Richard Lee reckons Brentford's defeat at Stevenage in October was the catalyst for their promotion push.

Uwe Rosler kept the players locked in the dressing room for an hour after the 2-1 loss at Broadhall Way after a stuttering start to the campaign.

The Bees went on an incredible 19-match unbeaten run - with Mark Warburton taking over halfway through - to get their promotion push back on track before getting over the line against Preston last week

Low: Things came to a head after Brentford's defeat at Stevenage

"There is a day I look back on when I could never see this day happening and that was after Stevenage away," said Lee.

"I thought it was going to be play-offs at best. Since that day it’s been phenomenal. It’s crazy to think that at the time Uwe was on the verge of potentially going for the wrong reasons.

"Within a few months he’s moved to Wigan and we’ve got automatic with three games to spare."

Lee says returning to England's second tier trumps promotion to the Premier League with Watford because he only played a bit-part role.

He added: "Even when I was at Watford and got promotion I didn’t experience it as I was on loan at Blackburn. I’m excited about how we do in the Championship."