1996–97 Brentford F.C. season

Brentford
1996–97 season
Chairman Martin Lange
Manager David Webb
Stadium Griffin Park
Second Division 4th
Play-offs Runners-up
FA Cup Third round
League Cup Second round
Football League Trophy Quarter-final
Top goalscorer League: Asaba (23)
All: Asaba (24)
Highest home attendance 12,019
Lowest home attendance 1,455
Average home league attendance 5,920

During the 1996–97 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Second Division. Despite having led the division for most of the season, a collapse in the final 13 matches dropped the Bees into the playoffs, where they were defeated by Crewe Alexandra in the 1997 Second Division playoff Final.

Season summary

Despite a hangover in the 1995–96 season, Brentford entered 1996–97 with largely the same core of players which reached the 1995 Second Division playoff semi-finals.[1] That said, centre back Barry Ashby and midfielders Paul Smith and Carl Hutchings rejected new contracts in favour of monthly agreements, though all three would sign new deals during the opening two months of the season.[1] Manager David Webb's only significant signing of the 1996 off-season was that of Scott Canham, paying West Ham United a £25,000 fee to turn his loan from the previous season into a permanent deal.[1]

Brentford began the Second Division season with a 11-match unbeaten run and firmly held on to top spot in the table.[2] The four-pronged attack of Carl Asaba, Nicky Forster, Robert Taylor and Marcus Bent proved fruitful and Asaba's 7-minute hat-trick versus Shrewsbury Town on 31 August 1996 was the quickest ever in a league match by a Brentford player.[3][4] One win in eight matches from mid-October through to mid-November dropped the Bees back into the playoffs, but the club returned to the summit early in the following 13-match unbeaten run.[2] Forward Nicky Forster, who was in the final year of his contract, was sold to Birmingham City for a £700,000 fee on 31 January 1997, but would not be replaced.[1]

Despite the loss of Forster, the unbeaten run continued until defeat away to Preston North End on 8 March.[1] In the aftermath of the match, manager David Webb tendered his resignation,[5] citing verbal abuse of himself, the coaching staff and the players and "undisclosed sensitive issues" as the reason.[1] Chairman Martin Lange refused to accept Webb's resignation.[1] The Preston defeat gave way to a run of eight defeats in the final 13 matches of the season, in which just six goals were scored and the team failed to find the net at all during the final four matches.[2] Things went from bad to worse when centre back Barry Ashby suffered a potentially season-ending injury on 19 April and Carl Asaba was sent off in the penultimate match of the season.[1] The run dropped Brentford from 1st to 4th place and into a two-legged tie with Bristol City in the playoff semi-finals,[1] who had entered the playoffs on the back of five consecutive wins.[2]

Brentford rallied in the playoff semi-finals, seeing off Bristol City 4–2 on aggregate, winning 2–1 home and away.[6] The Bees were "exposed and outclassed" in the final at Wembley Stadium versus Crewe Alexandra, losing just 1–0 in a match which saw the Railwaymen hit the woodwork on three occasions and have two goalbound efforts cleared off the line by Carl Hutchings.[3] In addition, Bees defender Brian Statham was sent off for committing a second bookable offence 15 minutes from time.[3]

League table

Pos Team Pld Home Away F A GD Pts
W D L F A W D L F A
1Bury461850397671023316238+2484
2Stockport County461553311488728275941+1882
3Luton Town461373381488733317145+2678
4Brentford4681142622123830215643+1374
5Bristol City4614454318761026336951+1873
6Crewe Alexandra4615443815731318325647+973
7Blackpool4613734121581019266047+1369
8Wrexham461193382869817225450+469
9Burnley4614364827581023287155+1668
10Chesterfield4610942518851017214239+368
11Gillingham4613373725671023346059+167
12Walsall4612833521721419325453+167
13Watford4610852414611621244538+767
14Millwall4612472722491023335055–561
15Preston North End4614543319421716364955–661
16Bournemouth468962420761019254345–260
17Bristol Rovers4613463422271413284750–356
18Wycombe Wanderers4613463114261520435156–555
19Plymouth Argyle4671151918571128404758–1154
20York City468692731571120374768–2152
21Peterborough United467793834471217395573–1847
22Shrewsbury Town468692732371322424974–2546
23Rotherham United4647121729371322413970–3135
24Notts County4649102025351513343359–2635
  • Pld = Matches ; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
  • NB: In the Football League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).
Key
Division Champions, promoted
Promoted
Participated in play-offs
Promoted through play-offs
Relegated

