During the 2009–10 English football season, Brentford competed in Football League One. In the Bees' first League One season since 2006–07, the club finished in 9th place and reached the third round of the FA Cup.
Season summary
After promotion back to League One as League Two champions at the end of the 2008–09 season, Brentford manager Andy Scott immediately cleared all the bit-part and injury-prone players out of his squad, releasing 13. In came goalkeepers Lewis Price on a season-long loan and Nikki Bull on a one-year contract, three defenders (Alan Bennett, Danny Foster and Leon Legge), midfielder Sam Saunders, left winger Myles Weston and three forwards (Carl Cort, Steve Kabba and Ben Strevens). Popular forward Nathan Elder departed Griffin Park in early August 2009 and dropped back down to League Two to sign for Shrewsbury Town for an undisclosed fee. Scott would sign three more players between the beginning of the season and the end of the summer transfer window – teenager Simon Moore as third-choice goalkeeper, centre back James Wilson on a one-month loan and winger Cleveland Taylor for an undisclosed fee from Carlisle United.
Manager Andy Scott revealed that Brentford's target for the season was "to get to 52 points" and "to do the double over as many teams as possible and make sure no-one does the double over us". Despite being knocked out of the League Cup in the first round, Brentford started the league season strongly, going third after an opening-day victory over Carlisle United and then going undefeated in the following four matches to consolidate a position in the playoff zone. A 2–1 victory over promotion hopefuls Norwich City at Griffin Park on 18 August was a notable early-season highlight. As injuries mounted and some players found it difficult to replicate their League Two form in League One, manager Scott would search for a winning formula by signing 9 players on loan between November 2009 and March 2010, the most notable of whom being Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny, centre back Pim Balkestein and central midfielder Toumani Diagouraga, the latter two of whom would sign permanently for the club after the season. Out of form attackers Steve Kabba and Cleveland Taylor were sent out on loan to League Two club Burton Albion, while captain Alan Bennett, who had been out of favour for most of the season, ended the campaign with two spells on loan with Wycombe Wanderers.
Aside from dropping to a season-low placing of 18th in late November and early December, Brentford trod water in mid-table for much of the season and a run of just one defeat in the final 13 matches of the season elevated the club to a credible 9th-place finish. The Bees reached the third round of the FA Cup, seeing off Conference Premier strugglers Gateshead in a replay and League One Walsall in the first two rounds, before falling to 1–0 to Championship club Doncaster Rovers in the third round at Griffin Park. There was some cheer late in the season, when supporter Matthew Benham agreed to invest £1m a year into the club, until the end of the 2013–14 season, in return for preference shares and without increasing the club's debt.
League table
Results
Pre-season
Football League One
Results by round
League position graph
Matches
FA Cup
Football League Cup
Football League Trophy
Source: brentfordfc.co.uk
Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 2009–10 season. NoPositionNameNationalityDate of birth (age)Signed fromSigned inNotesGoalkeepers1GKLewis PriceDerby County2009On loan from Derby County21GKNikki BullAldershot Town200931GKSimon MooreFarnborough200953GKWojciech SzczęsnyArsenal2009On loan from ArsenalDefenders3DFRyan DicksonPlymouth Argyle20075DFMark PhillipsMillwall20086DFAlan Bennett (c)Reading2009Loaned to Wycombe Wanderers14DFDanny FosterDagenham & Redbridge200922DFKarleigh OsborneYouth200424DFLewis FerrellYouth200925DFFraser FranksYouth2008Loaned to Basingstoke Town27DFRyan BlakeYouth200929DFPim BalkesteinIpswich Town2009On loan from Ipswich Town32DFLeon LeggeTonbridge Angels2009Midfielders2MFKevin O'ConnorYouth20004MFMarcus BeanBlackpool20087MFSam SaundersDagenham & Redbridge200911MFMyles WestonNotts County200912MFCleveland TaylorCarlisle United2009Loaned to Burton Albion13MFDavid HuntShrewsbury Town200916MFSam WoodBromley200820MFToumani DiagouragaPeterborough United2010On loan from Peterborough United28MFJames McCluskeyYouth2009Forwards8FWSteve KabbaWatford2009Loaned to Burton Albion9FWCarl CortNorwich City200910FWCharlie MacDonaldSouthend United200818FWBen StrevensDagenham & Redbridge2009Players who left the club mid-season17MFLionel AinsworthHuddersfield Town2010Returned to Huddersfield Town after loan17MFJohn BostockTottenham Hotspur2009Returned to Tottenham Hotspur after loan19FWMoses AdemolaCroydon Athletic2008Loaned to Woking, transferred to Woking19FWJohn AkindeBristol City2010Returned to Bristol City after loan23FWLewis GrabbanMillwall2010Returned to Millwall after loan23DFTommy SmithIpswich Town2010Returned to Ipswich Town after loan23DFJames WilsonBristol City2009Returned to Bristol City after loan26MFMarvin WilliamsYeovil Town2008Released37FWRhys MurphyArsenal2009Returned to Arsenal after loan Source: Soccerbase
Coaching staff NameRole Andy ScottManager Terry BullivantAssistant manager Steve SmithGoalkeeping coach Andy HarrisChief scout Dave AppanahPhysiotherapist Alasdair LaneFitness Coach Mick QuinnSports Therapist Dave CarterKit Man
Statistics
Appearances and goals Substitute appearances in brackets. NoPosNatNameLeagueFA CupLeague CupFL TrophyTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals2MFKevin O'Connor4344110104953DFRyan Dickson26 (1)240100031 (1)24MFMarcus Bean25 (6)040001030 (6)05DFMark Phillips19 (3)000100020 (3)06DFAlan Bennett11 (2)030100015 (2)07MFSam Saunders15 (11)11 (1)0101018 (12)18FWSteve Kabba3 (7)00010105 (7)09FWCarl Cort16 (12)61 (1)1000017 (13)710FWCharlie MacDonald39 (1)1532000042 (1)1711MFMyles Weston32 (8)832101037 (8)1012MFCleveland Taylor8 (4)11 (1)0001010 (5)113MFDavid Hunt18 (6)30 (4)0101020 (10)314DFDanny Foster32 (4)040101038 (4)016MFSam Wood37 (6)230100 (1)041 (7)218FWBen Strevens20 (5)63 (1)1000023 (6)721GKNikki Bull5 (1)00010006 (1)022DFKarleigh Osborne13 (6)0100 (1)01015 (7)026MFMarvin Williams00—0 (1)0—0 (1)027DFRyan Blake0 (1)00000000 (1)031GKSimon Moore0 (1)00000000 (1)032DFLeon Legge28 (1)231001032 (1)3Players loaned in during the season1GKLewis Price13040001018017MFLionel Ainsworth1 (8)0———1 (8)017MFJohn Bostock9210——10219FWJohn Akinde20———2020MFToumani Diagouraga200———20023FWLewis Grabban72———7223DFTommy Smith80———0023DFJames Wilson13010—0014029DFPim Balkestein14100——14137FWRhys Murphy1 (4)00 (1)0——1 (5)053GKWojciech Szczęsny280———280 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: Soccerbase
Goalscorers NoPosNatPlayerFL1FACFLCFLTTotal10FWCharlie MacDonald152001711MFMyles Weston8200109FWCarl Cort6100718FWBen Strevens610072MFKevin O'Connor4100513MFDavid Hunt3000332DFLeon Legge2100323FWLewis Grabban2———217MFJohn Bostock20——23DFRyan Dickson2000216MFSam Wood2000229DFPim Balkestein10——17MFSam Saunders1000112MFCleveland Taylor10001Total5580063 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: Soccerbase
Discipline NoPosNatPlayerFL1FACFLCFLTTotalPts4MFMarcus Bean701000109092MFKevin O'Connor5000000050532DFLeon Legge5000000050514DFDanny Foster400000004045DFMark Phillips400000004043DFRyan Dickson3010000040410FWCharlie MacDonald110000001146DFAlan Bennett1100000011453GKWojciech Szczęsny30———30313MFDavid Hunt3000000030322DFKarleigh Osborne3000000030318FWBen Strevens3000000030311MFMyles Weston3000000030323DFJames Wilson0100—0001320MFToumani Diagouraga10———10123DFTommy Smith10———10129DFPim Balkestein1000——10117MFJohn Bostock1000——1011GKLewis Price100000001017MFSam Saunders1000000010112MFCleveland Taylor1000000010116MFSam Wood10000000101Total53320001056375 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: ESPN FC
Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Andy Scott8 August 20098 May 2010 |
Summary Games played52 (46 League One, 4 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy)Games won16 (14 League One, 2 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 0 Football League Trophy)Games drawn21 (20 League One, 1 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 0 Football League Trophy)Games lost15 (12 League One, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy)Goals scored51 (55 League One, 8 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 0 Football League Trophy)Goals conceded51 (52 League One, 5 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy)Clean sheets16 (15 League One, 1 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 0 Football League Trophy)Biggest league win4–0 versus Gillingham, 6 February 2010Worst league defeat3–0 on two occasionsMost appearances49, Kevin O'Connor (43 League One, 4 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy)Top scorer (league)15, Charlie MacDonaldTop scorer (all competitions)17, Charlie MacDonald
Transfers & loans Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.1 July 2009DF Danny Foster Dagenham & RedbridgeFree1 July 2009DF Leon Legge Tonbridge Angelsn/a1 July 2009MF Sam Saunders Dagenham & RedbridgeFree1 July 2009FW Ben Strevens Dagenham & RedbridgeFree2 July 2009MF Myles Weston Notts County£75,00030 July 2009DF Alan Bennett ReadingFree3 August 2009GK Nikki Bull Aldershot TownFree4 August 2009FW Carl Cort Norwich CityFree6 August 2009FW Steve Kabba WatfordFree10 August 2009GK Simon Moore FarnboroughFree13 August 2009MF Cleveland Taylor Carlisle UnitedUndisclosedPlayers loaned inDate fromPos.NameFromDate toRef.8 July 2009GK Lewis Price Derby CountyEnd of season20 August 2009DF James Wilson Bristol City1 January 201013 November 2009MF John Bostock Tottenham Hotspur18 January 201020 November 2009DF Pim Balkestein Ipswich Town30 December 200920 November 2009GK Wojciech Szczęsny ArsenalEnd of season24 November 2009FW Rhys Murphy Arsenal8 January 20108 January 2010DF Tommy Smith Ipswich Town15 March 201021 January 2010MF Toumani Diagouraga Peterborough UnitedEnd of season27 January 2010MF Lionel Ainsworth Huddersfield Town27 April 20101 February 2010FW John Akinde Bristol City1 March 201025 March 2010DF Pim Balkestein Ipswich TownEnd of season25 March 2010FW Lewis Grabban Millwall19 April 2010Players transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.4 August 2009FW Nathan Elder Shrewsbury TownUndisclosed29 January 2010FW Moses Ademola Woking29 January 2010Players loaned outDate fromPos.NameToDate toRef.1 August 2009FW Moses Ademola Woking28 January 201018 September 2009DF Fraser Franks Basingstoke TownDecember 200926 November 2009FW Steve Kabba Burton AlbionEnd of season15 January 2010MF Cleveland Taylor Burton AlbionEnd of season2 February 2010DF Chris Bush Salisbury Cityn/a16 February 2010DF Alan Bennett Wycombe Wanderers16 March 201025 March 2010DF Alan Bennett Wycombe WanderersEnd of season30 March 2010MF Pelayo Gomez Pico Carshalton AthleticEnd of season30 March 2010MF James McCluskey CheshuntEnd of season30 March 2010FW David Pitt WorthingEnd of season30 March 2010DF Ricky Valentine CheshuntEnd of seasonPlayers releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.2 September 2009MF Marvin Williams Torquay United2 September 200930 June 2010DF Lewis Ferrell Hayes & Yeading United201030 June 2010DF Fraser Franks AFC Wimbledon29 July 201030 June 2010FW Steve Kabba Barnet31 August 201030 June 2010DF Mark Phillips Southend United2 August 2010
Kit
Awards Supporters' Player of the Year: Leon Legge Community Player of the Year: Karleigh Osborne FA Cup Player of the Round: Leon Legge (second round) Football League Family Excellence Award
References