Newsletter: Biggest Red Lion turnout, Thiago Player of Year, WC call-ups

Hi NYC Bees, Premier League Season No. 5 is in the books, and while Brentford missed out on Europe, it was certainly a greater-than-expected showing if you look at the big picture! And we've got loads of football ahead. The FIFA World Cup is on the horizon, with the final taking place in East Rutherford, New Jersey in mid-July. Here are some highlights and other noteworthy bits of news in the meantime. Thanks for the continued support in NYC, it's amazing where we've taken this supporters' group in such a short time!

50 Bees fans at NYC's Red Lion for finale
Brentford's season finale was certainly a huge spectacle here in the Big Apple! We drew 50 Bees supporters at the club's biggest overseas spot, The Red Lion, for the 1-1 draw at Liverpool. This was our largest turnout since we've been hosting NYC Bees events over the past five years. Brentford finished the season in ninth place, marking the first time the club has posted back-to-back top-10 finishes in the Premier League! Qualifying for European competition will have to wait at least another season, but we're close!

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Brentford News & Notes
Thiago named Brentford Player of the Year: It was unanimous from the supporters and players: Thiago was named Brentford Player of the Year during a ceremony held on May 20. It really comes as no surprise after Thiago set a club record for goals in a Premier League season (22), finishing second in the league's Golden Boot race behind Manchester City's Erling Haaland. Among some of the other recognitions, Mathias Jensen earned Goal of the Season for his long-distance strike against Manchester United, Ashley Cheatley was Brentford Women Supporters' Player of the Year, and Asees Sangha won the Brentford Women's Player of the Year after recording 11 goals and 5 assists in 29 games.

Thiago was also named to the Premier League Fan Team of the Season, and the BBC Sport Premier League Team of the Season.

Four call-ups for World Cup: The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on June 11, and we're lucky to have a handful of Brentford players across North America in the competition! The meteoric rise of Thiago with both club and now country (Brazil) will certainly be the one to watch. Midfielder Jordan Henderson is back with the England squad, defender Kris Ajer is representing Norway, and defender Aaron Hickey was named to Scotland's national team. Good luck guys!

Club launching girls' academy in 2026-27: In late May, the club announced the introduction of a girls' academy as part of their development pathway. The academy will include U14 and U16 squads, and a U18 Trust side, competing in the Junior Premier League. Among other news, the Brentford Women will play their home fixtures at Uxbridge Football Club in 2026-27.

Top-5 moments of 2025-26: I can't speak for everyone, but I figured I'd put my top moments of the 2025-26 season out there. My return to West London for Brentford's win over Liverpool was obviously among the group, as well as owner Matthew Benham's New York City appearance at The Red Lion. Hopefully you'll agree with a few of these choices!

Quick hits: Brentford announced a couple player moves just after the season, with midfielder Ryan Trevitt to leave the club, and Reiss Nelson returning to Arsenal following his season-long loan. Trevitt made five first-team appearances across all competitions, and Nelson made 14 appearances this past season in all competitions. ... The Brentford Women confirmed the departure of 11 players from the club this offseason. ... Former Bees center back Ben Mee announced his decision to retire from football in early May. Congrats on a great career! ... We had a few media hits to close out the month, ranging from the Shades of Blue podcast to preview our game against Man City, a halftime appearance on NBC, and our regular spot on Premier League Fanzone Live on Peacock prior to our road game at Liverpool. We'll make sure to keep a strong presence on all of these channels moving forward! ... To cap off the season, I thought it would be fitting to call out the so-called "expert" pundits on their relegation predictions. We'll be underestimated many more times down the road, but the likes of Wayne Rooney and Robbie Fowler deserved to have their negative predictions called out. See you for Season 6 in the Premier League in a few months!

Suggestions, Comments, Feedback
If you ever have any thoughts, feel free to email (brentfordnyc@gmail.com) or chat with me anytime! #COYB!

Charlie