The Premier League is coming. This time next week we’ll have programmed 19 trips from Brentford into the satnav. Places as far flung as Burnley and Liverpool. Manchester and Leeds. Not Fulham, though. They’re down (and Bees up). This time next month we’ll have reprogrammed most of those trips as we find out that 3pm Saturday kick offs are an aspiration rather than a lifestyle choice. I can’t wait. Euro 2020 is upon us and it has barely registered. Instead, it still seems to be nothing but Brentford in our house. Billy and The Beesotted crew organising Wednesday night’s live podcast from the pub with none other than Phil and Rasmus. Then, Cliff Crown popped up on Twitter to share something very special. It was also confirmed we’ve said a fond farewell to three of our Wembley winners as contracts are set to expire. But first, the forthcoming Premier League season.
Who are you looking forward to seeing the most? Home or away? A tweet from the Prem’s official feed got the juices flowing once more yesterday. ‘Refreshed and ready for 2021/22’ it said. There was the league table. Gone were Sheff United, West Brom and Fulham. On their place, the Bees, Watford and Norwich City. Even better though, Brentford are already in the Champion’s League spots. We’re third, everyone…. 😉 Just 38 games to go to hold that spot.
Of all the illustrious opponents we’re due to face, everyone has one they are looking forward to the most. Some are obvious. Others less so. For me, there’s not one game with out an extra angle. An additional layer of intrigue…
Arsenal – a bit of league cup payback would be nice. A chance to see our regular starting XI from the off rather than the bench. Oh, and they have a certain David Luiz in their squad. WE haven’t forgotten ‘that’ elbow.
Aston Villa – do we need to spell it out? Dean Smith. Ezri Konsa. England international Ollie Watkins. I’d absolutely LOVE to pick up three points, even if only to hear which team actually ‘deserved to win’.
Brighton – Neal Maupay. The undisputed king of shithousery. ANY excuse to see him in action. Even if it will feel a bit weird seeing him against us. Pantomime villainy awaits.
Burnley – number 26. We took the longer route around but both of us are now in the Premier League. Villainy awaits.
Chelsea – Champions of Europe. The West London derby – sorry, Fulham (I’m not of course). Some FA Cup payback and the thought of ‘that’ elbow already add recent colour to this game.
Crystal Palace – One of several London derbies. A new ground for us. The Ron Noades (RIP) derby
Everton – who could forget Richard Lee’s heroics? TC, where are you going to be?
Leeds United – teams like Brentford shouldn’t be in the Premier League. Pontus. Maupay. My cousin’s husband. This one is pretty much top of my list.
Leicester City – the former champions. We’ve played them twice in the FA Cup. Ryan Murrant. Oh, Ryan Murrant……
Liverpool – a chance to crack open the bingo cards and show Jurgen Klopp what he missed out on when opting for Anfield over Griffin Park…
Manchester City – the league champions. Not to mention a certain FA Cup tie. Still, up there in my favourite Brentford moments.
Manchester United – seeing the Bees walk out at Old Trafford is going to be weird. In the nicest sense.
Newcastle United – simply put, one of the best away days in the calendar.
Norwich City – Delia Smith. Carrow Road. A club with a special place in my heart after they were so generous to us when H was mascot.
Southampton – another new away day for us. At least, in this league. (err…. Definitely didn’t forget about League One).
Spurs – a chance to see if, this season, VAR works in our favour.
Watford – Indestructible at the back end of last season. Will be very interesting to see how we both step up this time around.
West Ham – Benrahma. Oh, Benrahma. I’m sure there may be a few half and half scarves out, too.
Wolves – we went toe to toe in those League One and early Championship seasons. They’ve now gone up a notch but I cannot wait to cross swords once more.
It’s going to be amazing. All of it. Then up popped Chairman Cliff Crown on Twitter last night with, in his words. ‘This beauty’ . And he’s right. It is beautiful. We are official.
There were several obvious questions coming off the back of it.
Did he actually have to handover £1 in exchange? Coin or PayPal?
Was it signed with a half-chewed BIC ? One can only hope the Pontus Jansson ceremonial biro has been retained for posterity.
Did Fulham have to sell their share back?
Whatever the answer, nobody can deny that we ARE Premier League. We may be a bus stop in Hounslow but we are as deserving of our place as our 19 divisional stable mates.
On slightly sadder, albeit totally expected, news was the official cofirmation that Henrik, Emiliano and Luke Daniels will be leaving us. Their contracts expire this month and so we say adieu. Henrik in particular had already seen the news leaked by Midtjyland (the owner really needs to have a word) earlier in the week but all three will be missed. If nothing else, Emiliano has ‘that’ goal that will be forever in our hearts…
One thing I hope doesn’t change with top flight status is the interaction between club and supporters. This has been well, well documented over the years and nowhere more was it seen than just this week when Dave, Billy Grant, not Reeves) and the Beesotted crew organised their live podcast from the pub.
Surprise special guests were none other than our Directors of Football – Rasmus Ankersen and Phil Giles. As Billy said afterwards, How many clubs – never mind PremierLeague clubs – will you have the Directors of Football come down the pub for over 3 hours & chat & joke w fans & be completely honest?
BrentfordFC of course
Indeed it was completely honest and anything goes. Even when the camera stoped rolling. Part one is now up and you’ll find it on Twitter and the Beesotted ‘Pride of West London’ podcast page.
Or, just click below
On personal note, it was great to get out and about with my fellow Bees once more. Wembley was indescribable. Bournemouth incredible. Yet they were both ‘match situations’. To sit back and discuss it all, now the news has really sunk in, was equally special.
That’s the club we have though. Please, never let it change.
Nick Bruzon
BrentfordFC 
Would like to have seen us keep the 3 players that we let go as they all played a large part in getting us to the prem and they all leave as bees legends in their own way .However in benham we trust and as ever their is a plan at brentford and we look forward to seeing who we sign as replacements or if one of the young keepers that we have is ready to step up .bidstrup also looks a decent player .think we need a bit of prem experience in the squad ,but the brentford system knows more than me .bring on the prem big boys COYB
As a Burnley fan, welcome to the Premier League. Great to see you here. They aren’t going to like all us smaller clubs eating from the top table but hopefully we can annoy them for many years to come.
Looks like Tarkowski is doing the same to us this summer as he did to you and as Andre Gray before, so it’s now our turn to be upset, but onwards and upwards for the clarets and bees and we look forward to seeing you at Turf Moor.
Cheers. Here’s to a cracking season. Perhaps he has a sick relative somewhere….?
Its finally sinking in! We are Premier League!
Now for Wednesday and the fixtures list.Who will be the first opponents at Lionel in front of a full house? But before then maybe Bees on the world stage with Mathias, Christian, Marcus, Pontus, and not forgetting Halil tonight
I seem to remember going to st Mary’s when we were both in league one 😉