Brentford FC has exercised options to extend the contracts of B Team trio Fredrik Hammar, Nathan Shepperd and Arthur Read for an additional year. All three players have been key members of Neil MacFarlane’s Brentford B squad during the 2019/20 season as they toured in the likes of Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, France, Austria and Scotland and also reached semi-finals in the Middlesex FA Senior Cup and the London Senior Cup prior to the Covid-19 outbreak. The three will now be with the Club until June 2021

Fredrik, who made his First Team debut this season against Stoke City in the Emirates FA Cup, joined the Club in January 2019 from Akropolis IF. He has played 38 times for the B Team, netting seven times. Fellow midfield player Arthur Read will also be staying with The Bees. The 20-year-old has settled well following his arrival last summer from Luton Town and scored five times in 30 appearances for Neil MacFarlane’s side this term.

Goalkeeper Nathan, who has captained Brentford B consistently throughout his first year with the Club, has also extended his stay with the young Bees. The 19-year-old Welshman, who joined the club after departing Swansea City’s youth setup, has had an excellent season and made 26 appearances for Brentford B. Nathan was also given his first international call up for Wales Under-21 in March, but the pandemic prevented the fixtures from going ahead.

Discussing taking up one-year options on the trio, Brentford B Head Coach Neil MacFarlane said: “Freddie has dipped in and out of B Team and First Team training and it’s fantastic to have seen him make his Brentford debut. Anytime he’s been with us in the B Team his attitude has been exemplary, as has his desire to improve and win. We’re delighted that he is staying with us. To get him for another year is great for Freddie and great for us in the B Team because we feel that we can really kick him on next season, and we’ll see where it takes him.

“Nathan came to us after leaving Swansea and became a real fixture in our team. We made him captain because of the leadership qualities that he was showing throughout, and he’s a real top boy who works so hard every single day which is what we want at the Club. He has been getting his rewards with some outstanding performances, none more so than the Rangers game, which was our very last game before lockdown.

“For Nathan to get a call up to the Welsh national setup was fantastic as well so he’s in a great place, he’s been training with the first team throughout the season and during the recent period as well which is great. I think he’s in a really good place to come back with the B Team next season to kick on at the Club and internationally.

“What’s helped Arthur earn his new deal is his attitude on the training ground daily. In the middle of the park for the B Team, as we got better and better throughout the course of the season, his partnership with the likes of Jaakko Oksanen was a real feature. He’s had some fantastic performances and he’s at an age where it’s a critical point for him to kick on, but we feel there is something in Arthur and we really want to push him on next season.

“We’ve seen Arthur grow over the course of the season and he’s one of those lads who is brilliant to have around the training ground and he has quality on the pitch. We’re really hopeful he can kick on next season. Both he and Freddie are ready to play First Team football somewhere, whether with us or on loan. And we’ve also got a really good core that will return with us when the time is right for us to resume our football.”