During the 1991–92 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division. The club finished the season as champions to seal second-tier football for the first time since 1953–54. In 2013, it was voted as Brentford's best ever season by the club's supporters.
Season summary
After defeat to Tranmere Rovers in the 1991 Third Division play-offs, Brentford manager Phil Holder made just one addition to his squad prior to the beginning of the 1991–92 season, in the shape of £60,000 defender Billy Manuel from Gillingham. Two wins from the opening two league matches of the season put Brentford in the automatic promotion places, but three successive defeats dropped the club back to 16th by early September 1991. Aided by on-fire forward Dean Holdsworth, the Bees won 13, drew three and lost three of the following 19 matches, losing just once in the league. Having reached the top spot in the Third Division after a 4–0 victory over Wigan Athletic on 9 November, the club stayed at the summit until 8 February 1992, when a fifth defeat in 9 matches dropped the club back to third.
Brentford vied with Birmingham City and Stoke City in the automatic promotion places between mid-February and mid-March, but four successive defeats and two draws dropped the Bees back to 4th. Six wins in the final six matches of the season (which included a 4–0 victory over West London rivals Fulham at Griffin Park) saw Brentford claim the Third Division championship on the final day, after a Gary Blissett goal was enough to beat Peterborough United at London Road. Dean Holdsworth's 24 league goals tied him with Huddersfield Town's Iwan Roberts as the top scorer in the Third Division and Holdsworth's total of 38 in all competitions was one goal short of Jack Holliday's club record, set during the 1932–33 season, when Brentford had last been promoted out of the Third Division.
League table
Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend WinDrawLoss
Pre-season DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)27 July 1991Staines TownA2–0n/aGodfrey, Holdsworth (pen)30 July 1991PortsmouthH0–21,2313 August 1991EnfieldA1–1n/aSmilie6 August 1991ChelseaH4–34,923Cadette (2), Holdsworth, Smilie7 August 1991Maidenhead UnitedA2–3n/aLine, untraced (og)10 August 1991Colchester UnitedA3–1n/aLuscombe, Godfrey, Gayle12 August 1991Chesham UnitedA4–3n/aCadette (2), Blissett (pen), Ratcliffe
Football League Third Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)117 August 1991Leyton OrientH4–36,156Holdsworth (3), Evans224 August 1991Exeter CityA2–13,518Gayle, Blissett331 August 1991Huddersfield TownH2–35,459Jones, Godfrey43 September 1991Hartlepool UnitedA0–13,66057 September 1991Shrewsbury TownA0–13,139614 September 1991ReadingH1–05,775Cadette717 September 1991Hull CityH4–14,586Evans, Smilie, untraced (og), Holdsworth821 September 1991DarlingtonA2–13,900Smilie, Holdsworth928 September 1991Bolton WanderersH3–25,658Holdsworth (2), Gayle105 October 1991FulhamA1–07,710Evans1112 October 1991Peterborough UnitedH2–17,705Evans, Smilie1219 October 1991West Bromwich AlbionH1–28,575Gayle1326 October 1991BuryA3–02,280Holdsworth (2), Gayle142 November 1991Bradford CityA1–05,359Smilie156 November 1991Birmingham CityH2–28,798Smilie, Blissett169 November 1991Wigan AthleticH4–06,675Blissett (2), Holdsworth (2)1722 November 1991BournemouthA0–04,7641830 November 1991Swansea CityH3–26,669Holdsworth, Ratcliffe, Blissett1914 December 1991Torquay UnitedA1–12,475Godfrey2022 December 1991Exeter CityH3–07,226Blissett (2), Gayle2126 December 1991Huddersfield TownA1–210,605Blissett (pen)2228 December 1991Leyton OrientA2–47,333Luscombe (2)231 January 1992Hartlepool UnitedH1–07,102Holdsworth244 January 1992Stockport CountyA1–24,421Untraced (og)2511 January 1992Stoke CityH2–09,004Luscombe, Holdsworth2618 January 