During the 2011–12 English football season, Brentford competed in Football League One. In a season of transition under new manager Uwe Rösler, the Bees finished in 9th place.

After guiding Brentford away from the League One relegation zone and securing a mid-table finish at the end of the 2010–11 season, Nicky Forster was passed over for the full-time manager's job in favour of Uwe Rösler. Rösler's appointment was part of an overhaul behind the scenes at Griffin Park, with Forster's first team coach Mark Warburton retained by the club and installed in the newly-created role of sporting director. Medical and analysis teams were installed as part of the backroom staff and a Development Squad was introduced to replace the reserve team. Manager Rösler brought in six new players before the beginning of the season – defenders Marcel Eger and Shay Logan,midfielders Jonathan Douglas and Harry Forrester,loan winger Niall McGinn and forward Clayton Donaldson. Two more players would arrive before the end of the summer transfer window, defender Adam Thompson and forward Mike Grella. Grella was a late replacement for Charlie MacDonald, who joined Milton Keynes Dons for an undisclosed fee, reported to be £35,000.