During the 2007–08 English football season, Brentford competed in Football League Two. With a second-successive relegation looking a possibility, manager Terry Butcher was replaced by his assistant Andy Scott in December 2007 and the club finished the season comfortably in mid-table.
Season summary
In April 2007, with two matches of the 2006–07 season still to play, Terry Butcher was announced as the new Brentford manager. He officially took charge on 7 May of a club newly-relegated to League Two and two days later he installed former Bees player Andy Scott as his assistant, citing the need "to appoint someone who has knowledge of the lower divisions". Aside from a number of released players, the previous season's top scorer Jo Kuffour and regular left back Andy Frampton departed the club and Butcher and Scott brought in goalkeeper Simon Brown, defenders John Mackie and Craig Pead, midfielders Gary Smith and Glenn Poole and forwards Alan Connell and Lee Thorpe on free transfers, in addition to five loanees to cover for lack of numbers in the squad. Despite Brentford supporter Matthew Benham spending £3,000,000 in January 2007 to take over the club's loans from previous chairman Ron Noades' company Altonwood, the management team would be forced to work to a tight budget during the 2007–08 season.
Two wins from the opening four matches of the season put Brentford into the play-off places, though it would prove to be a false dawn. Five defeats from six matches in September and October dropped the Bees down to 17th and five consecutive defeats in November without scoring a goal led Butcher to leave Griffin Park by mutual consent on 11 December. Andy Scott took over as caretaker manager and immediately galvanised the team, with 8 wins from his first 12 matches lifting Brentford from 19th to 11th. Scott was given the job on a permanent basis on 4 January 2008 and in a bid to reduce the average age of the squad, he released seven players and signed left back Ryan Dickson and striker Nathan Elder on permanent deals. Scott would loan eight players between January and the end of the season, to cover for injuries to Kevin O'Connor, Simon Brown, Matthew Heywood, John Mousinho and for loanees who had returned to their clubs. The team stalled in the final months of the season and lost 10 of the last 15 matches to finish in 14th place.
League table
Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend WinDrawLoss
Pre-season and friendlies DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)12 July 2007Staines TownA2–21,227Thorpe, Ide14 July 2007Harrow BoroughA0–1n/a17 July 2007Hampton & Richmond BoroughA0–1n/a18 July 2007Basingstoke TownA2–2n/aMontague (2)25 July 2007ReadingH1–6n/aMoore28 July 2007Sutton UnitedA1–3427Ide31 July 2007Chelsea XIH1–0n/aConnell4 August 2007SouthamptonH0–1n/a26 September 2007Leyton OrientH0–20
Football League Two No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)111 August 2007Mansfield TownH1–14,909Connell218 August 2007Notts CountyA1–14,670O'Connor325 August 2007BarnetH2–14,744O'Connor (pen), Mousinho41 September 2007BuryA2–12,301Poole, Shakes59 September 2007Wycombe WanderersA0–14,711615 September 2007Milton Keynes DonsH0–34,476722 September 2007Chester CityA2–02,453Thorpe, Moore829 September 2007Stockport CountyH1–34,449Connell92 October 2007Dagenham & RedbridgeH2–33,662Mousinho, Thorpe106 October 2007Hereford UnitedA0–22,9421112 October 2007Rotherham UnitedH1–13,841Thorpe1220 October 2007RochdaleA1–12,424Poole1327 October 2007Lincoln CityH1–04,368Moore143 November 2007Bradford CityA2–113,326Poole, Thorpe156 November 2007Macclesfield TownA0–11,3781617 November 2007DarlingtonH0–24,6571724 November 2007Peterborough UnitedA0–74,865184 December 2007MorecambeH0–13,155198 December 2007Grimsby TownH0–13,9992015 December 2007WrexhamA3–13,811Connell (2), Evans (og)2121 December 2007Milton Keynes DonsA1–18,445Connell2226 December 2007Wycombe WanderersH1–35,841Poole2329 