During the 2008–09 English football season, Brentford competed in Football League Two. The club finished the season as champions to win promotion to Football League One.
Season summary
The 2008–09 season was Brentford's second consecutive campaign in League Two, after relegation to the fourth tier for the first time in 9 years at the end of the 2006–07 season. Manager Andy Scott, who was beginning his first full season in the job, had signed a new five-year contract in April 2008. Despite working with a "mediocre budget", he brought in 12 new players – 8 on permanent transfers and four on loan. The pick of the signings were new forward Charlie MacDonald for an undisclosed fee from Southend United, central midfielder Marcus Bean from Blackpool on a free transfer and the re-signing on loan of goalkeeper Ben Hamer and central defender Alan Bennett from Reading until the end of the season. Signed from non-League football, left-sided full back and winger Sam Wood proved to be a hit and went on to win the Brentford Supporters' Player of the Year award.
The season began with consecutive defeats in the league and League Cup to Bury and Swansea City respectively, before an unbeaten run of 12 league matches put Brentford in the automatic promotion places. Midfielder Glenn Poole continued his good form from the previous season by scoring seven goals during the run. Two defeats in a row dropped the Bees to 9th in early November, before another unbeaten run put the club back in the automatic promotion places by 20 December. Brentford moved into second position after a 2–0 victory over Bournemouth on Boxing Day and consistently good results kept the club on the tail of leaders Wycombe Wanderers through January and early February 2009.
A 1–1 draw with Accrington Stanley on 10 February moved the Bees moved into top spot and consistently good results, aided by the goalscoring of January loan acquisition Jordan Rhodes, kept the club at the summit into mid-March. Brentford and Wycombe Wanderers faced off at Griffin Park on 14 March in front of a season-high crowd of 10,642 and the match yielded a 3–3 draw, with Aston Villa loanee Sam Williams "smashing in" late in proceedings to salvage a point for the Bees. Three days later, a home defeat to Chesterfield was Brentford's first loss for six weeks, but the club remained at the top of the table. Despite season-ending injuries to Jordan Rhodes, Nathan Elder, top scorer Charlie MacDonald and captain Kevin O'Connor, manager Andy Scott strengthened the squad with a new front line of loanees Billy Clarke and Damian Spencer. Central defender Darren Powell, who had played alongside Scott in Brentford's previous fourth-tier championship triumph a decade earlier, returned to the club on a short-term contract.
Three draws in a row in late March and early April kept Brentford top, before a first win for over a month was achieved in "The Battle of Bournemouth" on 13 April, during which Darren Powell was sent off for fighting with teammate Karleigh Osborne. Despite missing the chance to clinch promotion after a comprehensive defeat to play-off challengers Dagenham & Redbridge on 21 April, promotion and the League Two title were sealed with a 3–1 away win over Darlington in the penultimate match of the season. Captain Kevin O'Connor and stand-in skipper Alan Bennett held the League Two championship trophy aloft after a 2–0 win over Luton Town at Griffin Park on the final day.
League table
Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend WinDrawLoss Pre-season DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)11 July 2008Ipswich TownH0–2n/a15 July 2008BromleyA1–2n/aConnell19 July 2008AFC WimbledonA2–11,361Connell, Elder22 July 2008Staines TownA3–01,009Antonio, Pead, Connell26 July 2008WatfordH1–1n/aMacDonald30 July 2008Hampton & Richmond BoroughA2–01,078Connell, Ademola2 August 2008WokingA5–1966Connell (2), Poole, Williams, Phillips
