By Mitch Phillips
LONDON (Reuters) - The feelgood factor surrounding Brentford's unlikely Premier League dream was punctured on Tuesday when the club made a limp reply to speculation that manager Mark Warburton will be sacked even if he achieves a shock promotion.
The west London club have not played in the top flight for nearly 70 years and have spent most of the time since then bobbing about in England's bottom two divisions.
However, under the ownership of fan and multi-millionaire Matthew Benham, they won promotion to the second-tier Championship last season and are currently fourth, five points behind similarly unlikely leaders Bournemouth and firmly in the playoff places.
Warburton took over from Uwe Roessler midway through last season and has developed an eye-catching attacking style that has gained widespread approval and given Brentford a real chance of reaching the top division they last graced in 1947.
However, the Times newspaper on Tuesday said that Warburton, who is on a 12-month rolling contract, would be shown the door at the end of the season regardless, and that the club were courting Paco Jemez, currently coach of Spanish club Rayo Vallecano.
Brentford responded with a statement that did little to reassure fans that Warburton, a former currency trader, would be around to oversee the fruits of his labours come August.
"Given Mark's increasing profile within the game, we recognise that he will deservedly have turned the heads of other clubs." the statement said.
"As with every other sensibly run club, we plan for various possible eventualities.
"We are a progressive club who do talk to other people within the game to learn about other ways of doing things, and to consider novel strategic approaches to the game.
"Those conversations continue internally, and are part of a healthy dialogue...It would not be in the club's interests to disclose any of those discussions, but Brentford FC do want to confirm that Mark Warburton remains our manager.
"The team's performance has been magnificent this season and that is primarily down to Mark's leadership.
"Mark will continue to lead the club in its push for Premier League football."
Brentford host Watford on Tuesday.