December 2007Chester CityH3–04,323Connell, Montague, Poole241 January 2008Dagenham & RedbridgeA2–12,353Poole (2)255 January 2008Shrewsbury TownA1–05,083Osborne2612 January 2008ChesterfieldH2–14,882Smith, Poole2729 January 2008Notts CountyH0–04,332282 February 2008Mansfield TownA3–22,511O'Connor, Connell, Elder299 February 2008Shrewsbury TownH1–15,353Connell3012 February 2008BarnetA2–12,522Poole (2, 1 pen)3116 February 2008Accrington StanleyH3–14,635Poole, Heywood, Connell3223 February 2008ChesterfieldA0–13,7283326 February 2008Accrington StanleyA0–11,149341 March 2008DarlingtonA1–33,508Reid354 March 2008BuryH1–43,333Poole (pen)368 March 2008Macclesfield TownH1–03,863Poole3711 March 2008Peterborough UnitedH1–24,049Connell3815 March 2008MorecambeA1–32,180Elder3922 March 2008WrexhamH2–04,448Shakes (2)4024 March 2008Grimsby TownA2–14,620Connell, W. Brown4129 March 2008RochdaleH0–24,896425 April 2008Rotherham UnitedA2–12,979Elder, Connell4312 April 2008Bradford CityH2–24,336Poole, Bennett4419 April 2008Lincoln CityA1–33,699Elder4526 April 2008Hereford UnitedH0–36,246463 May 2008Stockport CountyA0–16,284
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)R110 November 2007Luton TownA1–14,167IdeR1 (replay)27 November 2007Luton TownH0–22,643
Football League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceR114 August 2007Bristol CityH0–32,213
Football League Trophy
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)SR14 September 2007Swindon TownA1–43,118Shakes Sources: Soccerbase, 11v11
Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 2007–08 season. No Position Name Nationality Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepers1GKSimon BrownHibernian200727GKBen HamerReading2007On loan from Reading28 GKSeb Brown Youth2006Loaned to St Albans City and Windsor & EtonDefenders5DFAlan BennettReading2007On loan from Reading6DFOsei SankofaCharlton Athletic2007On loan from Charlton Athletic15DFMatthew Heywood (c)Bristol City200618DFDarius CharlesYouth2004Loaned to Sutton United and Ebbsfleet United19DFRyan Dickson Plymouth Argyle2007Loaned from Plymouth Argyle before transferring permanently22DFKarleigh OsborneYouth200431DFLanre Oyebanjo Waltham Forest2007Non-contractMidfielders2MFKevin O'ConnorYouth20007MFGary Smith Milton Keynes Dons20078MFCraig PeadWalsall200711MFGlenn PooleGrays Athletic200712MFJohn MousinhoUnattached200521MFWayne Brown Fulham2008On loan from Fulham24MFLewis Dark Youth2007Loaned to Farnborough and Ramsgate29MFRicky Shakes Swindon Town2007 Forwards10FWAlan ConnellHereford United200714FWNathan ElderBrighton & Hove Albion200816FWCharlie IdeYouth2005Loaned to Lewes23FWRoss MontagueYouth2007Loaned to Sutton United and Welling UnitedPlayers who left the club mid-season3DFGrant Basey Charlton Athletic2007Returned to Charlton Athletic after loan3DFLewis Emanuel Luton Town2007Returned to Luton Town after loan4MFSammy MooreIpswich Town2007Returned to Ipswich Town after loan4MFJordan ParkesWatford2008Returned to Watford after loan5DFJohn MackieLeyton Orient2007Released6DFDavid PartridgeBristol City2007Released9FWLee ThorpeTorquay United2007Released14DFSam TillenChelsea2005Released17MFKarle Carder-Andrews Youth2006Loaned to Margate, released17FWReuben ReidPlymouth Argyle2008Returned to Plymouth Argyle after loan19MFPaul Brooker Reading2005Released20MFRobert MilsomFulham2008Returned to Fulham after loan20MFRyan PetersYouth2004Loaned to Margate, transferred to Margate21GKClark MastersYouth2005Loaned to Welling United, transferred to Southend United25DFBen StarostaSheffield United2007Returned to Sheffield United after loan25MFCraig StoneGillingham2008Returned to Gillingham after loan26DFAdrian PettigrewChelsea2007Returned to Chelsea after loan26FWEmile SinclairNottingham Forest2007Returned to Nottingham Forest after loan Source: Soccerbase
Coaching staff
Terry Butcher (11 August – 11 December 2007) NameRole Terry ButcherManager Andy ScottAssistant Manager Steve MarsellaGoalkeeping Coach Brett HutchinsonPhysiotherapist
