Jack Hudson

GAWLER Eagles export Lachlan Brook has had a remarkable past 12 months as he made the move from Adelaide United to Brentford, which has been promoted from the English second-tier Championship to the English Premier League.

His new club recently earned its spot in the top-flight EPL for the first time, and Brook has returned home in the off-season to visit family.

He told The Bunyip he had loved the experience. “It's been really good, I'm really enjoying it,” Brook, 20, said.

“It's just another level in terms of everything, you’ve got to adapt to living away from home.

“I've been a Gawler boy basically my whole life, apart from being at the AIS.

“It’s completely different and on your own as well, which is another thing.

“I've really enjoyed it, really enjoyed the football and the professionalism of the football game over there.

“Really adapting to that English football, that trademark physical side of it as well, which the B-team really helped me with.”

Brook has been challenged while playing for Brentford’s second side, and has contested against the up and comers of some of the Premier League’s top clubs.

“Playing against a whole different range of teams playing against Conference teams, going against Chelsea under-23s and Arsenal under-23s, so you get the best of both worlds, but I really adapted well to it,” he said.

“Over there for them, it’s just another thing, but for me, it was crazy, like this is Chelsea.

“They had some first team players dropping down, people I’d watched as a kid or even just people that you see on Instagram and stuff like that.”

Brook moved over to England at the same time as two of his United teammates, one being another Gawlerite, Socceroo debutant Riley McGree.

“Obviously, having one of my good mates with me in the same country is good; it was difficult to catch up with him,” Brook said.

“With COVID, you’re not actually allowed to leave even your house basically only for training and what-not,” he said.

“But having him there and you know, going through that sort of thing at the same time even one of my other mates, (former Adelaide United forward) George Blackwood, all three of us want to move at the same time over to England.”

Now as a part of a Premier League club, Brook’s next goal is to get an appearance in the first team.