Following on from their promotion to the Championship, not many pundits gave Brentford much hope of surviving in the second tier alongside more illustrious opponents.
Manager Mark Warburton quietly went about his business last summer, however, plotting an assault on the playoff places which saw his side only narrowly miss out on a spot in the big time.
En route to finishing fifth in the table, the Bees endured many highs (sealing a league double over rivals Fulham), and the occasional low (being pegged back in the final seconds by Derby County among them).
© Getty Images
Announcing that miracle-worker Warburton would leave the club upon the end of the season also seemed a strange decision at the time, which only looks far more peculiar now the dust has settled on a superb campaign.
Ultimately, Brentford met their match in the playoff semi-finals when they were rather emphatically beaten by Middlesbrough across the two legs, but there is certainly reason to be optimistic ahead of next season.
Warburton has set the bar very high for new boss Marinus Dijkhuizen, who has been described as "open-minded" and "innovative" by the club's new co-directors of football.
Five key results
Blackpool 1-2 Brentford, August 19, 2014:
© Getty Images
Following a somewhat slow start to the new term, which included a single point from their opening two games, it looked to be a similar story on the coast as Blackpool took a 17th-minute lead at Bloomfield Road. Brentford hit back, though, eventually going on to win the game thanks to goals from key duo Alex Pritchard and Stuart Dallas.
Middlesbrough 4-0 Brentford, September 20, 2014: The West London outfit had a knack of keeping games tight in the opening weeks, either picking up points or being edged out by the odd goal. That changed in mid-September, though, as a 3-0 reverse against Norwich City was followed up by a four-goal thrashing against a side they would get to know well by the season's end.
Brentford 4-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers, November 29, 2014:
© Getty Images
Those defeats may have acted as something of a reality check for the eventual top-six finishers, but it certainly did not knock their confidence. Five wins on the bounce in November, including 14 goals scored and just five conceded, saw the Bees climb to within a point of league leaders Derby County.
Fulham 1-4 Brentford, April 3, 2015: Warburton's charges would remain there or thereabouts for the next four months or so, battling to pick up the points needed to stay afloat in the playoffs. After overturning a two-goal deficit in dramatic style against Millwall, Brentford then travelled to local rivals Fulham with their aim style on track. A 4-1 annihilation followed, providing those visiting supporters in the away end with arguably their highlight of the season.
© Getty Images
Middlesbrough 3(5)-0(1) Brentford, May 15, 2015: Having booked their place in the playoffs thanks to a comfortable 3-0 win over already-relegated Wigan Athletic on the final day, confidence was high heading into their two-legged affair against Boro. A cruel late goal by Fernando Amorebieta at Griffin Park knocked the Bees' confidence, however, and the return tie was a formality for the eventual beaten finalists.
Best Player - Toumani Diagouraga
© Getty Images
While the likes of Alex Pritchard and Jota took a lot of the acclaim for Brentford's achievements thanks to their attacking prowess, it was the guile of Diagouraga which proved key throughout the campaign. The French-Malian midfielder, who made 43 appearances in all this term, has now seen his name linked with an array of Championship rivals as a result of his performances.
Not afraid to do the dirty work, as highlighted by his flurry of yellow cards across the season, Diagouraga sits backs and allows others further ahead to get on with the task in hand. Should Brentford mount another playoff charge next season, they will need their long-serving player to replicate his form of this season.
Most Improved Player - Stuart Dallas
Diagouraga is of course a contender for this category, too, having impressed following a spell away from the club last season, but the all-round improvement of Dallas has also been clear to see. Plucked from obscurity by Warburton in 2012, the Northern Irishman's performances have now led to international recognition.
© Getty Images
Some felt that he was not good enough for the League One battle, but since returning from a three-month loan stint at Northampton Town he has become a key component in this side. "He's getting better and better," were the words of then-Bees boss Warburton earlier this year, and there is certainly no disagreeing with that on the back of a season which saw him contribute 10 goals in all.
Best Signing - Alex Pritchard
It may only have been a loan signing, but this capture from Tottenham Hotspur proved to be one of the coups of the season in the Championship. Most impressive of all, each of Pritchard's 12 goals came in separate games, highlighting his ability to make a difference on a consistent basis.
It came as little surprise, then, to hear Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino recently reveal that the 22-year-old is a strong part of his first-team plans at White Hart Lane next season. He may not have been able to help Brentford reach the big time, but Pritchard now has the chance to prove that he is good enough to perform at the highest level.
Best Goal - Stuart Dallas vs. Fulham
Realistically, any of the four goals scored against Fulham in the 4-1 rout back in April could claim this accolade. It was the second of Dallas's personal double which deserves the most praise, though.
After picking up the ball 25 yards from goal, just when a decent attacking move looked to have broken down, the Northern Irishman let rip beyond the reach of Marcus Bettinelli to spark further scenes of joy in the away section at Craven Cottage.
Must Do Better - Harlee Dean
Liable to the odd brain freeze, while it also took him a while to truly settle down. If Brentford are to spend a prolonged period of time at the top end of the division next season, then he needs to produce solid displays week by week. The 23-year-old ended the season very well, however, which offers plenty of encouragement for the future.
End-of-season grade: A-
So close, yet ultimately so far for Brentford. The disappointment of missing out in the playoff semis will cloud what has otherwise been a superb campaign overall. The Bees will be under the guidance of former Excelsior boss Dijkhuizen next term and drastic changes will be made to the way the club approaches the game on and off the field. As long as the foundations Warburton left remain in place, there should be a lot to look forward to in this part of West London.