Andy Scott (11 December 2007 – 3 May 2008) Name Role Andy ScottManager Terry BullivantAssistant Manager Steve MarsellaGoalkeeping Coach Brett HutchinsonPhysiotherapist
Statistics
Appearances and goals Substitute appearances in brackets. NoPosNatNameLeagueFA CupLeague CupFL TrophyTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GKSimon Brown2601000102802MFKevin O'Connor36 (1)320101040 (1)35DFJohn Mackie1401010001607MFGary Smith26 (3)10 (1)00 (1)01027 (5)18MFCraig Pead27 (5)020000 (1)029 (6)09FWLee Thorpe17 (2)420000019 (2)410FWAlan Connell35 (7)1210101038 (7)1211MFGlenn Poole42 (3)1420001045 (3)1412MFJohn Mousinho13 (10)200100014 (10)214DFSam Tillen0 (1)0000 (1)0000 (2)014FWNathan Elder16 (1)4———16 (1)415DFMatthew Heywood30 (2)120001033 (2)116FWCharlie Ide16 (3)021100 (1)019 (4)118DFDarius Charles8 (9)01 (1)0——9 (10)019MFPaul Brooker0 (1)0—00—0 (1)019DFRyan Dickson30 (1)000——30 (1)020MFRyan Peters0 (4)0000 (1)00 (1)00 (6)021GKClark Masters0 (1)01000—1 (1)022DFKarleigh Osborne25 (4)10 (1)0001026 (5)123FWRoss Montague7 (3)1———7 (3)129MFRicky Shakes25 (14)31 (1)0—1127 (15)4Players loaned in during the season3DFGrant Basey80—10101003DFLewis Emanuel3000——304MFSammy Moore13 (7)220101017 (7)24MFJordan Parkes0 (1)0———0 (1)05DFAlan Bennett111———1116DFOsei Sankofa10 (1)0———10 (1)017FWReuben Reid1 (9)1———1 (9)120MFRobert Milsom5 (1)0———5 (1)021MFWayne Brown7 (4)1———7 (4)125DFBen Starosta20 (1)010100022 (1)025MFCraig Stone5 (1)0———5 (1)026DFAdrian Pettigrew9 (2)010101012 (2)026FWEmile Sinclair1 (3)0———1 (3)027GKBen Hamer200—1000210 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: Soccerbase
Goalscorers NoPosNatPlayerFL2FACFLCFLTTotal11MFGlenn Poole140001410FWAlan Connell120001214FWNathan Elder4———49FWLee Thorpe4000429MFRicky Shakes30—142MFKevin O'Connor300034MFSammy Moore2000212MFJohn Mousinho200025DFAlan Bennett1———121MFWayne Brown1———123FWRoss Montague1———117FWReuben Reid1———115DFMatthew Heywood100017MFGary Smith1000116FWCharlie Ide01001Opponents10001Total5210154 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: Soccerbase
Discipline NoPosNatPlayerFL2FACFLCFLTTotalPts7MFGary Smith510000005184MFSammy Moore310010004179FWLee Thorpe310000003165DFJohn Mackie5000000050522DFKarleigh Osborne5000000050515DFMatthew Heywood3010000040425DFBen Starosta0000000011419DFRyan Dickson3000——30320MFRobert Milsom30———30327GKBen Hamer30—000030310FWAlan Connell300000003032MFKevin O'Connor300000003031GKSimon Brown0100000001314FWNathan Elder20———20218DFDarius Charles2000——20212MFJohn Mousinho2000000020226DFAdrian Pettigrew200000002026DFOsei Sankofa10———1013DFGrant Basey10—000010121GKClark Masters001000—10116FWCharlie Ide100000001018MFCraig Pead1000000010111MFGlenn Poole10000000101Total52420100055467 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: ESPN FC
Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Terry Butcher11 August 200711 December 2007 |Andy Scott11 December 20073 May 2008 |
Summary Games played 50 (46 League Two, 2 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy)Games won 20 (17 League Two, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy)Games drawn 9 (8 League Two, 1 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 0 Football League Trophy)Games lost 24 (21 League Two, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy)Goals scored 54 (52 League Two, 1 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy)Goals conceded 80 (70 League Two, 3 FA Cup, 3 League Cup, 4 Football League Trophy)Clean sheets 7 (7 League Two, 0 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 0 Football League Trophy)Biggest league win 3–0 versus Chester City, 29 December 2007Worst league defeat 7–0 versus Peterborough United, 24 November 2007Most appearances 48, Glenn Poole (45 League Two, 2 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy)Top scorer (league) 14, Glenn PooleTop scorer (all competitions) 14, Glenn Poole
Transfers & loans