Brentford FC

Brentford face Tottenham Hotspur away from home in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon (3pm kick-off GMT).

The Bees will be looking to bounce back from a 2-0 loss against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night, while Spurs drew 2-2 at Newcastle United in midweek.

Analysis, team news, match officials and more. Here's everything you need to know ahead of the fixture.

Pre-match Analysis

Stephen Gillett, Playmaker Stats: Spurs struggling for consistency

Thomas Frank’s Tottenham welcome his former club Brentford to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this weekend, and it may prove difficult for Keith Andrews to get a firm read on Spurs given their uneven performances this season.

After seven era-defining years at Brentford, Frank crossed the capital in the summer, and his early spell at Spurs has produced eight wins, seven draws and seven losses in all competitions - a spread that reflects a team still searching for rhythm.

Tuesday’s 2–2 draw at Newcastle captured the mood of Frank’s maiden campaign: flashes of quality and resilience wrapped in inconsistency.

Tottenham twice came from behind at St James’ Park, showing genuine mettle, with rugged centre-half Cristian Romero emerging as a surprising hero. The Argentine scored both goals, his acrobatic overhead kick salvaging a point in stoppage-time.

Romero’s bicycle kick established Tottenham (15 goals on the road) as the joint-most prolific away side in the Premier League this season, and also illustrated their knack for netting unlikely goals.

Only four teams - Arsenal, Man City, Chelsea and Brighton - have outscored Spurs in the top flight, yet Frank’s men are punching far above their weight according to the expected goals metric.

The xG numbers reveal that Tottenham have struck 22 Premier League goals (excluding own goals) from just 15.54 xG this term - an over-performance of +6.46 - and Romero’s audacious overhead, bobbling through a sea of bodies, was perhaps the purest illustration of this trend.

Brentford have converted 21 of 147 shots (14.29 per cent) this season, giving them the third-best shot conversion rate in the division. But Tottenham (17.42 per cent) top the Premier League in this respect, despite creating lower-quality chances than the Bees in xG terms.

Remarkably, Spurs have scored nigh on a goal for every two shots on target this term, but they are unlikely to sustain such a high ratio, and Frank will surely want his team to increase the volume of shots they take. Only Burnley (8.2) and Wolves (9.1) have averaged fewer shots per game than Spurs (9.4) so far.

Tottenham’s pressing numbers this term are similarly erratic. According to their passes-per-defensive-action (PPDA) data, only Bournemouth and Arsenal have pressed more intensely than Spurs - yet the north Londoners have managed just four shots from high turnovers this season, a mere five per cent of their upfield regains leading to an attempt on goal.

This disjointedness extends into their defensive work too. Tottenham have logged more miscontrols (252) and been dispossessed on more occasions (148) than any team in the top tier, and they have had the most errors leading to opponents’ shots, with 19.

Brentford, in contrast, have limited any freebies; the Bees have had the fewest lapses of this sort (4) in the division.

Scout report

Dan Long, Sky Sports: Patience needed to turn Tottenham's fortunes around

How best to sum up Tottenham’s 2024/25 season? Strange? Bittersweet? A rollercoaster? One thing is for sure - it was historic, for both positive and negative reasons.

Firstly, it was littered with defeats. There were 26 in all competitions, 22 of which came in the Premier League. The last time they lost that many league games was when they were relegated from the First Division in 1934/35.

It meant they finished just one place above the relegation zone in 17th, which also marked their lowest-ever Premier League finish and their lowest in the top flight since 1966/67, when they finished 22nd in the First Division in 1976/77.

The only saving grace was that Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton won only 12 games between them and slipped back into the Championship without much of a fight.

Ange Postecoglou was under pressure for the whole campaign, with a statement he made after the north London derby defeat to Arsenal on 15 September 2024 relentlessly following him around: “I usually win things in my second season,” he said.

In the league, Spurs faltered, but in the Carabao Cup and Europa League, it was a different story. Those competitions brought a much-needed release. In the former, they reach the semi-finals for the fourth time in seven seasons and in the latter, they beat Manchester United in the final in Bilbao.

Postecoglou no doubt revelled in the ultimate mic-drop moment, delivering Spurs’ first trophy since 2008. The disastrous league form was forgotten about.

But 16 days after that glorious night in Spain, Postecoglou was sacked. “Whilst winning the Europa League this season ranks as one of the club’s greatest moments, we cannot base our decision on emotions aligned to this triumph,” said the club’s statement.

Within a fortnight, the Australian had been replaced by Thomas Frank, who was tempted away from Brentford by a three-year deal in north London. “The time has come for me to move on. But, even as I leave, I know I have left a big piece of my heart at Brentford,” he wrote in a letter to the Bees fans.

It has not been plain sailing for the Dane, though. In his first competitive game, Spurs lost to PSG on penalties in the UEFA Super Cup and, despite three wins from his first four in the league, it is now two wins from the last 10. They are out of the Carabao Cup and have won one of their last four Champions League games.

