Brentford boss Thomas Frank hailed Ivan Toney’s “incredible” season after the striker took his Sky Bet Championship goal tally to 30 in the 2-0 win over Watford.
The prolific striker netted a second-half penalty after Marcus Forss had opened the scoring as Brentford guaranteed a third-placed finish for the second season running.
Toney has now matched Glenn Murray’s record haul of 30 goals which he managed for Crystal Palace in 2012-13.
Frank said: “It’s a massive achievement, becoming joint record holder with Glenn Murray, an incredible achievement. I want Ivan to have the record.
“Also his assists are 10 or 11 – crazy numbers. And there is more to come from him. He will be a Premier League player, no doubt. And the plan is with us.”
Brentford’s points tally of 84 would have sent them up automatically last season, but they will now attempt to avoid the agony of another defeat in the play-offs.
They will have the advantage of playing the home leg of their semi-final second, hopefully in front of 4,000 supporters, as they bid to follow Watford into the top flight for the first time in their history.
Frank added: “That was a big aim for us, to do it today, for various reasons. We like the second leg being at home but also we wanted to finish as high as possible.
“I think it’s a statement, two seasons in a row coming third. Now we have more points than last year, we are top scorers in the league. So many things are in the right place.
“All four teams will have the ambition to get promoted but I’m pleased we are third.”
The Hornets, who secured automatic promotion by beating Millwall last weekend, saw their slim chance of pipping Norwich to the title disappear.
Hornets boss Xisco Munoz said: “I’m not disappointed because I know how difficult today was with the intensity in the game. We came with a good attitude.
“It’s normal, the Championship is very hard. It’s important to know there has been a lot of tension over the last four months. In the last part of the season sometimes you have this problem.
“We had chances but we couldn’t score so congratulations to Brentford. And congratulations to Norwich for the title.”