Results

Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League Second Division

No. DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)
1 17 August 1996BuryA1–13,373Taylor
2 24 August 1996Luton TownH3–25,404Asaba, Bates, Taylor
3 27 August 1996GillinghamH2–05,384Abrahams (2)
4 31 August 1996Shrewsbury TownA3–03,530Asaba (3)
5 7 September 1996ChesterfieldA2–03,643Bates, Forster
6 10 September 1996Plymouth ArgyleH3–25,377Smith, Asaba, Bent
7 14 September 1996BlackpoolH1–15,908Asaba
8 21 September 1996Wycombe WanderersA1–05,330Bent
9 28 September 1996York CityH3–35,243Taylor, Asaba (2)
10 1 October 1996Bristol CityA2–19,520Asaba, Forster
11 5 October 1996Rotherham UnitedH4–26,137Asaba (2), Taylor, Forster
12 12 October 1996Crewe AlexandraA0–24,313
13 15 October 1996Peterborough UnitedA1–05,037Taylor
14 19 October 1996WalsallH1–15,419Hutchings
15 26 October 1996MillwallH0–07,691
16 29 October 1996Bristol RoversA1–25,163Hutchings
17 2 November 1996WatfordA0–211,448
18 9 November 1996Stockport CountyH2–25,076Canham, Forster
19 19 November 1996BournemouthA1–23,464Anderson
20 23 November 1996WrexhamH2–04,885Forster, Asaba
21 29 November 1996MillwallA0–07,845
22 3 December 1996Notts CountyH2–03,675Bent, Asaba
23 14 December 1996BurnleyA2–110,575Asaba, Forster
24 21 December 1996Preston North EndH0–05,365
25 26 December 1996Plymouth ArgyleA4–19,525Forster (2), Asaba, Omigie
26 11 January 1997York CityA4–23,085Asaba (2), Forster (2)
27 18 January 1997Bristol CityH0–07,606
28 21 January 1997Bristol RoversH0–04,191
29 1 February 1997Stockport CountyA2–18,650McGhee, Taylor
30 8 February 1997WatfordH1–18,679Asaba
31 22 February 1997BournemouthH1–06,071Asaba
32 1 March 1997Notts CountyA1–14,323Ashby
33 4 March 1997Wycombe WanderersH0–05,375
34 8 March 1997Preston North EndA0–19,489
35 15 March 1997BurnleyH0–36,624
36 21 March 1997Luton TownA0–18,164
37 25 March 1997WrexhamA2–04,053Asaba (2, 1 pen)
38 29 March 1997BuryH0–27,823
39 31 March 1997GillinghamA2–17,361Janney, Asaba
40 5 April 1997Shrewsbury TownH0–05,355
41 11 April 1997Rotherham UnitedA1–01,797Taylor
42 15 April 1997ChesterfieldH1–05,216Asaba
43 19 April 1997Crewe AlexandraH0–26,183
44 22 April 1997BlackpoolA0–14,030
45 26 April 1997WalsallA0–15,359
46 3 May 1997Peterborough UnitedH0–15,274

Football League Second Division play-offs

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s) Notes
SF (1st leg)11 May 1997Bristol CityA2–115,581Smith, Taylor
SF (2nd leg)14 May 1997Bristol CityH2–1 (won 4–2 on aggregate)9,496Taylor, Bent
F25 May 1997Crewe AlexandraN0–134,149 [nb 1]

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s) Notes
R116 November 1996BournemouthH2–04,509Smith, Forster
R27 December 1996Sudbury TownA3–13,973McGhee, Taylor (2) [nb 2]
R325 January 1997Manchester CityH0–112,019

