not intuition**. Since then, **Brentford** began to **select players based on statistics**, hire coaches with a **modern vision** and even **rejected the classic academy**.\n\nIn **2021** the club entered the **Premier League** for the first time in history via the **play-offs**, after several dramatic attempts. This became a **recognition of the built system**: the team not only remained in the elite, but also began to **confidently beat big rivals**.\n","club_identity":"## Brentford Stadium\n\n**Brentford Community Stadium** is the team's new home, opening in **2020**. It is **compact** — a little more than **17 thousand seats**, but **modern and comfortable**. Each seat has a **good view**, and the atmosphere combines **coziness and energy**.\n\nBefore that, the club played at **Griffin Park** — an old stadium known for its **four corner pubs**. Many fans remember it with nostalgia, but admit: **new arena** is **the right step**.\n\n> \"Brentford Community Stadium is an example of how you can make a modern arena without pathos, but with care for the fans.\"\n\n## Brentford achievements\n\n**Brentford** don't have a shop window lined with trophies, but there are **achievements that are more important than cups**:\n\n* **Exit to the Premier League** in **2021** — for the first time in history.\n* **Enshrining in the elite** and **stable play** against top clubs.\n* **Victory in the play-off final** over **Swansea** that lifted the \"curse of the last step\".\n\nToday, **Brentford** is a **full-fledged player of the Premier League**, which builds success not on random victories, but on **systematicity and strategy**.\n","current_status_and_future":"## Brentford famous players\n\n* **Ivan Toney** is the top scorer who came from the lower leagues and became a candidate for the **England team**.\n* **Brian Mbeumo** is an example of **successful scouting**.\n* **David Raya** is a top-level goalkeeper, currently at **Arsenal**.\n* **Christian Eriksen** is a player who has bounced back from **heart problems** with a move from **Brentford**.\n\n> \"They don't buy stars here - they create them here.\"\n\n## Brentford interesting facts\n\n* **The first club in England** to **abandon the classic academy**, focusing on players aged 17+.\n* Has his own **analytics company** that selects players based on statistics and **mental qualities**.\n\n**It is worth noting** that **Brentford** is **an example of a football revolution** where **smart strategy, not money** comes to the fore. This is a club that has proven: **systematic, analysis and the right approach** can lift even an **underdog to the top**.","stb_internal_id":"0192f730-ee70-7370-9323-88657fd23934","overrides":null,"has_social_media_links":true,"has_social_media_relations":true,"has_membership_relations":true,"has_matches":true,"has_article_relations":false,"history_and_foundation_html":"

Brentford: a football revolution with intelligence

Brentford is a London club that for a long time did not attract much attention, but suddenly began to change the perception of modern football. Founded in 1889, this club from west London has long been \"own for its own\" - with narrow stands, a modest budget and loyal fans.

Today, Brentford is no longer just a pretty underdog, but a well-organized, intelligent team that gives a fight even to the top teams. Not because he spends more — but because he thinks better.

\n
\"Brentford proves that to be competitive in the Premier League, you don't have to spend millions — you just have to have a system and a mind.\"
\n

\n","sporting_achievements_html":"

Brentford history

For a long time, the story of Brentford was written without loud headlines. The club played in lower English leagues, changed coaches, stadiums, structure, but always remained a part of local culture.

In the 1930s, the team rose to the First Division, but after the World War II they went down again and settled for a long time in League 1 and League 2 - effectively the third and fourth tiers of English football.

Everything began to change in 2012, when the club bought Matthew Benham — an analyst who decided to build football on data, not intuition. Since then, Brentford began to select players based on statistics, hire coaches with a modern vision and even rejected the classic academy.

In 2021 the club entered the Premier League for the first time in history via the play-offs, after several dramatic attempts. This became a recognition of the built system: the team not only remained in the elite, but also began to confidently beat big rivals.

\n","club_identity_html":"

Brentford Stadium

Brentford Community Stadium is the team's new home, opening in 2020. It is compact — a little more than 17 thousand seats, but modern and comfortable. Each seat has a good view, and the atmosphere combines coziness and energy.

Before that, the club played at Griffin Park — an old stadium known for its four corner pubs. Many fans remember it with nostalgia, but admit: new arena is the right step.

\n
\"Brentford Community Stadium is an example of how you can make a modern arena without pathos, but with care for the fans.\"
\n

Brentford achievements

Brentford don't have a shop window lined with trophies, but there are achievements that are more important than cups:

Exit to the Premier League in 2021 — for the first time in history.
Enshrining in the elite and stable play against top clubs.
Victory in the play-off final over Swansea that lifted the \"curse of the last step\".

Today, Brentford is a full-fledged player of the Premier League, which builds success not on random victories, but on systematicity and strategy.

\n","current_status_and_future_html":"

Brentford famous players

Ivan Toney is the top scorer who came from the lower leagues and became a candidate for the England team.
Brian Mbeumo is an example of successful scouting.
David Raya is a top-level goalkeeper, currently at Arsenal.
Christian Eriksen is a player who has bounced back from heart problems with a move from Brentford.

\n
\"They don't buy stars here - they create them here.\"
\n

Brentford interesting facts

The first club in England to abandon the classic academy, focusing on players aged 17+.
Has his own analytics company that selects players based on statistics and mental qualities.

It is worth noting that Brentford is an example of a football revolution where smart strategy, not money comes to the fore. This is a club that has proven: systematic, analysis and the right approach can lift even an underdog to the top.

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Transfer	Goal	Assists
Brentford July 2023 - June 2025	0	2
Bayer 04 June 2025 - Now	0	0
Netherlands October 2021 - Now	0	0

Mark Flekken: Career