1971–72 Brentford F.C. season

During the 1971–72 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Fourth Division. The club led the division for much of the first half of the season and 10 wins in the final 14 matches secured automatic promotion with a 3rd-place finish.

Brentford
1971–72 season
ChairmanEric Radley-Smith
(until January 1972)
Les Davey & Walter Wheatley
(from January 1972)
ManagerFrank Blunstone
StadiumGriffin Park
Fourth Division3rd (promoted)
FA CupFirst round
League CupFirst round
Top goalscorerLeague: O'Mara (25)
All: O'Mara (27)
Highest home attendance18,521
Lowest home attendance8,712
Average home league attendance11,738

Season summary

Despite the reduction of the club's debt to a manageable level and an average attendance higher than all but the top three finishers in the Third Division, Fourth Division Brentford went into the 1971–72 season with a squad of just 14 professionals.[1] Long-time goalkeeper Chic Brodie was released, as was bit-part winger Brian Tawse and in came two defensive youngsters on free transfers – Terry Scales and Steven Tom.[1]

Despite the club record £30,000 departure of Roger Cross to rivals Fulham and Alan Hawley also moving to Craven Cottage on loan, Brentford's 12-man squad met pre-season expectations in the early part of the season,[1] holding onto top spot intermittently until a minor blip in October and November 1971.[2] Utility player Michael Allen was signed from Middlesbrough for an £8,000 fee in October and proved to be a vital cog in the midfield.[1] The team owed much of its success to prolific goalscoring from John O'Mara, with the centre forward reaching 20 goals for the season after a 6–2 thrashing of Darlington on 8 January 1972, a result which made Brentford the top scorers in the Football League and was also notable for a 13-minute hattrick from John Docherty.[1]

After another blip caused by the suspension of John O'Mara for five weeks dropped Brentford out of the promotion places,[3] the team was buoyed by the loan signing of winger Stewart Houston and entered the final five weeks of the season strongly,[1] winning five matches in a row in March.[2] Two draws and a defeat over Easter threatened to drop the Bees out of the promotion places,[2] but four successive wins meant that automatic promotion was assured with two matches to play, when captain Bobby Ross' penalty was enough to beat Exeter City at Griffin Park on 22 April.[1] Despite going top of the Fourth Division after victory over Barrow in the following match, a 3–0 defeat away to Workington in the final match of the season dropped the Bees to a 3rd-place finish.[2]

Two club records were set during the season:

  • Most clean sheets in a Football League season: 22 – Gordon Phillips[4]
  • Fewest players used in a Football League season: 14[5]

Brentford finished top of the Fourth Division charts in the following statistical categories:

  • Best away record[6]
  • Highest overall goal difference[6]
  • Highest away goal difference[6]
  • Highest average attendance[7]

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Grimsby Town 46 28 7 11 88 56 1.571 63 Division Champions, promoted
2 Southend United 46 24 12 10 81 55 1.473 60 Promoted
3 Brentford 46 24 11 11 76 44 1.727 59
4 Scunthorpe United 46 22 13 11 56 37 1.514 57
5 Lincoln City 46 21 14 11 77 59 1.305 56
Source: rsssf.com

Results
Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend
Win Draw Loss

Pre-season
DateOpponentVenueResultScorer(s)
31 July 1971SouthamptonH1–3Untraced (og)
4 August 1971Hillingdon BoroughA2–1O'Mara, Scales
7 August 1971Oxford United H2–4O'Mara, Cross

