1996–97 Brentford F.C. season

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.

Brentford
1996–97 season
ChairmanMartin Lange
ManagerDavid Webb
StadiumGriffin Park
Second Division4th
Play-offsRunners-up
FA CupThird round
League CupSecond round
Football League TrophyQuarter-final
Top goalscorerLeague: Asaba (23)
All: Asaba (24)
Highest home attendance12,019
Lowest home attendance1,455
Average home league attendance5,920

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 an 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 W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
2 Stockport County 46 23 13 10 59 41 +18 82 Promoted
3 Luton Town 46 21 15 10 71 45 +26 78 Participated in play-offs
4 Brentford 46 20 14 12 56 43 +13 74
5 Bristol City 46 21 10 15 69 51 +18 73
6 Crewe Alexandra 46 22 7 17 56 47 +9 73 Promoted through play-offs
Source:
Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (GF) takes precedence over goal difference (GD).

Results
Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend
Win Draw Loss

Pre-season
DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)
22 July 1996HamptonA3–0n/aAsaba (pen), Taylor (pen), Forster
25 July 1996Carshalton AthleticA1–0n/aOmigie
27 July 1996Chertsey Town A1–0n/aTaylor
29 July 1996Southend United H3–0n/aBent, Forster, Asaba
31 July 1996Tottenham HotspurH0–33,175
2 August 1996Queens Park Rangers H2–13,793Taylor (pen), Abrahams
5 August 1996Stevenage BoroughA2–2n/aDennis, Asaba
7 August 1996Derby CountyH0–21,936
12 August 1996HayesA7–0n/aDennis (2), Taylor, Forster, Bent, Myall, untraced (og)

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
Main article: 1996–97 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
Main article: 1996–97 Football 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
Main article: 1996–97 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 (1970-03-08)8 March 1970 (aged 26) Tottenham Hotspur 1993
GK Tamer Fernandes (1974-12-07)7 December 1974 (aged 21) Youth 1993
Defenders
DF Ijah Anderson (1975-12-30)30 December 1975 (aged 20) Southend United 1995
DF Barry Ashby (1970-11-21)21 November 1970 (aged 25) Watford 1994
DF Jamie Bates (c) (1968-02-24)24 February 1968 (aged 28) Youth 1986
DF Carl Hutchings (1974-09-24)24 September 1974 (aged 21) Youth 1993
DF Brian Statham (1969-05-21)21 May 1969 (aged 27) Tottenham Hotspur 1992
Midfielders
MF Scott Canham (1974-11-11)11 November 1974 (aged 21) West Ham United 1996
MF Kevin Dennis (1976-12-14)14 December 1976 (aged 19) Arsenal 1996
MF Richard Goddard (1978-03-31)31 March 1978 (aged 18) Arsenal 1996
MF Lee Harvey (1966-12-21)21 December 1966 (aged 29) Nottingham Forest 1993
MF Gus Hurdle (1973-10-14)14 October 1973 (aged 22) Carshalton Athletic 1993
MF David McGhee (1976-06-19)19 June 1976 (aged 20) Youth 1994
MF Paul Smith (1971-09-18)18 September 1971 (aged 24) Southend United 1993
Forwards
FW Carl Asaba (1973-01-28)28 January 1973 (aged 23) Dulwich Hamlet 1994
FW Marcus Bent (1978-05-19)19 May 1978 (aged 18) Youth 1995
FW Malcolm McPherson (1974-12-09)9 December 1974 (aged 21) West Ham United 1996
FW Joe Omigie (1972-06-13)13 June 1972 (aged 24) Donna 1994
FW Kevin Rapley (1977-09-21)21 September 1977 (aged 18) Youth 1997
FW Robert Taylor (1971-04-30)30 April 1971 (aged 25) Leyton Orient 1994
Players who left the club mid-season
MF Paul Abrahams (1973-10-31)31 October 1973 (aged 22) Colchester United 1995 Transferred to Colchester United
MF Mark Janney (1977-12-02)2 December 1977 (aged 18) Tottenham Hotspur 1997 Returned to Tottenham Hotspur after loan
FW Nicky Forster (1973-09-08)8 September 1973 (aged 22) Gillingham 1994 Transferred to Birmingham City
FW Steve Slade (1975-10-06)6 October 1975 (aged 20) Queens Park Rangers 1997 Returned to Queens Park Rangers after loan

