As Ethan Pinnock draws the curtain on his 7 years at Brentford following a move to Coventry City, now feels like the perfect time to look back on his incredible Brentford career and the journey that took him to the Premier League.
This isn’t just another player leaving. It’s a player that has been intertwined with Brentford’s transformation. Ethan was there at Griffin Park, at Wembley against Fulham, scored the first competitive goal at our new stadium, won promotion in 2021 against Swansea, and has been the bedrock of Brentford becoming a sustainable Premier League team across the last 5 years. He’s seen it all at this club, and no doubt leaves a legendary legacy.
An unlikely beginning
The path that led Ethan to Brentford is special, and speaks volumes about his incredible commitment to the game he loves. After 6 years, 159 appearances, and one degree from the University of Greenwich, Pinnock left Dulwich Hamlet in 2016 for Forest Green Rovers.
A big move for Ethan and a chance to prove himself, but at 23 years-old, Ethan wasn’t yet a professional footballer. This was soon to change, as 45 appearances for Forest Green Rovers and promotion to League Two for the first time in the club’s history gave Ethan the ultimate lever to propel his career above and beyond.
Unsurprisingly, a 3-year deal was signed at Barnsley that summer, in 2017, which proved to be just the beginning of the story. Tell him that in 2 years' time he would win Barnsley’s Player of the Year award and earn a move to the Championship and he would’ve bitten your hand off.
Exactly that happened, as Ethan signed for Brentford on 2nd July 2019 for a reported £3m. From the 7th tier of English football to the 2nd in a spellbinding 3 years. A beautiful story still had chapters to be written.
Daring to dream
Ethan’s first season at the club proved memorable for him, the players, and the fans. Breaking into the team ahead of Julian Jeanvier in November 2019, playing alongside Pontus Jansson proved to be vital for the side, as the barbaric defensive partnership anchored an attack minded team that were beautiful on the eye.
Winning the hearts of Brentford fans almost instantly, Ethan made 40 appearances in a season that came to a conclusion in heartbreaking style at Wembley against Fulham, as Premier League dreams were delayed another year.
2021 proved to be the year where dreams were realised. Promotion to the Premier League was achieved. A special day for everyone at the club, but for Ethan, it meant that little bit more. Not only was it his 28th birthday, but it was also a testament to his dedication to pull off one of the most heart-warming ascensions through the English football pyramid.
That young lad from Lambeth who spent 6 years in the Millwall academy could only have dreamed of this day arriving. From a career that didn’t look like it was ever going to have lift-off, to the promised land of the Premier League. Dedication, desire, and a fire that never dared to burn out.
Ethan’s time at Brentford in the Premier League has delivered some lovely memories. Memorable goals against Liverpool, Manchester City, and Chelsea are just the beginning of the monumental contribution Ethan made to help establish the club in the Premier League.
A player who never failed to give it his all. That grassroots instinct and desire, partnered with unbelievable sacrifice and strength, produced one of the best defenders the club has ever seen. Throwing himself infront of every ball, going stride for stride with some of the quickest attackers in the game, and leaving every drop of energy out there on the pitch were the pillars for Ethan during his time at Brentford. These values crafted a player that you simply had to fall in love with.
A farewell to a club legend
What a ride it’s been. 217 appearances across 7 incredible years at the club. It’s not been plain sailing, but Ethan always turned up and delivered for the club, ultimately achieving the biggest prize of them all under the Wembley arch.
One of the faces of the beautiful Premier League years we’ve seen at Brentford. A story like no other, and a player like no other.
Thank you for everything, Ethan.
