Brentford Football Club would like to thank and pay tribute to all Bees fans at the end of a memorable season.
The 2012/13 campaign ultimately ended with defeat in the npower League One Play-Off Final to Yeovil Town on Sunday and Brentford will again be in the third tier next season.
However, some of the games and moments over the past 11 months will live long in the memory.
From the pre-season tour of Germany, when hundreds of Brentford supporters followed the Club on a friendly foray in to Europe, to more than 22,000 giving their vocal backing to the end at Wembley yesterday, it has been a year full of celebration, albeit the end wasn’t the one desired.
All at Griffin Park – from Owner Matthew Benham, Chairman Greg Dyke, Chief Executive Mark Devlin, Sporting Director Mark Warburton, Manager Uwe Rösler to all the players, directors and staff – would like to thank Brentford supporters for their fantastic backing this season.
The two largest crowds at Griffin Park since 1983 were both recorded this season and The Bees were within seven minutes of beating UEFA Champions League holders Chelsea in the FA Cup with Budweiser.
Uwe Rösler’s side ended the season with the best home record in npower League One and the Griffin Park games against Coventry City, Sheffield United, Milton Keynes Dons, Swindon Town and Portsmouth all gave moments that will go down in Brentford folklore.
None of those highlights – which also include the two-legged Play-Off Semi-Final against Swindon Town, a crazy 2-2 draw against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane – would have been possible without the amazing backing of you, the Brentford supporters.
The support from the Bees fans this season has been outstanding.
More than 6,000 of you were at Stamford Bridge and there were large away followings at Milton Keynes Dons, Sheffield United and Coventry City among others.
At a time when money is tight and many have great demands on their time, this backing has been tremendous and all at the Club wish to recognise it.
The summer at a Football Club is a time for reflection on what has gone before and to build for the next challenge.
We all hope you are looking forward to that next challenge as much as we are.
The start of 2013/14 on August 3 can’t come round soon enough.