External pressure is mounting - and was cranked up recently when Frank reacted to fans booing Guglielmo Vicario after a howler against Fulham. “I didn’t like that our fans booed at him straight after and a few times he touched the ball,” he told Sky Sports. “They can’t be true Tottenham fans. That’s unacceptable in my opinion.”

Internally, though, the club seem to still be sure they have the right man at the helm, as Matt Verri alluded to in Hot off the Press. With many players from last season still at the club, surely turning Spurs back into a top-seven club will take time and a touch more patience?

Regardless, a crucial period is upon Spurs. They are five without a league win and, after Brentford’s visit, face Nottingham Forest, Liverpool and Crystal Palace. They host winless Slavia Prague in Europe next Tuesday. This run will test Frank’s mettle.

In the Dugout

Thomas Frank

Thomas Frank was coaching youth players in his native Denmark from his early 20s. He spent time at his hometown club Frederiksvaerk, then Hvidovre, but his career might have ended before he took a job at Copenhagen-based B93.

His future would have lain in teaching, when he agreed with his wife to stop coaching due to money concerns. He was also doing his master's in psychology, working as a coach educator, studying for his A-Licence and bringing up two children, as he told The Telegraph in 2020.

Fortunately, he accepted the B93 role, then moved on to Lyngby and, later, the Danish international set-up where, in 2008, he took on the role of managing both Denmark’s Under-16s and U17s. He took the latter - with a squad that included Christian Nørgaard, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and Yussuf Poulsen - to the U17 Euros in May 2011, where they reached the semi-finals, and the U17 World Cup the following month.

Frank moved on to the U19s in 2012, then took his first senior job in June 2013 at Brøndby. He took charge of over 100 games before resigning in March 2016. Nine months later, he joined Brentford as an assistant to head coach Dean Smith, before being promoted to head coach in October 2018, when Smith left west London to take over at Aston Villa.

Though he won just one of his first 10 games, over the next seven years, Frank would become one of the club’s most successful managers in history. He took the Bees to the Championship play-off final in his first full season, then delivered promotion to the Premier League in his second. In 2022/23, he guided the club to ninth - their highest top-flight finish since they finished sixth under Harry Curtis in 1937/38.

In June, after over 300 games in charge at Brentford, he signed a three-year deal to replace Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham.

The Gameplan

With Matt Verri, Standard Sport

Standard Sport's Matt Verri discusses how Thomas Frank's side are likely to set up on Saturday afternoon.

He said: "That is a difficult one to predict because I think he has changed the system and he has changed the line-up pretty much every match!

"In general, I think the most common one has been a 4-2-3-1, with at least one of João Palhinha or Rodrigo Bentancur as the defensive midfielders.

"Randal Kolo Muani will probably be starting up front as he has been in really impressive form. Then there is Xavi Simons, who has not started any of the last three Premier League matches. There is a big debate over how much Frank trusts him.

"Whatever system Tottenham play, it will be very direct. They are going to be trying to win set-pieces as much as possible, with a focus on corners and trying to get it wide as much as possible.

"In terms of who the actual personnel will be, that is changing so much from game to game."

Last starting XI v Newcastle United (4-3-3): Vicario; Porro, Danso, Romero, Udogie; Bentancur, Bergvall, Sarr; Kudus, Kolo Muani, Johnson

Read the full interview with Matt Verri here.

Match Officials

Jones appointed for Spurs trip

Referee: Robert Jones

Assistants: Neil Davies and Bhupinder Singh Gill

Fourth official: Sam Barrott

VAR: Timothy Wood

Robert Jones first took charge of a Brentford game in April 2017, when he oversaw a 1-1 draw at Barnsley in the Championship.

He has since refereed a further 13 fixtures involving the Bees, the most recent of them being a 2-1 loss against Arsenal in the season before last.

Jones has been the man in the middle for 14 games this term, brandishing 53 yellow cards, and is yet to send a player off in 2025/26.

The 38-year-old's most recent appointment was for Manchester United's 2-1 win against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Memorable Meeting

Tottenham Hotspur 1 Brentford 3, (Premier League, 20 May 2023)

Bryan Mbeumo grabbed two goals and an assist to help Brentford come from behind and claim a first-ever victory at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Bees hadn't won away at Spurs since 1948 and looked to be heading for a defeat after Harry Kane's long-range opener in the first half.

Mbeumo equalised five minutes after the break and turned the game on its head with just over an hour played, with both efforts being fine left-footed finishes into the far corner of the goal.

He then turned provider, laying it on a plate for Yoane Wissa to add a third late on.

Tottenham remain a work in progress under head coach Thomas Frank, explains Standard Sport’s Matt Verri, as the former Brentford boss prepares for his first game against his old club on Saturday (3pm kick-off GMT).

