Neil MacFarlane (footballer)
Neil MacFarlane is a Scottish football coach and former professional player, who is head coach of Brentford B. MacFarlane played as a defensive midfielder at a number of clubs at all four levels of the Scottish league system. After his retirement as a player in 2011, he became a coach and was appointed to his first managerial role at English non-League club Kidderminster Harriers in 2018.
MacFarlane outside Palmerston Park, Dumfries in 2008
Brentford F.C. Reserves and Academy
Brentford F.C. Reserves was the reserve team of Brentford. The reserve team played at varying times from 1900 until 2011. During the 2012 off-season, the English reserve football pyramid and youth system was overhauled under the Elite Player Performance Plan and replaced with a new Academy system and development leagues. Brentford's reserve team was relaunched as the Brentford Development Squad in 2011 and in 2012 it began competing in Professional Development League 2 South. After closing the academy in May 2016, the club withdrew from the Elite Player Performance Plan and Professional Development League and launched a new Brentford B team. Following the first team's promotion to the Premier League in 2021, the club reopened its academy in time for the start of the 2022–23 season, under the Elite Player Performance Plan, while retaining the B team.
Brentford Reserves defend a Wycombe Wanderers attack during the 1988 Capital League Cup Final. Brentford won the match on penalties.
As of April 2024, right back Mads Roerslev has made the most Brentford first team appearances of any B team graduate.
Central defender Chris Mepham was the first former Brentford academy player to be capped at full international level, for Wales.
Neil MacFarlane has served as head coach of Brentford B since May 2019.