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer
R1 (1st leg)20 August 1996Plymouth ArgyleH1–03,034Taylor
R1 (2nd leg)3 September 1996Plymouth ArgyleA0–0 (won 1–0 on aggregate)5,180
R2 (1st leg)17 September 1996Blackburn RoversH1–28,938Forster
R2 (2nd leg)24 September 1996Blackburn RoversA0–2 (lost 4–1 on aggregate)9,599

Football League Trophy

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)
SR110 December 1996Bristol RoversA2–12,752Omigie, Asaba
SR27 January 1997BarnetH2–1 (a.e.t.)1,455Taylor, Forster
SQF28 January 1997Colchester UnitedH0–12,253
  • Source: Statto, The Big Brentford Book of the Nineties[3]

Playing squad

Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1996–97 season.
Position Name Nationality Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in Notes
Goalkeepers
GK Kevin Dearden England 8 March 1970 (aged 26) Tottenham Hotspur 1993
GK Tamer Fernandes England 7 December 1974 (aged 21) Youth 1993
Defenders
DF Ijah Anderson England 30 December 1975 (aged 20) Southend United 1995
DF Barry Ashby England 21 November 1970 (aged 25) Watford 1994
DF Jamie Bates (c) England 24 February 1968 (aged 28) Youth 1986
DF Carl Hutchings England 24 September 1974 (aged 21) Youth 1993
DF Brian Statham England 21 May 1969 (aged 27) Tottenham Hotspur 1992
Midfielders
MF Scott Canham England 11 November 1974 (aged 21) West Ham United 1996
MF Kevin Dennis England 14 December 1976 (aged 19) Arsenal 1996
MF Richard Goddard-Crawley England 31 March 1978 (aged 18) Arsenal 1996
MF Lee Harvey England 21 December 1966 (aged 29) Nottingham Forest 1993
MF Gus Hurdle Barbados 14 October 1973 (aged 22) Carshalton Athletic 1993
MF David McGhee England 19 June 1976 (aged 20) Youth 1994
MF Paul Smith England 18 September 1971 (aged 24) Southend United 1993
Forwards
FW Carl Asaba England 28 January 1973 (aged 23) Dulwich Hamlet 1994
FW Marcus Bent England 19 May 1978 (aged 18) Youth 1995
FW Malcolm McPherson Scotland 9 December 1974 (aged 21) West Ham United 1996
FW Joe Omigie England 13 June 1972 (aged 24) Donna 1994
FW Kevin Rapley England 21 September 1977 (aged 18) Youth 1997
FW Robert Taylor England 30 April 1971 (aged 25) Leyton Orient 1994
Players who left the club mid-season
MF Paul Abrahams England 31 October 1973 (aged 22) Colchester United 1995 Transferred to Colchester United
MF Mark Janney England 2 December 1977 (aged 18) Tottenham Hotspur 1997 Returned to Tottenham Hotspur after loan
FW Nicky Forster England 8 September 1973 (aged 22) Gillingham 1994 Transferred to Birmingham City
FW Steve Slade England 6 October 1975 (aged 20) Queens Park Rangers 1997 Returned to Queens Park Rangers after loan

Coaching staff

Name Role
England David Webb Manager
England Kevin Lock First Team Coach
England Roy Johnson Physiotherapist
England Fergus Dignan Medical Officer