Football League Fourth Division
No. DateOpponentVenueResult AttendanceScorer(s)
1 14 August 1971BuryA2–0 2,957Gelson, Tom
2 21 August 1971AldershotH1–1 8,920Turner
3 28 August 1971DarlingtonA0–0 2,514
4 30 August 1971BarrowH4–0 8,866O'Mara, Cross, Turner, Ross
5 4 September 1971HartlepoolH6–0 8,712Turner (2), O'Mara (3), Cross
6 11 September 1971Grimsby Town A1–3 11,683O'Mara
7 18 September 1971Peterborough UnitedH5–1 8,770Neilson, Graham, Docherty, O'Mara, Ross
8 25 September 1971ChesterA0–0 4,088
9 27 September 1971Stockport CountyH2–0 10,445Ross (2)
10 2 October 1971Northampton TownH6–1 11,004Gelson, Docherty, O'Mara (3), Neilson
11 8 October 1971Southport A0–0 5,371
12 16 October 1971BuryH2–0 9,851O'Mara, Graham
13 20 October 1971ReadingA1–2 10,473O'Mara
14 23 October 1971Southend UnitedH1–2 14,001O'Mara
15 30 October 1971Scunthorpe United A0–0 6,121
16 6 November 1971Newport County H3–1 10,484Docherty, Ross (2, 1 pen)
17 13 November 1971Colchester UnitedA1–1 6,898O'Mara
18 27 November 1971GillinghamH1–3 10,945Ross
19 4 December 1971Exeter CityA1–0 3,809O'Mara
20 11 December 1971Southport H1–0 9,624Peat (og)
21 18 December 1971HartlepoolA2–1 2,199Allen (2)
22 27 December 1971Crewe AlexandraH1–0 18,237O'Mara
23 1 January 1972Peterborough UnitedA2–2 7,027O'Mara (2)
24 8 January 1972DarlingtonH6–2 10,582Ross (pen), O'Mara (2), Docherty (3)
25 15 January 1972Lincoln City A1–4 7,552O'Mara
26 25 January 1972Stockport CountyA1–0 3,247Ross
27 29 January 1972ReadingH1–2 12,144Docherty
28 5 February 1972 Cambridge United A 1–1 6,861 Graham
29 12 February 1972 Southend United A 1–3 9,841 Ross (pen)
30 19 February 1972Scunthorpe UnitedH0–3 11,912
31 26 February 1972 Newport County A 0–0 3,271
32 4 March 1972Colchester UnitedH0–2 9,210
33 13 March 1972Lincoln CityH2–0 12,065O'Mara, Scales
34 18 March 1972AldershotA2–1 6,989O'Mara, Ross
35 21 March 1972Doncaster RoversA3–0 5,256Graham (2), Ross
36 25 March 1972Grimsby TownH2–0 14,635Docherty, O'Mara
37 27 March 1972Workington H2–0 13,972Docherty, Houston
38 31 March 1972ChesterH1–1 18,521Docherty
39 1 April 1972Crewe AlexandraA1–2 2,072Docherty
40 3 April 1972Northampton Town A0–0 5,314
41 8 April 1972Cambridge UnitedH2–1 9,061Docherty, Graham
42 15 April 1972Gillingham A1–0 5,819Docherty
43 17 April 1972Doncaster RoversH2–1 13,484O'Mara (2)
44 22 April 1972Exeter CityH1–0 14,540Ross (pen)
45 24 April 1972 Barrow A 3–0 2,646 Houston, Allen, Graham
46 29 April 1972Workington A0–3 1,751

FA Cup
Main article: 1971–72 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResult Attendance Scorer(s)
1R 20 November 1971 Swansea City A 1–1 7,915 O'Mara
1R (replay)22 November 1971Swansea City H2–3 15,000 Ross, O'Mara

Football League Cup
Main article: 1971–72 Football League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResult Attendance Scorer
1R18 August 1971Colchester United A1–3 6,125 Ross
  • Sources: 100 Years of Brentford,[8] The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies,[9] Statto

Playing squad
Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1971–72 season.
Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in Notes
Goalkeepers
GK Gordon Phillips (1946-11-17)17 November 1946 (aged 24) Hayes 1963
Defenders
DF Paul Bence (1948-12-21)21 December 1948 (aged 22) Reading 1970
DF Peter Gelson (1941-10-18)18 October 1941 (aged 29) Youth 1961
DF Alan Hawley (1946-06-07)7 June 1946 (aged 25) Youth 1962 Loaned to Fulham
DF Alan Nelmes (1948-10-20)20 October 1948 (aged 22) Chelsea 1967
DF Terry Scales (1951-01-18)18 January 1951 (aged 20) West Ham United 1971
DF Steven Tom (1951-05-01)1 May 1951 (aged 20) Queens Park Rangers 1971
Midfielders
MF Michael Allen (1949-03-30)30 March 1949 (aged 22) Middlesbrough 1971
MF John Docherty (1940-04-29)29 April 1940 (aged 31) Reading 1970
MF Jackie Graham (1946-07-16)16 July 1946 (aged 25) Guildford City 1970
MF Gordon Neilson (1947-05-28)28 May 1947 (aged 24) Arsenal 1968
MF Brian Turner (1949-07-31)31 July 1949 (aged 22) Portsmouth 1970
Forwards
FW Stewart Houston (1949-08-20)20 August 1949 (aged 21) Chelsea 1972 On loan from Chelsea
FW John O'Mara (1947-03-19)19 March 1947 (aged 24) Wimbledon 1971
FW Bobby Ross (c) (1942-05-10)10 May 1942 (aged 29) Shrewsbury Town 1966
Players who left the club mid-season
FW Roger Cross (1948-10-20)20 October 1948 (aged 22) West Ham United 1970 Transferred to Fulham
FW Trevor Dawkins (1945-10-17)17 October 1945 (aged 25) Crystal Palace 1971 Returned to Crystal Palace after loan
FW Ken Wallace (1952-06-08)8 June 1952 (aged 19) West Ham United 1972 Returned to West Ham United after loan
  • Sources: The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies,[10] Timeless Bees[11]