The Premier League game against the Bees is viewed as an important one for the Dane, with his side sitting 11th in the table and still looking to offer more of a threat going forward.

Tottenham Hotspur are 11th in the Premier League ahead of Saturday’s game. What have you made of their start to the season?

Tottenham started the season pretty well in terms of results.

They beat Manchester City away on the second weekend of the season and there was a fair bit of positivity around the idea that Thomas Frank was going to change, tactically, match to match, Spurs were going to be versatile, and that was a big change from what they were doing under Ange Postecoglou.

But even in the first couple of months, while results were decent, the performances were a bit of a concern. They were relying heavily on set-pieces, Guglielmo Vicario was having a lot of good games, and a lot of the underlying data suggests that they were overperforming a lot, which has caught up with them in the last month or so.

The main problem is the attack - they really struggle to create chances. At the time of speaking, they are 17th in the Premier League for the amount of shots taken per game.

And the defence, which was the strength earlier in the season, has got worse, so you combine those two things and it has been a pretty tough run.

The fans are very frustrated with the style of play: Frank is pretty pragmatic, very cautious, and it has not been very entertaining to watch.

When you lose to Chelsea and Arsenal - Tottenham's biggest rivals - that piles the pressure on as well.

Thomas Frank has been in the headlines over the last week, with his response to boos aimed at Vicario after his mistake against Fulham. How much pressure is he currently under and how much time is he likely to be given?

I think, for now, a lot of the pressure is fairly external in terms of coming from the fans. The club are still pretty calm about the situation.

There was a pretty long process to appoint him in the summer: they interviewed a lot of candidates and they were convinced he was the one.

There has been a lot of change behind the scenes as well. Daniel Levy has gone now and there is a new structure in place, and Tottenham do want Frank to be the man at the centre of that, so I think there is a lot of goodwill towards him.

There comes a point, though, where the noise from the fans gets too much and clubs are often forced into action.

Like I said, the style of play is his big problem, and the home form is another - Spurs have not won at home in the Premier League since the first weekend of the season.

That is not just his problem, as they won three times there in the last 12 months, so it does predate him, but it is his problem at the moment.

The Fulham match last weekend was a disaster and, if he now lost to Brentford, I think he would be under huge pressure from the fans and that would start to be something the club and the board would probably listen to.

This is very much being billed as a game he has to win this weekend.

Do you think that external pressure and frustration was already there from last season, there is just a new target now?

Like I said, the home form has been terrible for a long time, so that has carried over.

I guess he was in a tough situation in the summer, in that there was a decent chunk of Tottenham fans who did not want Postecoglou to go. He had given Spurs their best night in a long time, having won a first trophy in 17 years. During the trophy parade, the fanbase was so united.

Certainly, with distance now, the fact that they finished 17th has been forgotten to an extent. The fans are just remembering the trophy and the entertaining football, even though there was plenty under Postecoglou that was not particularly entertaining.

So, you have a chunk of the fans who did not particularly want Frank, and the fact that his style of play is fairly cautious has not helped.

There is also an element of Levy not being there as the lightning rod for it, so a lot of the anger has carried over in terms of fans being unhappy with how the club has been run and, now they do not have Levy's name to chant or him to focus on, Frank is the one who is taking it at the moment.

Which player should Brentford be keeping an eye out for on Saturday?

For good and bad, a lot of Tottenham's play goes through Mohammed Kudus.

Brentford fans will know Frank loves crossing; that is a key part of his game, that is where he focuses, and that has carried on at Tottenham.

Pretty much all of their attacks at the moment go down that right wing. There is a lot of times when Kudus is isolated and the pressure is on him to beat two or three men and get a cross in, but he has got six assists in the Premier League this season and has carried that attack a lot.

That said, he is a player who frustrates fans and sometimes he tries to do too much but, because he is in a situation where he keeps getting the ball and is having to make it all happen by himself, that is pretty inevitable.

So, assuming he starts, Kudus will be the one a lot of Tottenham's play goes through.

What should Keith Andrews’ men expect in terms of shape and style?

That is a difficult one to predict because I think he has changed the system and he has changed the line-up pretty much every match!

In general, I think the most common one has been a 4-2-3-1, with at least one of João Palhinha or Rodrigo Bentancur as the defensive midfielders.

Randal Kolo Muani will probably be starting up front as he has been in really impressive form.

Then there is Xavi Simons, who has not started any of the last three Premier League matches. There is a big debate over how much Frank trusts him.

Whatever system Tottenham play, it will be very direct. They are going to be trying to win set-pieces as much as possible, with a focus on corners and trying to get it wide as much as possible.

In terms of who the actual personnel will be, that is changing so much from game to game.

What’s your score prediction?

At some point, Tottenham do have to win at home. I have thought that a lot, but I think they will just about get over the line.

I will go 2-1, but I think it will be fairly nervy and unconvincing. This is just such a must-win game for Tottenham.

