[3][4] Despite the purchase of the club by Matthew Benham,[5] the need to continue operating on a similar budget to recent years meant that Rösler and sporting director Mark Warburton had to reduce the size of the squad and conduct a mass clear-out, releasing stalwarts Karleigh Osborne, Marcus Bean, Sam Wood and veteran forward Gary Alexander's loan at Crawley Town was made permanent.

[6] The contracts of defenders Craig Woodman, Marcel Eger and Pim Balkestein were cancelled and six days into the season, winger Myles Weston was sold to Gillingham for an undisclosed fee.

[7] By the end of the off-season transfer window, seven new players had been signed on permanent contracts – left back Scott Barron, central defenders Tony Craig and Harlee Dean, midfielder Adam Forshaw, winger Stuart Dallas and forwards Farid El Alagui and Paul Hayes.

[14] Inspired by the form of attacking midfielder Harry Forrester,[15] an unbeaten run of 9 wins and four draws in 13 matches between 23 October 2012 and 21 January 2013 firmly established the Bees as challengers for automatic promotion, rising as high as 2nd position in the table.

[11] Headway was also made in the FA Cup during the same period, with victories over Boreham Wood, Bradford City and Southend United setting up a fourth round tie versus West London neighbours Chelsea at Griffin Park on 27 January.

[11] In a match televised on ITV,[16] Brentford twice took the lead (through a quick-reaction Marcello Trotta finish and a Harry Forrester penalty), but the Premier League club ensured a replay when Fernando Torres pulled the score back to 2–2 with seven minutes remaining.

[19] The distraction of the Chelsea FA Cup matches had an impact on Brentford's league form, but the Bees rose back into the automatic promotion places for the first time since mid-December after a 1–0 victory over Preston North End at Griffin Park on 16 March.

[23] The circumstances echoed those of the final day of the 2001–02 season, when the Bees needed to beat 2nd-place Reading at Griffin Park to win automatic promotion, but could only draw 1–1 and were forced to settle for the playoffs.

[31] Ahead of the two-legged play-off semi-final versus Swindon Town, manager Uwe Rösler revealed that he would pin a list of his nominated penalty takers to the dressing room wall.

[36] After pulling a goal back early in the second half through Harlee Dean and despite bringing on attacking players Bradley Wright-Phillips, Paul Hayes and Sam Saunders, Brentford could not create many chances.