Statistics

Appearances and goals

Substitute appearances in brackets.
Pos Nat Name League FA Cup League Cup FL Trophy Playoffs Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK EnglandKevin Dearden 440304020 3 0560
GK EnglandTamer Fernandes 20000010 0 030
DF EnglandIjah Anderson 461204010 3 0561
DF EnglandBarry Ashby 401304030 0 (1) 050 (1)1
DF EnglandJamie Bates 372304030 3 0502
DF BarbadosGus Hurdle 28 (3)0204010 3 038 (3)0
DF EnglandBrian Statham 11 (8)0100020 3 017 (8)0
MF EnglandPaul Abrahams 5 (3)2—1 (2)0— —6 (5)2
MF EnglandMarcus Bent 29 (5)320401 (1)0 3 139 (6)4
MF EnglandScott Canham 131102000 0 (2) 016 (2)1
MF EnglandKevin Dennis 9 (3)0000020 1 012 (3)0
MF EnglandRichard Goddard-Crawley 0 (1)0000 0 00 0 00 (1)0
MF EnglandLee Harvey 2 (12)00 (2)00 (2)010 0 03 (16)0
MF EnglandCarl Hutchings 23 (5)2100 (1)010 3 028 (6)2
MF EnglandDavid McGhee 44 (1)1312 (1)030 3 055 (2)2
MF EnglandPaul Smith 461314020 3 1583
FW EnglandCarl Asaba 4423304031 2 05624
FW EnglandNicky Forster 2510313111 —3213
FW ScotlandMalcolm McPherson 2 (1)000001 (1)0 0 03 (2)0
FW EnglandJoe Omigie 7 (6)10 (3)0002 (1)1 0 09 (10)2
FW EnglandKevin Rapley 1 (1)000 00 0 0 001 (1) 0
FW EnglandRobert Taylor 437324131 3 25613
Players loaned in during the season
MF EnglandMark Janney 1 (1)1——— — 1 (1)1
MF EnglandSteve Slade 40——— — 40
  • Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
  • Source: The Big Brentford Book of the Nineties[7]

Goalscorers

Pos. Nat Player FL2 FAC FLC FLT FLP Total
FW England Carl Asaba2300 1 024
FW England Nicky Forster 10 1 1 1 — 13
FW England Robert Taylor 7 2 1 1 2 13
MF England Marcus Bent 3 0 0 0 1 4
MF England Paul Smith 1 1 0 0 1 3
MF England Paul Abrahams 2 — 0 — — 2
DF England Jamie Bates 2 0 0 0 0 2
MF England Carl Hutchings 2 0 0 0 0 2
MF England David McGhee 1 1 0 0 0 2
FW England Joe Omigie 1 0 0 1 0 2
MF England Mark Janney 1 — — — — 1
DF England Ijah Anderson 1 0 0 0 0 1
DF England Barry Ashby 1 0 0 0 0 1
MF England Scott Canham 1 0 0 0 0 1
Total56524 471
  • Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
  • Source: The Big Brentford Book of the Nineties[7]

Discipline

Pos Nat Player FL2 FAC FLC FLT FLP Total Pts
Yellow card Red card Yellow card Red card Yellow card Red card Yellow card Red card Yellow card Red card Yellow card Red card
FW England Carl Asaba 6 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 1 9 1 12
DF England Barry Ashby 4 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 6 2 12
DF England Ijah Anderson 7 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 8
DF Barbados Gus Hurdle 6 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 7
DF England Brian Statham 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 1 6
FW England Nicky Forster 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 — 5 0 5
DF England Jamie Bates 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 4
MF England Marcus Bent 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 3
MF England Paul Smith 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 3
MF England Steve Slade 2 0 — — — — 2 0 2
MF England Kevin Dennis 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2
MF England Carl Hutchings 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2
MF England Scott Canham 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2
GK England Kevin Dearden 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
FW England Robert Taylor 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
Total47 02 07 00 0 2 258 2 64
  • Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
  • Source: Soccerbase

Management

Name Nat From To Record All Comps Record League
PWDLW %PWDLW %
David Webb England 17 August 1996 25 May 1997 59 27 15 17 045.76 46 20 14 12 043.48