Brentford v Tottenham Hotspur  Brentford FC

Three of Brentford's Premier League fixtures over the festive period have been selected for live television coverage.

New dates have been allocated for the Bees' home game against Tottenham and away clash against Everton.

Keith Andrews' side were originally scheduled to welcome Spurs to Gtech Community Stadium on Tuesday 30 December, but that match will now take place on New Year's Day (8pm kick-off).

Due to that fixture moving, the west Londoners' first-ever visit to Hill Dickinson Stadium to face Everton has been put back a day to Sunday 4 January (3pm kick-off).

Finally, Brentford's home game against Sunderland will remain on Wednesday 7 January, but kick-off has been brought forward by half an hour to 7.30pm.

All three of the above fixtures will be televised by Sky Sports, who will also broadcast December's trip to Arsenal and home clash against Leeds United.

Bournemouth will visit the Gtech on Saturday 27 December (3pm kick-off) as originally scheduled.

To everyone associated with Brentford Football Club.

The time has come for me to move on. But, even as I leave, I know I have left a big piece of my heart at Brentford, not just at the football club but with the community and, of course, the incredible and loyal supporters.

I want to extend my profound gratitude to the club for giving me the chance to pursue my dreams and for everyone involved who made the journey such a memorable one.

For my family and I, it has been a privilege to be allowed to be part of such a special community - it’s an experience and adventure that we will cherish for life. So, thank you.

Whatever we have achieved, we have achieved together, and our success is built on unity, spirit, courage and ambition at every level of the club and amongst the fans.

Everybody has contributed, and every contribution has been invaluable. I am not just leaving a football club, I am saying goodbye to friends whose support through good and bad times I will carry with me always.

I would like to say a special word of thanks to Matthew Benham. His trust and friendship have meant so much and the fact he gave me a chance in English football means I will always owe him a debt of gratitude. Thank you, Matt.

So, while this is a goodbye, I hope the relationships I have built with everybody will be lasting ones and, of course, we will meet again in the wonderful world of football.

Thank you,

Thomas Frank has left Brentford to take up the role of head coach at Tottenham Hotspur.

In his seven years as head coach with the Bees, Frank guided the club back into the top flight of English football, before stabilising the west Londoners in the Premier League, providing some fantastic performances and memorable victories in that time.

Assistant first-team coach Justin Cochrane, head of athletic performance Chris Haslam and first-team analyst Joe Newton are also joining Frank at Spurs.

Brentford director of football Phil Giles said: “It has been a pleasure working alongside Thomas.

"From the moment he replaced Dean Smith, he understood what we were trying to build and his wisdom, coaching ability and emotional intelligence have helped transform the club.

“There have been so many special moments with Thomas and nobody will ever forget the day at Wembley for the play-off final or that emotional first Premier League game against Arsenal.

“But it’s not just what you see on the pitch. He forged a special connection with our fans, helped develop and improve players, and was instrumental in implementing the culture that has seen Brentford go from strength to strength.

“However, just as when a player leaves, it provides an opportunity for someone else to come in and make their own impact.

“We will never forget Thomas, but now it is time to thank him and take the next steps in our journey with a new leader who we believe can be just as successful and influential.”

Frank first joined Brentford in December 2016 as assistant head coach. He replaced Dean Smith as head coach in 2018, before guiding the Bees to promotion from the Sky Bet Championship in 2021.

Only the second man to lead the club in the top tier, Frank has the record for the most wins in his first 200 games in charge (90).

He is also in third place for total wins as manager in club history (132) - only Malky MacDonald (163) and Harry Curtis (306) have surpassed that mark.

Everyone connected with Brentford would like to thank Thomas for the incredible impact he has had on the club’s history.

The club will be making no further comment until a successor has been appointed.

When people say that Brentford help players grow and develop, instinctively, you think that means the club has improved their touch, the accuracy of their passing, or the timing of their runs.

But the things that some won’t see is how the west Londoners shape personalities and aid in a player’s maturity which, if you join the club as an 18-year-old like Paris Maghoma did, is sometimes needed.

The centre-midfielder, now 23, signed for the Bees from Premier League side Tottenham, where he had been for over a decade prior to his move west. Despite this, chatting about his time at Spurs is usually forbidden.

Maghoma reservedly states: “I don’t really talk too much about my time at Tottenham. I have myself to blame, in some aspects; I was immature, I had a bad attitude.

“I regret some of the things I did at Spurs when I had a good chance to stay and develop there. But I didn’t see things for what they were back then. I was young and I made mistakes.

“Everyone will agree that I’m quite lively and a bit loud; I like having banter, but it’s about knowing when the time is right.

“There was one time at Hotspur Way [Tottenham’s training ground], I had just turned 18, we were in the first-team gym and, for about 45 minutes, I’m just messing around while I’m meant to be getting on with my gym programme. I’m doing my exercises half-heartedly - for a set of 10, I’d do three and then just start dancing or whatever.

