During the 1992–93 English football season, Brentford competed in the second tier of English football for the first time since 1953–54. After rising to mid-table by December 1992, just four wins from the final 24 matches relegated the Bees straight back to the Second Division. Brentford played in the Anglo-Italian Cup for the first and only time during the season and lost to Derby County in the semi-finals.
Season summary Brentford's 1992–93 First Division season was the club's first in the second tier of English football since 1953–54. Manager Phil Holder kept faith with the squad which won the 1991–92 Third Division title, with Jamie Bates, Paul Buckle, Keith Millen, Neil Smillie, Simon Ratcliffe, Chris Hughton, Kevin Godfrey and Lee Luscombe all signing new contracts. The club was hit by the departure of star striker Dean Holdsworth, who refused to sign a new contract and joined Premier League club Wimbledon on 20 July 1992 for a fee which rose to £720,000. As a replacement, Holder signed Grimsby Town forward Murray Jones for a £75,000 fee. Other new signings were midfielders Mickey Bennett and Detzi Kruszyński from Wimbledon (as makeweights in the Holdsworth transfer) and Channel Islands midfielder Grant Chalmers.
As soon as the season began, Brentford suffered an injury hoodoo, losing centre back Terry Evans, goalkeeper Graham Benstead and midfielders Bob Booker and Wilf Rostron to long-term knee injuries. Just two wins from the opening 12 matches left the club in the relegation places and manager Phil Holder was forced to strengthen the team with loanee goalkeeper Gerry Peyton, centre back Shane Westley (purchased from Wolverhampton Wanderers for £100,000) and forward Joe Allon from Chelsea for a club-record £275,000 fee. Brentford came into form in late October 1992, losing just two of 11 matches to rise to 10th place and within three points of the playoff positions by 28 December, with Holder winning the December First Division Manager of the Month award.
A catalogue of injuries to Chris Hughton, Simon Ratcliffe, Neil Smillie and Marcus Gayle in early 1993 saw Brentford lose 11 of 13 league matches and drop to 22nd place. Some solace was found in the Anglo-Italian Cup, with the Bees winning six consecutive matches before falling to Derby County over two legs in the semi-finals. In February and March, manager Holder strengthened the squad by bringing in former England left back Kenny Sansom, midfielder Alan Dickens, winger Paul Stephenson and former loan goalkeeper Gerry Peyton in on permanent deals. The signings and the return to fitness of Terry Evans, Bob Booker, Neil Smillie and Wilf Rostron led to a revival in late March, with Brentford winning twice and drawing three times in a six-match spell.
Successive defeats to West Ham United and Watford in late April put Brentford back into the relegation places, before a 3–1 victory over Barnsley at Griffin Park in the penultimate match of the season elevated the club to 21st place. 4,000 Brentford supporters travelled to Ashton Gate for the final match of the season versus Bristol City, knowing that at the very least, defeat for 22nd place Cambridge United and a draw for 23rd place Birmingham City would see the Bees retain their First Division status. A 4–1 defeat and victory for Birmingham City relegated Brentford back to the Second Division. Manager Phil Holder and assistant manager Wilf Rostron lost their jobs in the wake of the relegation and it wasn't until the 2014–15 season that Brentford again played second-tier football.
League table
Pre-season results
Football League First Division results
League results summary
Results and position by round
Matches
August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
Source: Statto, 11v11, The Big Brentford Book Of The Nineties
Cup results
FA Cup
League Cup
Anglo-Italian Cup
Source: Statto, 11v11, The Big Brentford Book Of The Nineties
Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1992–93 season. Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepersGKTamer AoufYouth1993GKAshley BayesYouth1990Loaned to Kingsbury TownGKGraham BensteadSheffield United1990GKGerry PeytonEverton1993Loaned from Everton before transferring permanentlyDefendersDF Jamie Bates Youth1986DFTerry Evans (c) Hillingdon1985DFBilly ManuelGillingham1991DFKeith MillenYouth1985DFKenny SansomEverton1993DFChris SparksYouth1992DF Brian Statham Tottenham Hotspur1992DFDanny TrippYouth1992DFShane WestleyWolverhampton Wanderers1992MidfieldersMFBob BookerSheffield United1991MFPaul BuckleYouth1988Loaned to Wycombe WanderersMFGrant ChalmersNortherners1992MFAlan DickensChelsea1993MFKevin GodfreyLeyton Orient1988MFDetzi KruszyńskiWimbledon1992MFRobbie PetersYouth1989Loaned to WokingMFSimon RatcliffeNorwich City1989MFWilf RostronSheffield United1991Assistant managerMFNeil Smilie Reading1988 MFPaul StephensonMillwall1993ForwardsFWJoe AllonChelsea1992FWMickey BennettWimbledon1992FWGary Blissett Crewe Alexandra1987FWMarcus GayleYouth1988FWMurray JonesGrimsby Town1992FWLee LuscombeSouthampton1991Players who left the club mid-seasonDFChris HughtonWest Ham United1992Coach, retiredDFPaul MortimerCrystal Palace1993Returned to Crystal Palace after loan Source: The Big Brentford Book Of The Nineties