1992Chester CityA1–11,447Booker2725 January 1992Preston North EndH1–07,559Evans281 February 1992West Bromwich AlbionA0–215,984298 February 1992BuryH0–36,7893011 February 1992Swansea CityA1–13,582Millen3115 February 1992Torquay UnitedH3–26,079Booker, Blissett, Bates3222 February 1992Stoke CityA1–216,417Blissett3329 February 1992Stockport CountyH2–17,484Smilie, Holdsworth343 March 1992Chester CityH2–06,869Blissett, Holdsworth (pen)357 March 1992Preston North EndA2–33,548Smilie, Buckle3610 March 1992Birmingham CityA0–113,2903714 March 1992Bradford CityH3–46,791Evans, Blissett, Holdsworth3820 March 1992Wigan AthleticA1–22,371Holdsworth3929 March 1992BournemouthH2–27,605Godfrey, Blissett401 April 1992ReadingA0–05,660414 April 1992Shrewsbury TownH2–05,561Holdsworth, Evans4211 April 1992Hull CityA3–03,770Holdsworth (2), Blissett4317 April 1992DarlingtonH4–18,383Holdsworth (2), Blissett, untraced (og)4420 April 1992Bolton WanderersA2–14,382Evans, untraced (og)4526 April 1992FulhamH4–012,071Holdsworth, Gayle, Blissett, Ratcliffe462 May 1992Peterborough UnitedA1–014,539Blissett
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)R118 November 1991GillinghamH3–35,830Holdsworth (2), BlissettR1 (replay)26 November 1991GillinghamA3–17,328Holdsworth (2), SealyR27 December 1991BournemouthA1–26,538Bates
League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)R1 (1st leg)20 August 1991BarnetA5–52,416Cadette (2), Godfrey, Holdsworth (2)R1 (2nd leg)27 August 1991BarnetH3–1 (won 8–6 on aggregate)5,583Holdsworth, Godfrey, EvansR2 (1st leg)24 September 1991Brighton & Hove AlbionH4–14,927Godfrey, Cadette, Holdsworth (2)R2 (2nd leg)9 October 1991Brighton & Hove AlbionA2–4 , won 6–5 on aggregate)4,502Cadette, HoldsworthR330 October 1991Norwich CityA1–47,394Manuel
Football League Trophy
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)PR22 October 1991AldershotA2–01,348Sealy (2)PR17 December 1991BarnetH3–61,871Luscombe, Holdsworth (2)SR121 January 1992Leyton OrientA2–31,861Holdsworth (2) Source: Statto, 11v11, The Big Brentford Book Of The Nineties
Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1991–92 season. Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepersGKAshley BayesYouth1990GKGraham BensteadSheffield United1990DefendersDF Jamie Bates Youth1986DFTerry Evans (c) Hillingdon1985DFChris Hughton West Ham United1992CoachDFBilly ManuelGillingham1991DFKeith MillenYouth1985DF Brian Statham Tottenham Hotspur1992Loaned from Tottenham Hotspur before transferring permanentlyMidfieldersMFBob BookerSheffield United1991MFPaul BuckleYouth1988MFAndy Driscoll Youth1989Loaned to Staines TownMFTony FinniganSwindon Town1991MFKevin GodfreyLeyton Orient1988MFDetzi KruszyńskiWimbledon1992On loan from WimbledonMFRobbie PetersYouth1989MFSimon RatcliffeNorwich City1989MFWilf RostronSheffield United1991Assistant managerMFNeil Smilie Reading1988 ForwardsFWGary Blissett Crewe Alexandra1987FWMarcus GayleYouth1988FWDean Holdsworth Watford1989 FWSimon LineCrystal Palace1991FWLee LuscombeSouthampton1991FWTony SealyMYPA1991Players who left the club mid-seasonGKPerry SucklingCrystal Palace1991Returned to Crystal Palace after loanMFKeith JonesChelsea1987Transferred to Southend UnitedFWRichard CadetteSheffield United1988Transferred to Falkirk Source: The Big Brentford Book Of The Nineties
Coaching staff NameRole Phil HolderManager Wilf RostronAssistant Manager Graham PearceCoach Chris HughtonCoach Gordon PhillipsGoalkeeping Coach Roy ClarePhysiotherapist
Statistics