“This was a week before I was meant to go on a pre-season tour with the first team and, a couple of days later, we had a meeting and John McDermott [Tottenham’s head of academy coaching and player development] got the CCTV and made us watch the footage, highlighting who did it properly and who wasn’t.

“Back then, I didn’t think it was that big of a deal, but I look back and just wonder what I was doing - it was so dumb and so stupid. That cost me going on tour with the first team.

“I got angry about it and, after that, I said I didn’t play for the club anymore. From August until December, I played no football, I was on the bench, and I didn’t care.

“I do regret that and sometimes I think, ‘Imagine if I’d listened to him earlier’.

“I’m lucky enough to, now, be here at Brentford in the Premier League, I’m so grateful for it but, to my younger self, I would tell myself to listen to him more, take his advice, and implement it into my everyday life.

“But the penny drops when the penny drops and, luckily, it has dropped for me. I’m getting to the stage when I’m much more mature and, mentally, I have grown so much.”

An example of a much-matured Maghoma has been on display this season when, despite confessing that “sometimes it can get frustrating when all you want to do is play and help the team”, he has shown the patience needed when trying to break into a Premier League starting XI.

More cameos like the one the travelling supporters witnessed at St Mary’s in the 5-0 win against Southampton will certainly help his chances; and, just like the Bees fans, Maghoma admits he’s watched his skilful dribble, which played a part in that game’s fifth goal, “too many times”.

“It’s been a pleasure and an honour to come on for this team and help out whenever I can,” he smiles. “Especially when we beat Southampton; being a big part of Keano [Lewis-Potter]’s goal, you feel more part of it and happy that you’ve contributed to a part of the season.

“I’ve had a lot of talks with Thomas Frank and Phil Giles, as well as other players telling me that they think I have a chance, which is nice to hear. I just need to stay patient, keep fighting, and show the staff that I’m ready to play.

“I’ve been at this club a long time - the team make it so easy to come in every day and be happy - and I do really enjoy being here.”

However, Brentford can’t take all the credit for the man Maghoma has become.

His three loan spells across the EFL have played a monumental part in his growth, starting with AFC Wimbledon in League Two during the first half of the 2022/23 campaign, which the midfielder declares “was the best thing that could have happened” to him.

“To be honest, they’d been relegated the year before and I thought, ‘I don’t want to do this’.

“I called Phil and my agent and I told them I didn’t like it. I think I just wanted the comfort of staying at Brentford. But they pushed me and I ended up signing.

“We didn’t necessarily play the greatest football, but it helped me understand what it takes to win a game sometimes: it’s not always going to be pretty and sometimes you have to defend for your life.

“The feeling in that stadium just made me realise what three points really mean. I was only there for six months but the amount I learnt was insane.”

Maghoma was recalled from his time at Plough Lane in January, which then saw him go and do something that only seven others had done before: play for both AFC Wimbledon to MK Dons.

This move is notable due to the deep-rooted rivalry stemming from the controversial relocation of Wimbledon FC to Milton Keynes in 2002, a decision that led to the formation of AFC Wimbledon by fans seeking to preserve the club's identity.

Maghoma explains: “I got a lot of abuse for it, it was terrible… I still get abuse for it now. To be honest, I didn’t realise what I’d done was so crazy.

“I was just trying to progress in my career; it wasn’t to annoy anyone or rub anyone up the wrong way.

“I wanted to take the step into League One, I wanted to test myself and play in a higher league.

“When I got called back in January, I had no idea where I was going to go and that wasn’t really in my control. It ended up being either Cambridge United or MK Dons, they were the only two teams.

“I had to weigh up what team suited me more, both were in the relegation zone, but MK Dons liked to play football, and that’s what both Brentford and me decided would be best.

“I ended up getting relegated with MK Dons. In our last game, we played Burton Albion, we had 37 shots, and we couldn’t score one goal, that’s all we needed to stay up.

“I had a chance in the final minute and the ball literally zinged just past the post, but, again, that was another learning curve for me.

“It was difficult and it hurt, you bond with everyone, it was a great bunch of guys. Josh McEachran was there, who played for Brentford and also played for Birmingham with Jacques [Maghoma, his older brother, who he speaks about later in the interview], and he took me under his wing a little bit.”

A more successful loan spell in the third tier followed, with Maghoma moving to Bolton Wanderers for the duration of the 2023/24 campaign. He scored eight goals and provided four assists, as the Trotters reached the League One play-off final at Wembley Stadium, before winning the club’s Young Player of the Season award.

The sheer mention of the club prompts this reaction from Maghoma: “Ahh, Bolton… I love Bolton!

“It was so exciting to go up there. And the prospect of playing in front of 25,000/30,000 people? [Maghoma whistles] That’s crazy.

