Move Over Leeds United, Stoke City And Aston Villa - This Surprise Package Are The New Championship Favourites

Move Over Leeds United, Stoke City And Aston Villa - This Surprise Package Are The New Championship Favourites
12:47, 18 Sep 2018

This season's Championship is brimming with football clubs boasting rich traditions and proud histories, so it was no surprise to see the likes of Stoke City, Aston Villa, Middlesbrough, Leeds United and West Bromwich Albion were amongst the favourites to win the title before the season started.

However, the competitive nature of the division has again thrown up some surprises and it is Brentford who have been installed as the bookmakers' 4/1 favourites to win the league following their fine start to the season. It is a huge ask for them to maintain their challenge and 4/1 is a very short price, although those odds are a testament to the respect that Brentford are afforded nowadays. 

The Bees sit in second place in the table after losing just one of their seven games so far and they are playing an attractive brand of football that is rightly gaining plenty of plaudits. It has been an impressive rise for a club that earned promotion to the second tier of English football for the first time in 21 years back in 2014.

Brentford went on to finish 5th in their first season in the Championship under Mark Warburton before the coaching staff was restructured and Warburton was replaced by Marinus Dijkhuisen the following summer. Dijkhuisen lasted just nine games before he was replaced on an interim basis by Lee Carsley, who steadied the ship before Dean Smith took over in December 2015.

At the time, Smith was the eighth manager to take the reins in a little over four years at Griffin Park, but the former Walsall boss has made his mark in less than three years at the club. Renowned as the Championship's 'entertainers', Smith has guided Brentford to finishes of 9th, 10th and 9th during his time in charge and the 47-year-old is finally gaining recognition for his exceptional work.

Latest Championship Odds: (Pre-Season Price In Brackets)
4/1 Brentford (16/1)
9/2 Leeds (12/1)
5/1 Middlesbrough (8/1)
6/1 West Brom (8/1)
14/1 Sheffield United (25/1)
14/1 Aston Villa (12/1)
25/1 Derby (12/1)

Smith has been able to get the most out of limited resources - Brentford rank 19th in the Championship in terms of spending during the past five years and have made nearly £15m in profit during that time. Compare that to the huge outlays of Stoke (£69m), Aston Villa (£67m) and West Bromwich Albion (£98m) in the same timeframe.

Brentford's frugal approach is reaping rewards under Smith and they are now 4/1 favourites to win the Championship. Their odds have been slashed following their encouraging run of form as they were as big as 16/1 at the start of the season.

Smith may not boast the continental allure of a name like Marcelo Bielsa, or get linked with every job under the sun like Gary Rowett, or even the experience of a Steve Bruce or a Tony Pulis, but he is ensuring that Brentford are punching above their weight.

The Bees have already taken points from visits to supposedly more illustrious clubs like Stoke and Aston Villa this season, and it is the Bees who are flying high as they continue their unlikely quest for promotion to the Premier League. Stoke had been 5/1 favourites at the start of the season, they are now 33/1. Quite a turnaround!

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