Jordan Henderson’s arrival at Brentford split opinion, with many questioning whether a 35-year-old still had what it takes. Billy ‘TheBee’ Grant looks at how the former Liverpool captain is already starting to answer his critics
When Brentford announced the signing of Jordan Henderson, eyebrows were raised. Pundits and some fans questioned his move to West London – 35-year-old midfielder who many thought was past his best and not built for Premier League intensity
On forums, the reaction was harsh. Washed up. Pointless signing. Not the Brentford way were some of the comments about the ex-Liverpool captain’s move to West London. One fan on Reddit wrote “He is a leader of men on the pitch but I’m seeing so much negativity around this deal. He’s too old and against the club philosophy imo”
One pundit even suggested the move smacked of a desperate stop-gap, with Brentford turning to Henderson only because they couldn’t secure a younger, fitter alternative
The scepticism was understandable to an extent. He was stepping into big shoes replacing Nørgaard, and many people had expected a younger, big-money signing to make a statement in midfield
But the reality is the Henderson signing wasn’t on a whim. The Bees had already put a succession plan in place for Christian Nørgaard, a key player for Brentford whose game time had been limited by injuries. The club were keen to bring in someone who wouldn’t conflict with their strategy of creating a long-term pathway for the younger players earmarked for that position a few years down the line.
Jordan Henderson against Chelsea, Sept 2025
It was a delicate balancing act. Brentford needed a player experienced and good enough to cover Nørgaard, but not the kind of marquee signing who would demand a long contract, a guaranteed starting spot, or a hefty fee. In that sense, Henderson, arriving on a free transfer, fitted the brief almost perfectly.
He didn’t start the first game against Nottingham Forest, only coming on late as a sub, which fuelled more debate about his role. “If he can’t start for us now, why sign him at all?” was the sentiment that resonated around the TW8 area.
Then came the Aston Villa game where he was handed a start and the team looked sharper with him on the pitch. But against Sunderland when Henderson came off after an hour, that prompted another round of questions asking why Brentford had gone for a player who was unable to last the full 60 minutes.
We discussed this on the Beesotted podcast after the Forest defeat. The fact is he hadn’t had a full pre-season and the Forest game came too soon for him (as it did for much of the squad, judging by their performance). Not feeling 100% well then forced his early withdrawal against Sunderland
Roll on a couple of weeks when, days after captaining England in their victory against Serbia, Henderson played the full ninety minutes in a well-earned draw against Chelsea and their billion pound squad.
In the Beesotted poll voted for by the fans, Henderson was unanimously crowned Brentford’s Man of the Match with nearly 70% of the vote. His pass to Kevin Schade for the opener was pure class – weight, vision and timing. All perfect. His experience and composure showed too with clever positioning and smart decisions that steadied the team at key moments. He was constantly urging his teammates on and kept the team fired-up all the way to the 90th minute, giving the squad the belief they could get a result.
Henderson Chelsea MOTM
Suddenly, the picture started to look very different. Even the sceptics were beginning to turn. Fans described the pass as “beautiful” and one even joked that “Hendo put some peanut dust on that strike”. Another admitted “I think a lot of us owe this man an apology and I am definitely one of them. What a signing he’s been …”
Brentford boss Keith Andrews summed it up perfectly afterwards: “People will go on about the pass for the goal. It doesn’t surprise me with the type of precision that he has, the deliberate way that he plays passes … He’s an ultimate competitor. I thought he was outstanding.”
Henderson may be 35, but he brings qualities Brentford can use. Calmness in possession, leadership in the middle, distribution with purpose, and that eye for a ball that can change a game in an instant.
Beesotted spoke to fans who had in depth knowledge of Henderson just after Hendo signed on the dotted line. Neil from The Anfield Wrap talked about Henderson’s professionalism, how he would adapt his game when playing for Brentford and his vision for a pass in our pre-season chat with him (interview at the top of this article)
Meanwhile Tom, who commentates on Premier League football for Viaplay, described what qualities Hendo bought to Ajax in the season where the team was a whisker away from winning the league
You will find both interviews above
Yes he still needs time to bed in fully, but he’s far from being a has-been. There’s still plenty of fuel left in his tank
Of course, the season has only just begun. Anything can happen, and this is more about gaining an understanding of how valuable Henderson’s signing may be to Brentford over the long term – especially with the big boots of Christian Nørgaard to fill in midfield. Early signs are encouraging, but the true measure of his impact will emerge as the season unfolds
And with Janelt edging back from injury, Brentford now have a ready-made option to rotate with Henderson if and when needed keeping them both fresh
Ultimately, Jordan’s not a marquee-signing gamble. He’s a steadying hand in midfield and only time will reveal just how crucial he will really be for Brentford.
But the early signs are good.
Billy TheBee Grant
@BillyTheBee99