Coaching staff
Name Role
David Webb Manager
Kevin Lock First Team Coach
Roy Johnson Physiotherapist
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 Kevin Dearden 440304020 3 0560
GK Tamer Fernandes 20000010 0 030
DF Ijah Anderson 461204010 3 0561
DF Barry Ashby 401304030 0 (1) 050 (1)1
DF Jamie Bates 372304030 3 0502
DF Gus Hurdle 28 (3)0204010 3 038 (3)0
DF Brian Statham 11 (8)0100020 3 017 (8)0
MF Paul Abrahams 5 (3)2—1 (2)0— —6 (5)2
MF Marcus Bent 29 (5)320401 (1)0 3 139 (6)4
MF Scott Canham 131102000 0 (2) 016 (2)1
MF Kevin Dennis 9 (3)0000020 1 012 (3)0
MF Richard Goddard 0 (1)0000 0 00 0 00 (1)0
MF Lee Harvey 2 (12)00 (2)00 (2)010 0 03 (16)0
MF Carl Hutchings 23 (5)2100 (1)010 3 028 (6)2
MF David McGhee 44 (1)1312 (1)030 3 055 (2)2
MF Paul Smith 461314020 3 1583
FW Carl Asaba 4423304031 2 05624
FW Nicky Forster 2510313111 —3213
FW Malcolm McPherson 2 (1)000001 (1)0 0 03 (2)0
FW Joe Omigie 7 (6)10 (3)0002 (1)1 0 09 (10)2
FW Kevin Rapley 1 (1)000 00 0 0 001 (1) 0
FW Robert Taylor 437324131 3 25613
Players loaned in during the season
MF Mark Janney 1 (1)1——— — 1 (1)1
MF Steve 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 Carl Asaba2300 1 024
FW Nicky Forster 10 1 1 1 — 13
FW Robert Taylor 7 2 1 1 2 13
MF Marcus Bent 3 0 0 0 1 4
MF Paul Smith 1 1 0 0 1 3
MF Paul Abrahams 2 — 0 — — 2
DF Jamie Bates 2 0 0 0 0 2
MF Carl Hutchings 2 0 0 0 0 2
MF David McGhee 1 1 0 0 0 2
FW Joe Omigie 1 0 0 1 0 2
MF Mark Janney 1 — — — — 1
DF Ijah Anderson 1 0 0 0 0 1
DF Barry Ashby 1 0 0 0 0 1
MF 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
FW Carl Asaba 6 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 1 9 1 12
DF Barry Ashby 4 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 6 2 12
DF Ijah Anderson 7 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 8
DF Gus Hurdle 6 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 7
DF Brian Statham 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 1 6
FW Nicky Forster 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 — 5 0 5
DF Jamie Bates 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 4
MF Marcus Bent 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 3
MF Paul Smith 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 3
MF Steve Slade 2 0 — — — — 2 0 2
MF Kevin Dennis 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2
MF Carl Hutchings 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2
MF Scott Canham 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2
GK Kevin Dearden 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
FW 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 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.
July 1996MF Kevin Dennis ArsenalFree[8]
July 1996MF Richard Goddard ArsenalFree[9]
July 1996FW Malcolm McPherson West Ham UnitedFree[10]
July 1996MF Stuart Myall Brighton & Hove AlbionFree[11]
August 1996MF Scott Canham West Ham United£25,000[1]
Players loaned in
Date from Pos. Name From Date to Ref.
13 February 1997FW Steve Slade Queens Park Rangers8 March 1997[12]
15 March 1997FW Paul Mahorn Tottenham HotspurMarch 1997[13]
27 March 1997MF Mark Janney Tottenham Hotspur5 April 1997[14]
Players transferred out
Date Pos. Name Subsequent club Fee Ref.
23 October 1996MF Paul Abrahams Colchester United£20,000[15]
31 January 1997FW Nicky Forster Birmingham City£700,000[16]
Players loaned out
Date from Pos. Name To Date to Ref.
December 1996MF Stuart Myall Hastings TownJanuary 1997[1]

Kit

Supplier: Cobra Sports
Sponsor(s): Ericsson

Home
Away
Goalkeeper

Source: Brentford F.C.

Awards

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

References
  1. Croxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2013). The Big Brentford Book Of The Nineties. Sunbury, Middlesex: Legends Publishing. pp. 230–234. ISBN 9781906796723.
  2. 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. Croxford, Lane & Waterman 2013, p. 208-229.
  4. Brentford's Official Matchday Magazine versus AFC Bournemouth. 16 November 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. Croxford, Lane & Waterman 2013, p. 482.
  8. "Kevin Dennis". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  9. "Richard Goddard-Crawley". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  10. "Malcolm McPherson". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  11. "Stuart Myall". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  12. Steve Slade at Soccerbase
  13. "NO-HEADLINE". The Independent. 15 March 1997. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  14. Mark Janney at Soccerbase
  15. Paul Abrahams at Soccerbase
  16. "Premier and Football League transfers". www.11v11.com. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  17. Croxford, Lane & Waterman 2013, p. 445.
  18. Brentford's Official Matchday Magazine versus Peterborough United. 3 May 1997. p. 3.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.