Coaching staff NameRole Phil HolderManager Wilf RostronAssistant manager Chris HughtonCoach Graham PearceCoach Fergus DignanMedical officer Eric Radley-SmithMedical consultant Roy ClarePhysiotherapist
Statistics
Appearances and goals Substitute appearances in brackets. PosNatNameLeagueFA CupLeague CupA-I CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKAshley Bayes20—201050GKGraham Benstead250102040320GKGerry Peyton190——30220DFJamie Bates240004171352DFTerry Evans110000000110DFChris Hughton200004050290DFBilly Manuel39 (2)1100 (1)06046 (3)1DFKeith Millen434004170545DFKenny Sansom80———80DFBrian Statham450104080580DFShane Westley15 (2)110—0016 (2)1MFBob Booker1 (2)0002 (1)1003 (3)1MFPaul Buckle4 (1)0—000 (3)04 (4)0MFGrant Chalmers9 (2)110104015 (2)1MFAlan Dickens13 (2)1———13 (2)1MFKevin Godfrey9 (12)0001 (2)04 (3)214 (17)2MFDetzi Kruszyński5 (1)00010107 (1)0MFRobbie Peters0 (1)00000000 (1)0MFSimon Ratcliffe25 (5)200404133 (5)3MFWilf Rostron1 (1)00000001 (1)0MFNeil Smilie18 (3)110402 (1)025 (4)1MFPaul Stephenson110———110FWJoe Allon17 (7)610—5523 (7)11FWMickey Bennett34 (4)4102 (1)06 (1)043 (6)4FWGary Blissett46211044845929FWMarcus Gayle31 (7)4102 (2)05 (3)239 (12)6FWMurray Jones6 (10)0001 (1)00 (2)07 (13)0FWLee Luscombe19 (10)310206 (2)128 (12)4Players loaned in during the seasonDFPaul Mortimer60——2080 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: The Big Brentford Book Of The Nineties
Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL1FACFLCAICTotalFWGary Blissett2104429FWJoe Allon60—511FWMarcus Gayle40026DFKeith Millen40105FWMickey Bennett40004FWLee Luscombe30014MFSimon Ratcliffe20013DFJamie Bates00112MFKevin Godfrey00022MFAlan Dickens1———1DFShane Westley10—01MFGrant Chalmers10001DFBilly Manuel10001MFNeil Smilie10001MFBob Booker00101Opponents30003Total52071675 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: The Big Brentford Book Of The Nineties
Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Phil Holder15 August 19928 May 1993 |
Summary Games played 59 (46 First Division, 1 FA Cup, 4 League Cup, 8 Anglo-Italian Cup)Games won 22 (13 First Division, 0 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 7 Anglo-Italian Cup)Games drawn 10 (10 First Division, 0 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 0 Anglo-Italian Cup)Games lost 27 (13 First Division, 1 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 1 Anglo-Italian Cup)Goals scored 75 (52 First Division, 0 FA Cup, 7 League Cup, 16 Anglo-Italian Cup)Goals conceded 88 (71 First Division, 2 FA Cup, 7 League Cup, 8 Anglo-Italian Cup)Clean sheets 15 (10 First Division, 0 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 3 Anglo-Italian Cup)Biggest league win 5–1 versus Bristol City, 31 October 1992Worst league defeat 6–1 versus Millwall, 17 January 1993Most appearances 59, Gary Blissett (46 First Division, 1 FA Cup, 4 League Cup, 8 Anglo-Italian Cup)Top scorer (league) 21, Gary BlissettTop scorer (all competitions) 29, Gary Blissett
Transfers & loans Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.14 July 1992FW Mickey Bennett Wimbledonn/aJuly 1992FW Murray Jones Grimsby Town£75,000July 1992MF Detzi Kruszyński Wimbledon£60,000August 1992MF Grant Chalmers Northernersn/a30 October 1992DF Shane Westley Wolverhampton Wanderers£100,00019 November 1992FW Joe Allon Chelsea£275,000February 1993DF Alan Dickens ChelseaNon-contract4 March 1993MF Paul Stephenson Millwall£30,000March 1993GK Gerry Peyton EvertonFreeMarch 1993DF Kenny Sansom EvertonFreePlayers loaned inDate fromPos.NameFromDate toRef.September 1992GK Gerry Peyton EvertonDecember 199222 January 1993DF Paul Mortimer Crystal Palace22 February 1993Players transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.20 July 1992FW Dean Holdsworth Wimbledon£720,000Players loaned outDate fromPos.NameToDate toRef.December 1992GK Ashley Bayes Kingsbury TownJanuary 1993December 1992MF Paul Buckle Wycombe WanderersJanuary 1993March 1993MF Robbie Peters WokingEnd of seasonPlayers releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.April 1993DF Chris HughtonRetiredMay 1993GK Ashley Bayes Torquay United13 August 1993May 1993MF Bob BookerRetiredMay 1993DF Alan Dickens Colchester United4 September 1993May 1993MF Kevin Godfrey Yeading1993May 1993FW Lee Luscombe MillwallJune 1993May 1993MF Wilf RostronRetiredMay 1993DF Kenny Sansom Chertsey Town1993May 1993DF Chris Sparks Chertsey Town1993May 1993DF Danny Tripp Grays Athletic1993
Kit
Awards Supporters' Player of the Year: Billy Manuel Football League First Division Manager of the Month: Phil Holder (December 1992) Jewson National Award
References