The 2022/23 Premier League fixtures were released yesterday and Brentford were handed a trip to Leicester City. The game is currently scheduled for Saturday 6 August. The Bees will then host Manchester United the following weekend for their first home match. A full list of Premier League fixtures can be seen here.
This will be Brentford's first Premer League season and The Bees also spent 12 years as a top-flight team either side of World War II. Brentford played five full First Division seasons, as well as one that was suspended and six more with War Time only football. All our first day fixtures in the top flight can be seen below.
1935/36 - Brentford's first Division One season started on 31 August 1935. The Bees won 2-0 away to Bolton Wanderers as Jack Holliday bagged a brace. Griffin Park's first top-flight game was a week later and Blackburn Rovers were beaten 3-1. Holliday scored again and Charlie Fletcher scored the other two.
1936/37 - Bolton were again Brentford's opponents on the opening day, 29 August 1936. This time the game was at Griffin Park and finished 2-2 with Dave McCulloch and Joe Wilson scoring the goals. The Bees won 2-0 at Highbury against Arsenal in their first away game.
1937/38 - For the third season in a row, Brentford were paired with Bolton on the opening day, 28 August 1937. Bolton came out on top this time, winning 2-0 at Burnden Park. Brentford's home season started in better fashion, with Preston North End beaten 2-1. Billy Scott and Bobby Reid scored Brentford's goals.
1938/39 - The last season before the suspension of league football due to World War II started with Brentford at home to Huddersfield Town on 27 August 1938. The Bees won 2-1 with Billy Brown and Dave McCulloch getting the goals. The first away game was at Goodison Park. Everton won that match 2-1.
The War Years - The 1939/40 season started on schedule with Brentford drawing 1-1 at Goodison Park against Everton on 26 August 1939. Percy Saunders, who was killed in action in 1942, scored the goal. Brentford only played one home game that season, before it was suspended due to the war, and beat Huddersfield 1-0 thanks to a Jack Holliday goal. Football continued through the war with regional football until the cessation of hostilities in 1945. The 1945/46 season saw the return of the FA Cup, and league football resumed the following season.
1946/47 - Brentford's first post-war season began at Goodison Park on 31 August 1946. The Bees beat Everton 2-1 with George Wilkins and Gerry McAloon on the score sheet. Huddersfield were once again the first visitors to Griffin Park and The Bees won 2-0 with the same two players finding the net. Brentford only won seven more times all season and were relegated, not returning to the top flight until this season. Their final game of that season was at home to Arsenal, and The Bees resumed at the highest level in the same way.
2021/22 - Brentford's first ever Premier League season began on 13 August 2021, 74 years after relegation. The Bees secured a well-earned 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Sergi Canós and Christian Nørgaard. The first away game was at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace, a game which finished 0-0.
Brentford's seventh full top flight season, and second in the Premier League, is just over seven weeks away. Ticketing information for the game at Leicester, and others, will follow in due course.