“Being there was so good. I’ve still got friends from my time there that I’m still really close with now, people I speak to every single day.

“Even the fanbase… after a game, I’d go and stand outside for 30 minutes just talking to them. It’s such a tight community; in Bolton, it’s just Bolton, Bolton, Bolton!

“I’d go to the shops, I’m walking down the aisle, and all I’d hear is, ‘PARIS, PARIS!’ from a fan; or I’d order food to my house and the delivery driver would say, ‘Oh yeah, I watched the game the other day, I thought we should have won’. I loved stuff like that.

“That season was the best chance the club had to get promoted to the Championship in a long time… that play-off final was such a sad day.”

Bolton lost 2-0 to Oxford United at Wembley Stadium, having finished third, five points from the automatic promotion spots and 10 clear of their opposition that day.

Maghoma was replaced just after half-time due to an injury picked up from a strong challenge by Sam Long, which was wrongly remembered as having happened a few minutes into the game.

“Minutes?! He clattered my foot 45 seconds in,” Meghoma corrects.

“From the time he tackled me, I was done. I heard it and I felt it. I did my ATFL, CFL [ligament damage] and then I had bleeding and bruising all around my Achilles.

“I initially came off and told the doc, ‘I’m not coming off, I have to carry on, I have to’. I told him to give me all the medication he could. He gave me six pills, it was hot that day, and I just chucked them all in, chewed them up, and tried to go back out there.

“I tried to play on, but then I came in for half-time and the adrenaline had started to wear off. I went out for the second half, tried to get the ball and turn, and I felt my ankle crack again.

"I knew I was done and I was in tears, I was properly crying. It was really upsetting.

“To be fair, Oxford’s tactics on the day were top-drawer. One of their players told me that part of that was to take me out; not necessarily injuring me, but they wanted to get tight and man-mark me out of the game.

“But that season just gave me the confidence to know what I’m capable of. Just playing week in, week out, getting minutes, scoring goals, there’s no better feeling than that. I was getting on the ball and thinking I’m unstoppable.

“I would go past one player, nutmeg the other, put it in the top corner… it was an insane season for me.”

That wasn’t the first time that a Maghoma had impressed in the EFL, with Maghoma’s brother Jacques making 382 appearances across the Championship and League Two, predominantly for Birmingham City.

The middle Maghoma brother, Christian, also played professionally, making four appearances in League One with Gillingham, as well as stints in the Polish top flight and the National League.

Asked the reason why all three brothers made it as professional footballers, Maghoma admits “it’s kind of scary”, before delving into their upbringing and how that could have aided them.

He explains: “There’s a 14-year age gap between me and Jacques. We weren’t that close growing up, only because when I was six, he was 20, finishing at Tottenham and not living at home, so I don’t have many memories of him when I was younger.

“But when I turned 14 or 15, I really looked up to him, especially from a footballing point of view. At that time, he was at Sheffield Wednesday and then went on to play for Birmingham for so long. My brother playing in the Championship… that was crazy. I was really proud of that.

“He’s the person that I look up to. He’s been through a lot and seeing him overcome those things - being away from his family and not being able to spend much time with his kids - it showed me how strong you have to be to be a footballer.

“With Christian, we used to cause my mum headaches!

“We used to live on an estate. There’d be parked cars outside, we’d open the door to our house, and we’d go on the other side of the road using the cars as a wall! We’d try and bend it into the door and we’d hit cars and windows… we’d get into trouble, the neighbours would be screaming at us. But I also think they understood that we just loved playing football.”

Having three brothers play professionally is already absurd - but the Maghoma production line is continuing to produce talent, with Paris’s nephew (Jacques’ son), Jaden, currently captain of Arsenal Under-14s.

Maghoma explains: “Almost from the day Jaden was born, we could not keep the football away from him. At two years old, this guy was doing rabonas!

“At that point, he doesn’t know that his dad and his uncles are footballers, but everything about him is football, football, football. I started to think, ‘What the hell? This family’s weird!’”

There are some parallels between Jaden and his uncle Paris, with them both coming through the academy of a north London club and, just like Paris, Jaden is expected to be called up for England Under-15s next year.

Whilst the Brentford man admits that his nephew is “a lot better than I was at that age”, he wants to give him as much advice as possible, having been in a similar scenario when he was the same age.

Paris states: “I’ve been in his shoes - I’m pretty sure he’ll get called up for England next year like I did - and you can’t let things get to your head.”

Elaborating on his time with the Young Lions, he recalls: “I was involved at U15s, U16s, U18s and U20s, so it was a great honour and privilege to be involved in the set-up and be around a lot of great players.

“I’m proud to be a part of that age group, we had some quality players.

“Some are playing in League One, Premier League, or even abroad… Marcus Edwards, my team-mate at Tottenham, was at Sporting Lisbon and has just signed for Burnley. He’s the most talented player I’ve played with - that guy’s a joke.

