Parents have spoken of their shock after Brentford decided to close their academy to focus on developing an elite team for 18 players, aged between 17 and 21.

The Bees, under Matthew Benham's ownership, had made youth development a priority but have decided it is no longer worth the investment if category one clubs, such as Manchester City, can cherry pick young talent for nominal sums by football's standards.

Co-directors of football Rasmus Ankersen and Phil Giles faced an uncomfortable, heated 90-minute meeting on Wednesday night as furious parents demanded answers, especially after the club paraded their new U8 side around Griffin Park against Fulham.

One shocked parent, who did not wish to be named, told GetWestLondon : “They either are being really short-sighted or they need the money for something else. I don't really understand it.

Closed: Brentford FC Academy

“We had the end-of-year meeting where they sit you down, appraise you or let you go and two weeks later, it's see you later.

“We signed contracts and, while I'm not saying we're due any money out of it, it's not a nice way to treat children.

“I had to go home that night at 8 o'clock and tell my son: 'Sorry, there's no more football at Brentford for you next year, we've got to find a local team or another academy.'

“At the last home game (against Fulham), they paraded all the under-eights and they signed their contracts on the pitch in front of the fans.

“They must have known then. How can the management do that to eight-year-old kids? Brentford is meant to be a family club. They do stuff for the community but I think it's disgusting what they've done.”

Support for affected children

The club have started a consultation process with the staff and players affected by this change and promised to do their best to ensure all children could have trials at a different academy.

The parent added: “They did say they would do their best to try and get every child a trial at another academy which is fair enough.

“But the market is going to be swamped with 200 kids freed up, albeit not for the same team. It's going to be hard to get an academy.”

Closed: Brentford FC academy on opening night in January 2014

The parents were also just as upset for the staff, who appear likely to be losing their jobs, as they were for their children.

Another parent, who also wished to remain anonymous to protect their child, said: “There were a lot of tears from the parents there.

“Not for the closure of the academy but also for the members of staff who we're good friends with now.”

Brentford have been approached for comment but would not add anything further than Wednesday's club statement.