Brentford will be hoping they can win promotion into the Premier League this term under the management of Thomas Frank. 

The Bees are 1-0 down heading into the second-leg of their play-off semi-final against AFC Bournemouth though, after a frustrating defeat at the Vitality Stadium.

Brentford narrowly missed out on promotion into the top-flight in last year's campaign, as they were beaten by Fulham in the Championship play-off final.

They've had their fair share of players come and go over the years, with plenty of English members of the squad catching the eye with some strong performances.

A good example of this nowadays is Ivan Toney, with the Northampton-born striker spearheading Brentford's charge for promotion this season, after moving from Peterborough United in the summer of 2020.

We take a look at the top-ten best English players to have played for Brentford in the last 20 years.

Find out which player is up first at number ten, on the next page....

Adam Forshaw became 'Mr Reliable' for Brentford in his time with the club, with the former Bees midfielder playing an important role for them over the years.

He made 100 appearances for Brentford's first-team, having spent the early stages of his career with Premier League side Everton.

Forshaw was a regular in the Brentford starting XI in their promotion-winning season in the 2013/14 campaign.

He left in 2014 in favour of a move to Wigan Athletic though, but is currently contracted with Premier League side Leeds United, although he hasn't featured this season due to a number of injury setbacks.

Ezri Konsa is at number nine, with the former Brentford centre-back being hugely impressive in his one season with the club.

The defender signed for Brentford for an undisclosed fee in June 2018, having caught the eye with some strong performances for Charlton Athletic earlier in his career.

His stay at Griffin Park was a brief one though, with Konsa making 47 appearances in total for the Bees during the 2018/19 season.

His strong showings didn't go unnoticed it seemed, as Konsa made the move to Aston Villa in 2019, after they won promotion into the Premier League, where he has since gone on to become a regular with Dean Smith's side this term.

David Button is eighth on the list, with the former Brentford goalkeeper playing a crucial role for the Bees in their promotion-winning season in the 2013/14 campaign.

The shot-stopper had a number of loan spells earlier in his career, whilst being contracted with Tottenham Hotspur.

Button became a regular in the Brentford team relatively quickly though, and made a positive impact in his time with the Bees.

He went on to feature regularly for the club in his three seasons with the London-based side, before departing in the summer of 2017, as he moved to Fulham.

Karleigh Osborne is at number seven, with the former Brentford defender being a regular in his time with the Bees.

Osborne was hugely impressive in the club's first-team, having broken through to the senior squad in 2005, after catching the eye with some strong performances for their youth teams earlier in his career.

He went on to make 176 appearances in total for Brentford's first-team, and played his part in the club's promotion-winning season from League Two in the 2008/09 season.

Osborne departed in 2012, as he went on to sign for Millwall, before playing for the likes of Bristol City and Grimsby Town later in his time in England.

Charlie MacDonald is at number six on the list, with the forward making a positive impact in his time with Brentford.

He signed for the club in 2008, having played for the likes of Crawley Town and Southend United earlier in his career. He went on to make 126 appearances in total for the Bees, scoring 45 goals for them, despite an injury-hit first season with Brentford.

MacDonald was Brentford's top goalscorer in the 2009/10 season, and spent one more season with the Bees.

He left Brentford in 2011, as he went on to sign for MK Dons, before heading to the likes of Oldham Athletic and Barnet later down the line in his career in football.

Jake Bidwell is the first name in the top five, with the former Brentford defender being a regular with the Bees over the years.

The full-back had previously been on the books with Premier League side Everton earlier in his career, but found minutes hard to come by with their senior side.

He moved to Brentford permanently in 2013, after catching the eye with some strong performances in a loan spell with the Bees in the previous season.

Bidwell went on to make 211 appearances for Brentford, and played an important role in the club's promotion-winning campaign in the 2013/14 season from League One.

Toney has been nothing short of brilliant with Brentford, in his first season with the Bees, having signed from Peterborough United in the summer of 2020.

He has scored 31 goals in 50 appearances for Thomas Frank's side and will be hoping that he can play his part in their bid to reach the Premier League this term.

This impressive run of form in the 2020/21 season earns him a spot at number four on the list of Brentford's best English players from over the years.

Toney has been linked with a move to the Premier League already though, and it'll be interesting to see what the future holds for him if the Bees are to miss out on promotion into the top-flight.

Harlee Dean is the first name in the top-three, with the former Brentford defender being a regular starter in his time with the club.

The defender signed for the club permanently in 2012, having previously been on the books with Southampton and Dagenham & Redbridge earlier in his career.

He went on to make 249 appearances in total for Brentford, which included playing an important role in the Bees' promotion-winning campaign in the 2013/14 season.

Dean was a regular for the Bees in the Championship, but departed in favour of a move to Birmingham City in the summer of 2017.

Sam Saunders is at number two on the list, with the former Brentford man playing a starring role for the Bees over the years.

The midfielder made 204 appearances in total for the Bees, and chipped in with 30 goals and 32 assists in his time with the club, as they won promotion into the Championship during his seven-season spell with Brentford.

He found regular game time hard to come by later down the line with the Bees whilst they were in the second-tier of English football, and departed Griffin Park in 2017, as he made his loan move to Wycombe Wanderers a permanent one after catching the eye with some strong performances for the Chairboys.

Ollie Watkins is in at number one, with the former Brentford forward spending three seasons with the club in total.

The 25-year-old had previously been on the books with Exeter City, but showed real quality in front of goal in his time with Brentford.

He had been used as a winger early into his spell with the Bees, but adjusted well to the central role later down the line.

Watkins scored 49 goals in 153 appearances for Brentford in total, which included 26 goals in the 2019/20 season, as they narrowly missed out on promotion into the Premier League.

He then moved to Aston Villa, where he has since gone on to establish himself as a serious force in the top-flight.