Summary

Games played59 (46 Second Division, 3 FA Cup, 4 League Cup, 3 Football League Trophy, 3 Football League playoffs)
Games won27 (20 Second Division, 2 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 2 Football League Trophy, 2 Football League playoffs)
Games drawn15 (14 Second Division, 0 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 0 Football League Trophy, 0 Football League playoffs)
Games lost17 (12 Second Division, 1 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy, 1 Football League playoffs)
Goals scored71 (56 Second Division, 5 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 4 Football League Trophy, 4 Football League playoffs)
Goals conceded55 (43 Second Division, 2 FA Cup, 4 League Cup, 3 Football League Trophy, 3 Football League playoffs)
Clean sheets21 (18 Second Division, 1 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 0 Football League Trophy, 0 Football League playoffs)
Biggest league win3–0 versus Shrewsbury Town, 31 August 1996; 4–1 versus Plymouth Argyle, 26 December 1996
Worst league defeat3–0 versus Burnley, 15 March 1997
Most appearances58, Paul Smith (46 Second Division, 3 FA Cup, 4 League Cup, 2 Football League Trophy, 3 Football League playoffs)
Top scorer (league)23, Carl Asaba
Top scorer (all competitions)24, Carl Asaba

Transfers & loans

Players transferred in
Date Pos. Name Previous Club Fee Ref.
June 1996FWScotland Malcolm McPhersonEngland West Ham UnitedFree[8]
June 1996MFEngland Stuart MyallEngland Brighton & Hove AlbionFree[9]
July 1996MFEngland Kevin DennisEngland ArsenalFree[10]
July 1996MFEngland Richard Goddard-CrawleyEngland ArsenalFree[11]
August 1996MFEngland Scott CanhamEngland West Ham United£25,000[1]
Players loaned in
Date from Pos. Name From Date to Ref.
13 February 1997FWEngland Steve SladeEngland Queens Park Rangers8 March 1997[12]
15 March 1997FWEngland Paul MahornEngland Tottenham HotspurMarch 1997[13]
27 March 1997MFEngland Mark JanneyEngland Tottenham Hotspur5 April 1997[14]
Players transferred out
Date Pos. Name Subsequent club Fee Ref.
23 October 1996MFEngland Paul AbrahamsEngland Colchester United£20,000[15]
31 January 1997FWEngland Nicky ForsterEngland Birmingham City£700,000[16]
Players loaned out
Date from Pos. Name To Date to Ref.
December 1996MFEngland Stuart MyallEngland Hastings TownJanuary 1997[1]

Awards

Notes

  1. ↑ Match played at Wembley Stadium, London.
  2. ↑ Match played at Layer Road, Colchester.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Croxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2013). The Big Brentford Book Of The Nineties. Sunbury, Middlesex: Legends Publishing. pp. 230–234. ISBN 9781906796723.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Ltd, Statto Organisation. "Brentford results for the 1996-1997 season - Statto.com". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Croxford, Lane & Waterman 2013, p. 208-229.
  4. ↑ Brentford's Official Matchday Magazine versus AFC Bournemouth 16/11/96. 1996. p. 2.
  5. ↑ "Furious Webb set to quit". The Free Library. Sunday Mirror. 9 March 1997. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  6. ↑ "Brentford FC Moment in time: Bristol City". Archived from the original on 18 August 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  7. 1 2 Croxford, Lane & Waterman 2013, p. 482.
  8. ↑ "Barry Hugman's Footballers – Malcolm McPherson". hugmansfootballers.com. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  9. ↑ "Barry Hugman's Footballers – Stuart Myall". hugmansfootballers.com. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  10. ↑ "Barry Hugman's Footballers – Kevin Dennis". hugmansfootballers.com. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  11. ↑ "Barry Hugman's Footballers – Richard Goddard-Crawley". hugmansfootballers.com. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  12. ↑ "Steve Slade | Football Stats | No Club | Age 41 | 1994–2006 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  13. ↑ "NO-HEADLINE". The Independent. 15 March 1997. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  14. ↑ "Mark Janney | Football Stats | No Club | 1996–2005 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  15. ↑ "Paul Abrahams | Football Stats | Heybridge Swifts | Age 43 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  16. ↑ "Premier and Football League transfers". www.11v11.com. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  17. ↑ Croxford, Lane & Waterman 2013, p. 445.
  18. 1 2 Brentford's Official Matchday Magazine versus Peterborough United 03/05/97. 1997. p. 3.
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