Appearances and goals Substitute appearances in brackets. PosNatNameLeagueFA CupLeague CupFL TrophyTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKAshley Bayes1020300060GKGraham Benstead370102020420DFJamie Bates41 (1)131502051 (1)2DFTerry Evans448305120549DFChris Hughton120———120DFBilly Manuel27 (8)030512037 (8)1DFKeith Millen341302020411DFBrian Statham180———180MFBob Booker14 (2)2———14 (2)2MFPaul Buckle8 (7)11 (1)02 (1)02 (1)013 (10)1MFAndy Driscoll0 (1)00000000 (1)0MFTony Finnigan30——1040MFKevin Godfrey26 (5)32 (1)0532035 (6)6MFKeith Jones61—30—91MFRobbie Peters1 (8)0001 (2)01 (1)03 (11)0MFSimon Ratcliffe31 (3)230302 (1)039 (4)2MFWilf Rostron15 (3)0002 (1)01018 (4)0MFNeil Smilie447305030557FWGary Blissett31 (6)17312 (2)03039 (8)18FWRichard Cadette10 (1)1—34—13 (1)5FWMarcus Gayle28 (10)61 (1)03 (1)02 (1)034 (13)6FWDean Holdsworth40 (1)24344 (1)62 (1)449 (3)38FWSimon Line00000 (1)0000 (1)0FWLee Luscombe10 (3)3——2112 (3)4FWTony Sealy9 (9)02 (1)1—1212 (10)0Players loaned in during the seasonGKPerry Suckling80——1090MFDetzi Kruszyński80———80 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: The Big Brentford Book Of The Nineties
Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL3FACFLCFLTTotalFWDean Holdsworth2446438FWGary Blissett1710018DFTerry Evans80109MFNeil Smilie70007FWMarcus Gayle60006MFKevin Godfrey30306FWRichard Cadette1—4—5FWLee Luscombe3——14MFBob Booker2———3MFSimon Ratcliffe20002DFJamie Bates11002MFKeith Jones1—0—1MFPaul Buckle10001DFKeith Millen10001DFBilly Manuel00101Opponents40004Total817157110 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: The Big Brentford Book Of The Nineties
Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Phil Holder17 August 19912 May 1992 |
Summary Games played 57 (46 Third Division, 3 FA Cup, 5 League Cup, 3 Football League Trophy)Games won 29 (25 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy)Games drawn 9 (7 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 0 Football League Trophy)Games lost 19 (14 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 2 Football League Trophy)Goals scored 110 (81 Third Division, 7 FA Cup, 15 League Cup, 7 Football League Trophy)Goals conceded 85 (55 Third Division, 6 FA Cup, 15 League Cup, 9 Football League Trophy)Clean sheets 12 (15 Third Division, 0 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy)Biggest league win 4–0 on 2 occasionsWorst league defeat 3–0 versus Bury, 8 February 1992Most appearances 54, Terry Evans (44 Third Division, 3 FA Cup, 5 League Cup, 2 Football League Trophy)Top scorer (league) 24, Dean HoldsworthTop scorer (all competitions) 38, Dean Holdsworth
Transfers & loans Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.14 June 1991DF Billy Manuel Gillingham£60,000October 1991FW Lee Luscombe Southampton£15,000October 1991FW Tony Sealy MYPAFreeNovember 1991MF Bob Booker Sheffield UnitedFree17 January 1992MF Tony Finnigan Swindon TownNon-contract28 February 1992DF Brian Statham Tottenham Hotspur£70,000February 1992DF Chris Hughton West Ham UnitedFreeMarch 1992DF Tim O'Shea GillinghamNon-contractPlayers loaned inDate fromPos.NameFromDate toRef.11 October 1991GK Perry Suckling Crystal PalaceNovember 199116 January 1992DF Brian Statham Tottenham Hotspur16 February 1992March 1992MF Detzi Kruszyński WimbledonEnd of seasonPlayers transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.1 July 1991DF Jason Cousins Wycombe WanderersFree21 October 1991MF Keith Jones Southend United£175,0009 January 1992FW Richard Cadette Falkirk£50,000Players loaned outDate fromPos.NameToDate toRef.November 1991MF Andy Driscoll Staines TownDecember 1991Players releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.30 June 1992MF Andy Driscoll Yeading199230 June 1992MF Tony Finnigan Ernest Borel199230 June 1992FW Simon LineRetired30 June 1992DF Tim O'Shea Hong Kong Rangers199230 June 1992FW Tony Sealy Michelotti1992
Kit
Awards Supporters' Player of the Year: Keith Millen Football League Third Division PFA Team of the Year: Terry Evans, Dean Holdsworth Football League Third Division Manager of the Month: Phil Holder (November 1991, April 1992)
References