Thomas Frank's side completed their fairytale rise thanks to
first-half goals from Ivan Toney and Emiliano Marcondes at Wembley.
Swansea's Jay Fulton was sent off midway through the second
half to put the result beyond doubt in what is widely regarded as football's
single most lucrative game, mainly because of the broadcast revenues that
Premier League clubs receive.
After decades stuck in lower league obscurity, unfashionable
Brentford will be one of the smallest clubs ever to play in the top tier.
In just their second season at the new Brentford Community
Stadium, the Bees will welcome the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United
and Liverpool to west London.
The riches earned from the victory will be transformative
for Brentford, who have finally erased the painful memories of their wretched
play-off past.
Beaten by Fulham in last season's Championship final,
Brentford had failed to earn promotion in all nine of their play-off
appearances before this term.
No team had lost more play-off finals than Brentford's four,
but Frank had insisted the bad omens would count for nothing.
The Bees boss was proved right as he became the first Danish
coach to win a Football League promotion.
"I don't know if I can describe it. It's been such a
long journey," Frank said before his players gate-crashed the interview to
throw him into the air in celebration.
"This group of players is incredible. Everyone has
played a major part," Frank added, once he was back on his feet.
"The feeling was calm and relaxed and ready to be
ruthless.
"Right now I want to get drunk and then worry about the
Premier League tomorrow!"
Brentford's rise has captured the imagination of neutrals
after they spent 59 out of 60 seasons in the third or fourth tiers before
reaching the Championship in 2014.
They have climbed well above their traditional status thanks
to innovative owner Matthew Benham.
Benham has introduced an analytics-influenced approach
overseen by two directors of football, ensuring the club make the most of their
resources, which are meagre in comparison with the Championship's wealthier
teams.
Prolific Toney
Fittingly, it was Championship top scorer Toney who put
Brentford on course for the top-flight for the first time since 1947.
Toney, signed from third tier Peterborough last year, fired
Brentford to a third-place finish despite the close-season sales of star
forwards Ollie Watkins and Said Benrahma to Aston Villa and West Ham
respectively.
Now the 25-year-old, rejected by Newcastle as a youngster,
will get the chance to show he can thrive in the Premier League.
Six of Brentford's team started last season's final and they
quickly seized the initiative in the 10th minute.
Bryan Mbeumo made a clever run behind the Swansea defence to
reach Sergi Canos's superb pass into the penalty area, prompting Freddie
Woodman to race off his line and crash into the Brentford striker.
Referee Chris Kavanagh pointed to the spot and Toney stepped
up to slot the penalty past Woodman for his 33rd goal of the season.
Brentford weren't going to sit on their lead and a
blistering counter-attack produced their second goal in the 20th minute.
Breaking from their own penalty area, Frank's men caught
Swansea out of position as Mbeumo picked out the over-lapping Mads Roerslev.
Roerslev's cross was perfectly measured for Marcondes and he
guided a clinical finish past Woodman from 12 yards.
Toney was inches away from his second goal moments later
when his dipping volley hit the bar and bounced clear off the line.
Shell-shocked Swansea failed to manage a single shot on
target in the entire game.
And when Fulton saw red in the 65th minute for a crude foul
on Mathias Jensen, it was only a matter of time before Brentford could start
their promotion party.