Brentford’s 74-year wait is over
LONDON. — Brentford were promoted to the English Premier League football for the first time in 74 years on Saturday as they beat Swansea 2-0 in a Championship play- off final worth around £180 million to the winners.
Thomas Frank’s side completed their fairy tale rise thanks to first-half goals from Jamaica target Ivan Toney and Emiliano Marcondes at Wembley.
Swansea’s Jay Fulton was sent off midway through the second half to put the result beyond doubt in what is widely regarded as football’s single most lucrative game, mainly because of the broadcast revenues that English Premier League clubs receive. After decades stuck in lower league obscurity, unfashionable Brentford will be one of the smallest clubs ever to play in the top tier.
In just their second season at the new Brentford Community Stadium, the Bees will welcome the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool to west London. The riches earned from the victory will be transformative for Brentford, who have finally erased the painful memories of their wretched play-off past.
Beaten by Fulham in last season’s Championship final, Brentford had failed to earn promotion in all nine of their play-off appearances before this term.
No team had lost more play-off finals than Brentford’s four, but Frank had insisted the bad omens would count for nothing.
The Bees boss was proved right as he became the first Danish coach to win a Football League promotion.
The high stakes of what is regarded as the richest game in world club football appeared to stifle Swansea, who finished fourth in the regular season to Brentford’s third, and they were reeling after five minutes at Wembley.
Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo was fouled by Swansea goalkeeper Freddie Woodman and Toney coolly dispatched the penalty for his 33rd goal of a superb first season with Brentford. The 5 000 or so Brentford fans who made the short trip were ecstatic in the 20th minute when Mbeumo accelerated down the left before waiting for support from the overlapping Mads Roerslev, who picked out Marcondes to fire home.
Swansea, who were relegated in 2018 after seven seasons in the English Premier League, attempted to apply some pressure and things might have been different had Andre Ayew managed to direct his diving header on target in the 48th minute.
But when they had Jay Fulton sent off for a second booking after 65 minutes, it sealed their fate.
The final whistle sparked jubilation for Thomas Frank and his players and offered conclusive proof of the methods of club owner Matthew Benham — a former professional gambler. Benham employed the deep statistical analysis of data that earned him millions gambling to great effect to transform a club that has lived in the shadows of the capital’s giants.
Toney is a prime example of Brentford’s “Money-ball” transfer policy. He was signed for 5 million pounds last year from Peterborough to replace Ollie Watkins, who joined Aston Villa for 33 million pounds, having arrived for 1.8 million. —