“I’ve played with some top players, especially at England: Bukayo Saka, Curtis Jones, Anthony Gordon.

“Playing for England, even at youth level, you do feel like the man. You’re still in secondary school, you’re getting time off to play for your country, it’s an unreal feeling.

“It is too easy for it to go to your head. You feel like you’ve made it, but you haven’t done f*** all with your life yet.

“When you’ve played 100 games in the Premier League, maybe then you can say, ‘Okay, I’ve achieved something in my career’, because not everyone can say they’ve done that.

“These are things I tell Jaden; I try to give him as much advice as I can. He can seriously go a long way and have a good career, but it’s all about staying grounded.

“He needs to learn from his dad and his two uncles and the mistakes we made, so he doesn’t make them as well.”

Brentford B beat Tottenham Hotspur Under-21s 6-1 to take home the Robert Rowan Invitational trophy for the third year in a row at Gtech Community Stadium.

Aaron Hickey scored in the first half whilst Yunus Emre Konak, Gustavo Nunes, and Matthew Cox all played their part as the Bees cruised to victory over Spurs to keep their 100% record in the fixture in place.

Michael Olakigbe had the first chance for the Bees, beating his full-back with a stepover before flashing a cross-come-shot across goal which had the Spurs keeper Aaron Maguire scrambling as the ball flew just over the crossbar.

It didn't take long for the west Londoners to take the lead however, as Andre Grey capitalised on a sloppy pass from Maguire on 8 minutes, before he calmly slotted home into the bottom left corner.

On 18 minutes, Nunes almost set up a superb goal; Cox got Brentford on the counter-attack with an excellent throw before the Brazilian's outside-of-the-boot pass found Max Dickov on the edge of the box. He connected well with the header which floated over the rooted Maguire, but landed the wrong side of the post.

Cox was called into action for the first time half-way through the first 45, tipping an effort across goal around the post from Tyrese Hall.

Grey nearly had his second of the game just before the half-hour mark after Vonnte Williams' backheel freed up Olakigbe who squared the ball to the penalty spot but the midfielder spurned his right-footed effort.

Brentford deserved to double their lead and did so on 31 minutes when Olakigbe's in-swinging cross was nodded home by Chanse Headman.

Cox made a good save from Reiss Russell-Denny's attempt, to keep Neil MacFarlane's side two goal lead in tact almost immediately after the goal.

Hickey rounded off an exceptional first half for the Bees on 42 minutes, selling his defender with a clever feint on his left foot, before rolling a difficult finish made look easy into the bottom corner to put Brentford in control at the break.

The visitors came back out fighting, and within seconds had found a way back into the game as Ellis Lehane picked out the top corner excellently from range to make it 3-1. Cox then made a full-stretch diving save two minutes later.

With 25 minutes left to play, Hall drove into the box and forced another good save from Cox as he bent his effort towards the bottom right corner, before Oliver Irow fired over from close range moments later.

The Bees struggled to create chances until late in the second half when winger Emeka Peters broke through from Ollie Shield's reverse pass on 79 minutes, took his time and lifted a mature finish over Maguire to seal the victory.

Substitute Michel Boni, had a chance to make it five on 83 minutes but placed his strike too close to the Spurs goalkeeper after some tenacious work.

Nedved Owusu then topped off a five-star display from the Bees, as he tapped home from close range from Freddie Taylor's cross on 88 minutes.

The young Bees were not finished there though and hit Spurs for six. Boni was fed by Peters in the box as the game entered stoppage-time, and smashed his effort into the back of the net.

It was an excellent performance from MacFarlane's side in an important fixture which saw all proceeds being donated to the club’s Heart of West London initiative.

The Under-21s are next in action on Wednesday 21 May as they travel to AFC Bournemouth Under-21s in the Professional Development League play-off final (7pm kick-off BST). You can buy tickets for the fixture here.

Brentford B: Cox (Tavaziva 77), Hickey (Boni 62); Williams (Taylor 85), Avenell (Asemokhai 77); Headman, Konak, Olakigbe (Owusu 77); Grey (Bobb-Semple 85), Dickov (Honor 77); Shield, Nunes (Peters 46)

Booked: Konak 52, Avenell 63,

Tottenham Hotspur U21s: Maguire (Bloedorn 46); Ashcroft, Robson (Andiyapan 77), Rowswell (Bryne 72); Arganese-McDermott, Casanova (Logan 72); Akhamrich, Russell-Denny (Kyerematen 62); Lehane (Adewole 63); Hall (Dan Batty 77); Crow

Subs not used: Chenery, Hall, Thompson

Attendance: 1,037

Neil MacFarlane reacts to third Robert Rowan Invitational win

Brentford B host Tottenham Hotspur Under-21s at Gtech Community Stadium on Monday evening (7pm kick-off BST).

The game will be the third Robert Rowan Invitational, raising money for the Heart of West London initiative.

