Brentford continued to defy the odds by securing a first top-half Premier League finish last term.

Thomas Frank's Bees spent most of a memorable campaign flirting with European qualification and pulled off plenty of shocks, including a famous double over Treble winners Manchester City.

But with 20-goal talisman Ivan Toney banned from all football until mid-January, replicating those achievements looks a tall order this time around.

Last season: Ninth

No Brentford fan will forget 2022-23 in a hurry — it was the club's most successful season in 85 years.

Losing only four of their first 24 top-flight outings, dreams of continental football looked like becoming reality before a five-game winless streak in April put paid to those hopes.

It was still a phenomenal nine months with a 4-0 thumping of Manchester United, 3-1 defeat of Liverpool and two hard-fought wins against the eventual champions among the highlights.

Meanwhile, only Erling Haaland and Harry Kane outscored the prolific Toney, whose exploits were sadly overshadowed by a breach of betting rules that landed him an eight-month ban from all footballing activities.

New faces

The Bees kicked off their summer business with the acquisition of German winger Kevin Schade from Freiburg in a club-record deal.

Having joined on loan last term, the exciting 21-year-old has made his switch permanent and was quickly followed to West London by his old team-mate Mark Flekken.

Netherlands international Flekken, 30, looks a potential replacement for Spanish stopper David Raya, who has been strongly linked with a move away.

More recently, the club broke their transfer record for a second time to land Wolves defender Nathan Collins on a six-year deal.

One to watch: Kevin Schade

Schade's loan spell at the G-Tech Community Stadium was an unremarkable one last term but he may soon have Premier League fans sitting up and taking notice.

He registered only a solitary assist in 19 top-tier appearances but showed flashes of genuine star quality as well as lightning pace.

Capable of playing on the left, right or as a central striker, the Germany Under-21 international should benefit from plenty of game time in the absence of Toney.

Former Liverpool midfielder Didi Hamann has no reservations over his countryman's potential.

Hamann said: "I think he could be a world-beater. Once he has settled and feels comfortable at Brentford, I think he can be as good as anyone."

The boss: Thomas Frank

Few Premier League managers can boast the same level of job security as Frank.

Having led the Bees into the Premier League, subsequent finishes of 13th and ninth have seen the 49-year-old tactician's stock rise to spectacular heights.

Linked with the Tottenham job earlier this summer, Brentford supporters know a day may come where the German is lured to one of Europe's footballing giants.

But for now, another season of causing chaos among English football's elite seems to be his preference.

Information correct as of August 1, 2023