Coaching staff
Name Role
Frank Blunstone Manager
Eddie Lyons Trainer

Statistics

Appearances and goals
Substitute appearances in brackets.
Pos Nat Name League FA Cup League Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK Gordon Phillips 46 0 2 0 1 0 49 0
DF Paul Bence 32 (2) 0 2 0 1 0 35 (2) 0
DF Peter Gelson 36 (1) 2 0 0 1 0 37 (1) 2
DF Alan Hawley 20 0 0 0 0 0 20 0
DF Alan Nelmes 46 0 2 0 1 0 49 0
DF Terry Scales 43 1 2 0 1 0 46 1
DF Steven Tom 13 (5) 1 2 0 1 0 16 (5) 1
MF Michael Allen 29 (1) 3 2 0 — 31 (1) 3
MF John Docherty 44 13 2 0 0 0 46 13
MF Jackie Graham 45 7 2 0 1 0 48 7
MF Gordon Neilson 8 (4) 2 0 0 0 (1) 0 8 (5) 2
MF Brian Turner 34 (1) 4 2 0 1 0 37 (1) 4
FW Roger Cross 5 2 — 1 0 6 2
FW John O'Mara 40 25 2 2 1 0 43 27
FW Bobby Ross 44 (1) 13 2 1 1 1 47 (1) 15
Players loaned in during the season
FW Trevor Dawkins 3 (1) 0 — — 3 (1) 0
FW Stewart Houston 15 2 — — 15 2
FW Ken Wallace 3 0 — — 3 0
  • Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
  • Source: 100 Years of Brentford[8]

Goalscorers
Pos. Nat Player FL4 FAC FLC Total
FW John O'Mara 25 2 0 27
FW Bobby Ross 13 1 1 15
MF John Docherty 13 0 0 13
MF Jackie Graham 7 0 0 7
MF Brian Turner 4 0 0 4
MF Michael Allen 3 0 — 3
FW Stewart Houston 2 — — 2
FW Roger Cross 2 — 0 2
DF Peter Gelson 2 0 0 2
MF Gordon Neilson 2 0 0 2
DF Terry Scales 1 0 0 1
DF Steven Tom 1 0 0 1
Opponents 1 0 0 1
Total763 180
  • Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
  • Source: 100 Years of Brentford[8]

Management
Name Nat From To Record All Comps Record League
PWDLW %PWDLW %
Frank Blunstone 14 August 1971 29 April 1972 49 24 12 13 048.98 46 24 11 11 052.17

Summary
Games played49 (46 Fourth Division, 2 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)
Games won24 (24 Fourth Division, 0 FA Cup, 0 League Cup)
Games drawn12 (11 Fourth Division, 1 FA Cup, 0 League Cup)
Games lost13 (11 Fourth Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)
Goals scored80 (76 Fourth Division, 3 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)
Goals conceded51 (44 Fourth Division, 4 FA Cup, 3 League Cup)
Clean sheets22 (22 Fourth Division, 0 FA Cup, 0 League Cup)
Biggest league win6–0 versus Hartlepool, 4 September 1971
Worst league defeat3–0 on two occasions; 4–1 versus Lincoln City, 15 January 1972
Most appearances49, Alan Nelmes, Gordon Phillips (46 Fourth Division, 2 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)
Top scorer (league)25, John O'Mara
Top scorer (all competitions)27, John O'Mara

Transfers & loans
Players transferred in
Date Pos. Name Previous Club Fee Ref.
June 1971 DF Steven Tom Crystal Palace Free [12]
July 1971 DF Terry Scales West Ham United Free [12]
October 1971 MF Michael Allen Middlesbrough £8,000 [12]
Players loaned in
Date from Pos. Name From Date to Ref.
September 1971 FW Trevor Dawkins Crystal Palace October 1971 [12]
February 1972 FW Ken Wallace West Ham United March 1972 [12]
March 1972 FW Stewart Houston Chelsea End of season [12]
Players transferred out
Date Pos. Name Subsequent club Fee Ref.
September 1971 FW Roger Cross Fulham £30,000 [12]
Players loaned out
Date from Pos. Name To Date to Ref.
September 1971 MF Alan Hawley Fulham October 1971 [12]
Players released
Date Pos. Name Subsequent club Join date Ref.
May 1972 MF Gordon Neilson Hillingdon Borough 1972 [12]
May 1972 DF Steven Tom Barnet 1972 [12]
May 1972 MF Brian Turner Mount Wellington 1972 [12]

Awards

References
  1. White, p. 284-287.
  2. "Brentford results for the 1971-1972 season - Statto.com". Archived from the original on 9 November 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  3. Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 34.
  4. Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopedia. Yore Publications. p. 30. ISBN 1 874427 57 7.
  5. Haynes & Coumbe, p. 179.
  6. "Brentford Home Page for the 1971-1972 season - Statto.com". Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  7. Haynes, p. 13.
  8. White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 391. ISBN 0951526200.
  9. Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 36-48.
  10. Croxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2011). The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies. Sunbury, Middlesex: Legends Publishing. ISBN 978-1906796709.
  11. Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Yore Publications. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  12. Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 50-53.
  13. Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 295.
  14. Haynes & Coumbe, p. 118.
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