Football League Two No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)19 August 2008BuryA0–12,819216 August 2008Grimsby TownH4–04,009MacDonald, Elder, Poole323 August 2008BarnetA1–02,815Poole (pen)430 August 2008Rotherham UnitedH0–04,38156 September 2008Dagenham & RedbridgeH2–14,519Elder, MacDonald613 September 2008Wycombe WanderersA0–05,799720 September 2008Lincoln CityH1–14,557Elder827 September 2008ChesterfieldA1–03,188Bean94 October 2008Macclesfield TownH1–04,773MacDonald1013 October 2008Notts CountyA1–16,012Poole1118 October 2008Aldershot TownA1–15,023Poole1221 October 2008MorecambeH3–13,733MacDonald, Poole, Elder1325 October 2008Shrewsbury TownH1–15,362MacDonald1428 October 2008Chester CityA0–31,301151 November 2008RochdaleH1–24,291Bowditch1615 November 2008Port ValeA3–06,058Osborne, Bean, MacDonald1722 November 2008DarlingtonH1–14,837Osborne1825 November 2008Luton TownA1–05,248Elder1913 December 2008Bradford CityH2–14,339Osborne, Elder2020 December 2008GillinghamA1–15,521MacDonald2126 December 2008BournemouthH2–06,450Bean (2)2228 December 2008Exeter CityA2–06,791MacDonald (pen), Wood2310 January 2009Lincoln CityA2–23,932Bean, Bowditch2417 January 2009Notts CountyH1–15,465Phillips2524 January 2009Macclesfield TownA0–21,9422627 January 2009Aldershot TownH3–05,111Bean, MacDonald (pen), Rhodes2731 January 2009Shrewsbury TownA3–15,674Rhodes (3)283 February 2009MorecambeA0–21,253297 February 2009Chester CityH3–04,719MacDonald (3, 1 pen)3010 February 2009Accrington StanleyA1–11,111Rhodes3114 February 2009Port ValeH2–04,702Osborne, MacDonald3221 February 2009RochdaleA2–13,412Rhodes, MacDonald3328 February 2009BuryH1–06,597Bean343 March 2009Grimsby TownA1–03,001MacDonald357 March 2009Rotherham UnitedA0–03,4063610 March 2009BarnetH1–04,742Bean3714 March 2009Wycombe WanderersH3–310,642Rhodes, Hunt, Williams3817 March 2009ChesterfieldH0–14,5413928 March 2009GillinghamH1–17,908Hunt404 April 2009Bradford CityA1–112,832Clarke4111 April 2009Exeter CityH1–18,234Clarke4213 April 2009BournemouthA1–08,168ClarkeMedia outlets misreported the goal as being scored by Darren Powell.4318 April 2009Accrington StanleyH3–07,135Williams, Dickson, Clarke (pen)4421 April 2009Dagenham & RedbridgeA1–33,537Spencer4525 April 2009DarlingtonA3–13,868Bennett, Clarke (2)462 May 2009Luton TownH2–010,223Osborne, Newton
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)R19 November 2008Havant & WaterloovilleA3–11,631Williams, MacDonald, ElderR228 November 2008BarrowA1–23,532MacDonald
Football League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceR112 August 2008Swansea CityA0–25,366
Football League Trophy
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)SR12 September 2008Yeovil TownH2–2 , won 4–2 on pens)1,339Poole (pen), O'ConnorSR27 October 2008Luton TownA2–2 , lost 4–3 on pens)2,029Poole, Williams Sources: Soccerbase, 11v11, brentfordfc.co.uk
Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 2008–09 season. No Position Name Nationality Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepers1GKBen HamerReading2008On loan from Reading21GKSimon BrownHibernian2007Loaned to Darlington31 GKSeb Brown Youth200633GKLloyd AndersonYouth2008Defenders3DFRyan Dickson Plymouth Argyle20075DFMark PhillipsMillwall20086DFAlan BennettReading2008On loan from Reading14DFBrett JohnsonNorthampton Town200822DFKarleigh OsborneYouth2004Loaned to Oxford United and Eastbourne Borough24DFFraser Franks Youth200826DFJohn HallsReading200827DFDarren PowellUnattached2009Midfielders2MFKevin O'Connor (c)Youth20004MFMarcus BeanBlackpool20087MFAdam Newton Peterborough United20088MFGary Smith Milton Keynes Dons200711MFGlenn PooleGrays Athletic200715MFDavid Hunt Shrewsbury Town200916MFSam Wood Bromley2008 17MFCraig PeadWalsall200725MFLewis OchoaYouth200829MFCraig DobsonUnattached200932MFMarvin WilliamsYeovil Town2008Forwards9FWNathan ElderBrighton & Hove Albion200810FWCharlie