The fixture commemorates the life and legacy of former Brentford technical director Robert Rowan, who sadly passed away in November 2018 due to an undiagnosed heart condition at the age of just 28.

The club will donate all proceeds from the game to fund groundbreaking sports cardiology research at the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals Charity, as part of the Heart of West London campaign.

Here’s some useful information to help you get ready for matchday at Gtech Community Stadium.

General admission tickets are still available for the game

Tickets are £3 for adults and £1 for juniors.

Purchase online to make an optional additional donation or visit the box office, which opens at 9am and will be open until half-time.

Travel – planned closures on the District Line on matchday

Train

Weekend disruptions to South Western Railway and District Line services are not expected to continue into Monday, but please use the South Western Railway website and the Transport for London website to check your route to and from the match.

Parking

We advise you to take public transport to the match where possible. Parking is not available at Gtech Community Stadium for this fixture. If you are parking in the surrounding area, please avoid leaving any valuables in your car during the match.

Matchday activity – learn CPR at the game

Learn CPR in as little as two minutes with Brentford FC Community Sports Trust. Find their team in the Dugout bar from 5.30pm and learn a skill that could save someone’s life. You can also learn CPR by watching the video tutorials on the big screens

DJ and face painting in the Dugout bar

Stay for a post-match trophy celebration for the winning team after full-time, presented by Robert's wife Suzanne Rowan

Up to 90 per cent off Umbro merchandise in end of season sale

Get up to 90 per cent off Umbro items on matchday, with up to 50 per cent off kit wear and up to 80 per cent off other Brentford merch.

Visit the Bees Superstore from 9am until kick-off, or find sale items in the Dugout bar.

Bid for a squad-signed shirt to raise money for Heart of West London

All season, fans have had the opportunity to own shirts worn and signed by Bees players in auctions by club partner MatchWornShirt, with all proceeds going to Heart of West London.

Head to MatchWornShirt’s website to bid on a shirt signed by the whole Brentford B team. The auction will open at kick-off.

Countdown to kick-off - the timings you need to know

Brentford B will face Tottenham Hotspur Under-21s on Monday 19 May at Gtech Community Stadium (7pm kick-off BST).

The game will be the third Robert Rowan Invitational, raising money for the club's Heart of West London initiative. The fixture will commemorate the life and legacy of former Brentford technical director Robert Rowan, who sadly passed away in November 2018 due to a fatal cardiomyopathy episode at the age of just 28.

All proceeds from this game will go towards Heart of West London. General admission tickets for the fixture are priced at £3 for adults and £1 for juniors, with an optional additional donation available.

Purchase your tickets for the match at Gtech Community Stadium here.

The Heart of West London partnership is made up of Brentford FC, Brentford FC Community Sports Trust, Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals Charity, Cardiac Risk in the Young, Resuscitation Council UK, London Ambulance Service, and A-K-A Day.

Our collective goal is to prevent sudden cardiac death by delivering potentially life-saving cardiac screenings in the community, increasing CPR awareness and education, and funding ground-breaking research, as well as supporting those affected by cardiac health issues.

The Dugout bar will be open for all fans before and after the match with live music, face painting and the opportunity to learn life-saving CPR skills and find out how the club and our Heart of West London partners are creating a community of healthy hearts.

Robert played an instrumental role in forming Brentford B in 2016. He helped to drive the project in its infancy and contributed to the recruitment of B-team players.

Players who have graduated the club's B team and gone on to represent the first team include Chris Mepham, Mads Roerslev, Mads Bech, and Yehor Yarmoliuk.

Paris Maghoma, Ryan Trevitt, and Ji-soo Kim are the latest graduates of Brentford B to make their Premier League debuts, each stepping up to the first team this season. Between them, they’ve made a combined 12 appearances in the league so far.

The game will also provide Brentford's young players with a valuable opportunity to play in front of supporters at the Gtech.

Brentford B head coach Neil MacFarlane said: “Tottenham presents a fantastic challenge for us and we're looking forward to what should be a top-quality encounter. It’s a great occasion to showcase the progress and effort the group has put in throughout the season.

“Since the first Robert Rowan game two seasons ago against Manchester City, followed by last year’s fixture with Bournemouth, these matches have become an important part of our calendar.

"Now, facing Spurs, we’re continuing that tradition of taking on top-level opposition, providing valuable experiences for the players and honouring Robert’s legacy in the best way we can.”

He added: “Robert’s influence remains at the heart of everything we do with the B team. The values he instilled still guide us, and it's incredibly important to us to reflect those principles through our performances and daily standards.

“We’re thankful to Tottenham for agreeing to this fixture - it’s sure to be an intense match that fans will thoroughly enjoy.

“This group has been fantastic this season, both on and off the pitch, and the opportunity to conclude the season with a strong performance would be a fitting tribute to a cause that means so much to both me and the club.”