
Una ciudad española se cuela entre las cinco mås visitadas de Europa
Una ciudad española se posiciona entre las cinco mås visitadas de Europa.
Brentford B's 2025/26 season under head coach Sam Saunders has been historic, marked by record achievements and player development. The team won the Under-21s Professional Development League title, finishing ahead of Sheffield United.
Mentioned in this story
Sam Saunders: My reflection on historic Brentford B season
It was a seamless transition and one which brought success on the pitch, with the young Bees claiming the Under-21s Professional Development League (PDL) title, finishing three points clear of Sheffield United.
It was thanks in large part to the west Londonersâ longest winning streak since re-joining the PDL, where they were unbeaten for 10 straight games, including eight wins in a row, and seven of those coming in league action.
For Saunders, the way his side approached the final game of the season against Swansea City, with just a point required for the title, highlighted the mentality within the group.
âI was really proud of the boys to perform in the manner that they did, even though we obviously drew the game and we knew a draw would be enough, we played for the win,â he said.
âWe reacted really well to going 2-1 down, so that was really good to see out of the boys when it wasnât going our way, how they got together and got the job done.
âItâs something that theyâve deserved for their efforts throughout the whole season. Performance-wise, itâs been a very high bar that theyâve set week in, week out, with the ball and without the ball.
Brentford B achieved multiple records during the 2025/26 season, culminating in winning the Under-21s Professional Development League title.
Sam Saunders is the head coach of Brentford B for the 2025/26 season, having taken over from Neil MacFarlane.
Brentford B finished the league season three points clear of Sheffield United, securing the Under-21s Professional Development League title.
Sam Saunders transitioned from assistant coach to head coach, following Neil MacFarlane's promotion to the first team coaching staff.

Una ciudad española se posiciona entre las cinco mås visitadas de Europa.
Texas A&M's star freshman Nico Partida will miss Game 1 against Ole Miss due to injury.
Catch FSU softball as they take on Stanford in the ACC semifinals on May 8!
Tensions boil over as Chimaev kicks Strickland at UFC 328 press conference!
Birmingham City FC reveals ambitious plans for a new stadium and Sports Quarter!
Find out where former Lady Vols are playing in the 2026 WNBA season and how to watch the openers!
See every story in Sports â including breaking news and analysis.
âIt was pleasing to get it done back at the Gtech in front of their friends and family, who have sacrificed so much throughout their careers.â
Saundersâ side is the first to claim the PDL title in consecutive years, after getting the job done in the play-offs last year, having finished second in the South table. This season, they claimed the title after finishing top of the 20-team league in a revamped format.
It didnât come without its challenges, however, as squad changes saw a new-look group take to the pitch across the season.
Ethan Brierley (Exeter City), Ben Krauhaus (Bromley), Tony Yogane (Dundee) and Benjamin Fredrick (FCV Dender) went out on loan at the start of the season, while Iwan Morgan (Shrewsbury Town) and Michael Olakigbe (Swindon Town) went on loan in January.
Ashley Hay joined Dundee on a permanent deal in pre-season, while Chanse Headman made the permanent move to Harrogate Town in January.
The Bees welcomed Theo Mawene and Kyrie Pierre at the start of the campaign, while Luca Picotto, Maxwell McKnight and Joseph Wheeler-Henry joined the side throughout the campaign.
Saunders also welcomed Chris Burke into the coaching ranks as his assistant coach in January.
âOn the pitch, the boys know their jobs,â explained Saunders. "Weâve coached them in a manner where, instead of just giving them the fish, weâve given them the net so that they can go and fish themselves.
âOn the pitch, the boys know their jobs. Weâve coached them in a manner where, instead of just giving them the fish, weâve given them the net so that they can go and fish themselves'
âThe principles and the structure are there, the players know what is expected and theyâre given fluidity within themselves to play within the structure and express themselves.
âThatâs with and without the ball. No matter who comes in and who goes out, they can just fit into that.â
As the season has progressed, Josh Stephenson, Ollie Shield, Riley Owen and Luka Bentt have trained with the first team, while also being part of matchday squads. The latter made his first-team debut in the FA Cup against Macclesfield.
While the player movement has meant some key players have missed U21s games, Saunders highlighted the development that comes from these experiences.
âItâs brilliant and thatâs what weâre here for, the boys get so much exposure within that,â he said.
âThis year has been the most minutes B-team players have had out on loan, so that shows where the academy is going as well.
âNot everyoneâs going to break through to the first team at Brentford, itâs impossible, so how we get these lads 15-year careers playing full-time football is our main aim.
âWhether itâs lads going on loan and having the success that theyâve had this year, like Ben getting promoted or Ethan playing nearly every minute of every game with Exeter, or Morgs going in January.
âAlso, the ones that have gone permanently like Chanse, when two years ago he was in the community scheme. We look at that as really good success.â
As has become a staple within the club, the side challenged itself abroad against experienced menâs teams across the season.
Playing under the Brentford B banner, the group drew 1-1 with Mérida, drew 0-0 with FC Kryvbas and defeated an AS Monaco side featuring Paul Pogba and Eric Dier 2-1.
âWe went on tour three times this season and played three menâs teams and were unbeaten, thatâs good for the group in really tough tests against these teams,â explained Saunders.
âWeâve said to the boys it is about winning now. Within the way that we play, how we train, and how we demand every day, thereâs going to be development within the players because the standards are high.
âWeâve got a leadership group that really drives the standards, drives the training and takes ownership. We try and work in an environment where weâre all accountable, but weâre also vulnerable.
âThe groupâs definitely grown over the course of the season without a doubt. This is the good bit about the job, seeing where we are now compared to what we were at the beginning of the season, you can see the work that weâve been doing day in and day out at the training ground.
âItâs been a really satisfying journey and the pressure of winning and putting that onus on the players to perform is a part of their development.â
The journey saw the Bees qualify for the PDL play-offs, with the top eight sides taking on the 17th-24th ranked Premier League 2 clubs in a knockout competition, the winner to be crowned PDL champions.
After defeating Derby County 2-0 in the round of 16, Brentford fell to Everton 4-2 in the quarter-final.
With the west Londoners set to step into the PL2 next season after Brentford Academy was awarded Category One status, Saunders said he and the group are looking forward to a new challenge in 2026/27.
âItâs going to be a really exciting season next year, hopefully in another couple of cup competitions as well,â he said.
âIn Category One is where we want to test ourselves, we know the quality within Category One, weâve played a few of those teams this season and you can see the levels, so itâs definitely going to be more difficult.
âI feel like itâs going to be a really good test for the boys and itâs only going to make them better.â