MacDonaldSouthend United200818FWSam WilliamsAston Villa2009On loan from Aston Villa19FWMoses Ademola Croydon Athletic2008Loaned to Welling United20FWDamian Spencer Cheltenham Town2009On loan from Cheltenham Town23FWRoss MontagueYouth2007Loaned to Basingstoke Town28FWBilly ClarkeIpswich Town2009On loan from Ipswich TownPlayers who left the club mid-season12FWDean BowditchIpswich Town2008Returned to Ipswich Town after loan12FWAlan ConnellHereford United2007Transferred to Bournemouth12FWJordan RhodesIpswich Town2009Returned to Ipswich Town after loan12MFJosh WrightCharlton Athletic2008Returned to Charlton Athletic after loan15MFDamian ScannellSouthend United2008Returned to Southend United after loan15DFJames Wilson Bristol City2008Returned to Bristol City after loan18DFDarius CharlesYouth2004Loaned to Ebbsfleet United, transferred to Ebbsfleet United20MFFrankie Artus Bristol City2008Returned to Bristol City after loan20FWEric OdhiamboLeicester City2008Returned to Leicester City after loan34GKMikkel AndersenReading2008Returned to Reading after loan Source: Soccerbase
Coaching staff Name Role Andy ScottManager Terry BullivantAssistant Manager Dave AppanahPhysiotherapist Dave CarterKit Man
Statistics
Appearances and goals Substitute appearances in brackets. NoPosNatNameLeagueFA CupLeague CupFL TrophyTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals2MFKevin O'Connor25 (3)020102129 (3)13DFRyan Dickson31 (8)120001 (1)034 (9)14MFMarcus Bean43 (1)920101047 (1)95DFMark Phillips28 (5)120002032 (5)17MFAdam Newton30 (5)10 (1)0102033 (6)18MFGary Smith2 (2)00000002 (2)09FWNathan Elder18 (9)621100021 (9)710FWCharlie MacDonald3816220010411811MFGlenn Poole18 (8)510102222 (8)712FWAlan Connell1 (1)0—00—1 (1)014DFBrett Johnson7 (3)00010109 (3)015MFDavid Hunt10 (10)2———10 (10)216MFSam Wood37 (3)11 (1)0000 (1)038 (5)117MFCraig Pead5 (1)01010108 (1)019FWMoses Ademola0 (8)0000 (1)01 (1)01 (10)021GKSimon Brown0 (1)0———0 (1)022DFKarleigh Osborne19 (4)41 (1)0001021 (5)423FWRoss Montague00—001 (1)01 (1)026DFJohn Halls22 (1)010—0023 (1)027DFDarren Powell3 (1)0———3 (1)031GKSeb Brown000000101032MFMarvin Williams21 (13)011101124 (13)233GKLloyd Anderson000 (1)000000 (1)0Players loaned in during the season1GKBen Hamer4502010104906DFAlan Bennett44120100047112FWDean Bowditch8 (1)200——8 (1)212FWJordan Rhodes147———14712MFJosh Wright50——106015MFDamian Scannell1 (1)0———1 (1)015DFJames Wilson140—101016018FWSam Williams5 (6)2———5 (6)220MFFrankie Artus0 (1)0—00101 (1)020FWEric Odhiambo000 (1)0——0 (1)020FWDamian Spencer3 (2)1———3 (2)128FWBilly Clarke86———8634GKMikkel Andersen10———10 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: Soccerbase
Goalscorers NoPosNatPlayerFL2FACFLCFLTTotal10FWCharlie MacDonald16200184MFMarcus Bean9000912FWJordan Rhodes7———79FWNathan Elder6100711MFGlenn Poole5002728FWBilly Clarke6———622DFKarleigh Osborne4000415MFDavid Hunt2———218FWSam Williams2———212FWDean Bowditch20——232MFMarvin Williams0101220FWDamian Spencer1———16DFAlan Bennett100013DFRyan Dickson100017MFAdam Newton100015DFMark Phillips1000116MFSam Wood100012MFKevin O'Connor00011Total6540473 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: Soccerbase
Discipline NoPosNatPlayerFL2FACFLCFLTTotalPts9FWNathan Elder5200000052114MFMarcus Bean400011005186DFAlan Bennett401010006062MFKevin O'Connor310000003163DFRyan Dickson500000005057MFAdam Newton401000005051GKBen Hamer1001001021527DFDarren Powell11———11410FWCharlie MacDonald3000000030322DFKarleigh Osborne3000000030311MFGlenn Poole2000001030332MFMarvin Williams2000001030326DFJohn Halls2000—002025DFMark Phillips2000000020216MFSam Wood2000000020220FWDamian Spencer10———10112FWDean Bowditch1000——10112MFJosh Wright10——0010115DFJames Wilson10—000010114DFBrett Johnson00001000101Total47421313055673 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: ESPN FC
Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Andy Scott9 August 20082 May 2009 |
Summary