1966–67 Brentford F.C. season

During the 1966–67 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Fourth Division. In a season overshadowed by the events of 19 January 1967, a promotion charge was derailed by five defeats in the final six matches of the campaign.

Season summary In a bid to buy Brentford out of the bottom two divisions of the Football League, the large transfer funds made available by chairman Jack Dunnett to previous managers Malky MacDonald and Tommy Cavanagh had left the club with mounting debts. Cavanagh had spent £30,000 on seven players since being appointed to the manager's job in January 1965, with five key attacking players (Bloomfield, Lazarus, Ward, Bonson and Fielding) being sold on for a total less than half that sum during the course of the 1965–66 Third Division season, towards the end of which he was sacked. New manager Billy Gray had failed to halt Brentford's relegation slide, which meant that the club would be members of the Fourth Division for the 1966–67 season. An average home attendance of 11,000 would be needed to break even and attendances had been falling year on year since the 1963–64 season. A net loss on the previous season of £19,823 on the previous season (equivalent to £ in ) meant that manager Gray had no money to buy established players and so he brought in a number of youngsters, including his nephew John Richardson.

Brentford had a good start to the season, winning the first two matches to sit top of the Fourth Division. Despite the strikeforce being bolstered by the experienced Brian Bedford, a winless run of five defeats in eight matches dropped the club into the relegation places in mid-October 1966. Manager Billy Gray then made wholesale changes to the starting XI, introducing a number of youngsters. The new-look team went on to win five consecutive matches. The establishment of the new lineup led to a clearout of players, with out-of-favour Micky Block, Billy Cobb, John Regan, Mel Scott and Ron Crisp all exiting Griffin Park before the end of the season. The Bees failed to keep up their good form through November and December and dropped back into mid-table.

The club weathered the storm caused by the tumultuous events of 19 January 1967, which resulted in the departure of chairman Jack Dunnett and manager Billy Gray. Trainer Jimmy Sirrel took over as acting manager and built on the improved January form under Gray and led the team on a 16-match unbeaten league run, which equalled the club record at the time. The run left Brentford within three points of the promotion places, but five consecutive defeats in the final six matches of the season ended any chance of promotion.

The Brentford reserve team had a successful season, beating local rivals Fulham in a replay to win the 1966–67 London Challenge Cup.

League table

Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend WinDrawLoss

Football League Fourth Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)120 August 1966BarnsleyA1–02,433Ross227 August 1966Luton TownH1–06,770Cobb33 September 1966AldershotA1–35,583Docherty47 September 1966Lincoln CityA1–34,364Richardson510 September 1966WrexhamH1–15,510Docherty617 September 1966Southend UnitedA0–38,200724 September 1966Tranmere RoversH1–15,620Bedford827 September 1966Lincoln CityH2–26,230Grummett (og), Ross91 October 1966Bradford CityA0–24,005108 October 1966ChesterfieldA0–34,9681111 October 1966AldershotH1–06,110Lawther1215 October 1966Stockport CountyH2–15,710Curley, Docherty1318 October 1966Halifax TownH1–06,090Docherty (pen)1422 October 1966RochdaleA3–12,652Lawther (2), Ross1529 October 1966SouthportH2–16,760Ross, Higginson165 November 1966Notts CountyA2–33,883Bedford (2)1712 November 1966ChesterH4–06,600Docherty, Lawther (2), Bedford1815 November 1966Halifax TownA2–32,495Jones, Curley1919 November 1966Bradford Park AvenueA2–24,182Docherty, Curley2010 December 1966BarrowH0–35,4102117 December 1966BarnsleyH3–14,250Lawther, Docherty, Bedford2226 December 1966Hartlepools UnitedA2–28,140Scott, Docherty2327 December 1966Hartlepools UnitedH1–25,770Docherty2431 December 1966Luton TownA0–38,5312514 January 1967WrexhamA0–011,0382621 January 1967Southend UnitedH1–110,650Lawther273 February 1967Tranmere RoversA0–09,8362811 February 1967Bradford CityH2–07,460Docherty, Ross2918 February 1967York CityH1–17,620Lawther3025 February 1967ChesterfieldH1–07,010Docherty313 March 1967Stockport CountyA2–18,288Bedford, Docherty3211 March 1967York CityA0–01,8553318 March 1967RochdaleH4–06,340Docherty, Ross (2), Lawther3425 March 1967Port ValeA3–13,434Richardson, Lawther, Curley3527 March 1967Newport CountyH1–19,600Ross3628 March 1967Newport CountyA1–12,546Lawther371 April 1967Notts CountyH1–07,760Hooker388 April 1967ChesterA2–12,683Bedford, Higginson3911 April 1967Exeter CityH3–17,800Bedford (3)4015 April 1967Bradford Park AvenueH1–110,000Ross4122 April 1967SouthportA0–25,2314225 April 1967Exeter CityA0–12,9344329 April 1967Crewe AlexandraH0–25,710446 May 1967BarrowA0–18,7694510 May 1967Crewe AlexandraA0–13,4034613 May 1967Port ValeH2–03,600James (og), Wilson

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)1R26 November 1966Chelmsford CityH1–08,530Docherty (pen)2R7 January 1967OrientA0–08,0942R (replay)10 January 1967OrientH3–110,078Docherty (2), Richardson3R28 January 1967SunderlandA2–536,908Docherty (2)

Football League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)1R24 August 1966MillwallH0–07,3501R (replay)29 August 1966MillwallA1–05,222Docherty2R13 September 1966Ipswich TownH2–45,860Crisp, Ross Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford, Statto

Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1966–67 season. Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepersGKChic BrodieNorthampton Town1963GKGordon PhillipsHayes1963DefendersDFPeter GelsonYouth1961DFAlan HawleyYouth1962DFTommy HigginsonKilmarnock1959DFAllan JonesLiverpool1963DFHamish MacKenzieDunfermline Athletic1964DFMichael OgburnPortsmouth1965MidfieldersMFPhil BaseyYouth1966MFTom CurleyCeltic1965MFGeorge DobsonYouth1966MFJohn DochertySheffield United1966MFEddie ReeveYouth1964MFBobby Ross (c)Shrewsbury Town1966MFGeorge ThomsonEverton1963ForwardsFWBrian BedfordScunthorpe United1966FWBrian EtheridgeNorthampton Town1966FWKeith HookerYouth1965FWIan LawtherScunthorpe United1964FWJohn RichardsonMillwall1966FWJohn SouthFulham1966FWBobby WilsonFeltham1967AmateurPlayers who left the club mid-seasonDFRon CrispWatford1965ReleasedMFBilly CobbPlymouth Argyle1964Transferred to Luton TownMFMel ScottChelsea1963ReleasedFWJohn ReganShrewsbury Town1966Transferred to Crewe Alexandra Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford, Timeless Bees

Coaching staff

Billy Gray (20 August 1965 – March 1967) NameRole Billy GrayManager Jimmy SirrelTrainer Eddie LyonsPhysiotherapist

Jimmy Sirrel (March – 13 May 1967) NameRole Jimmy SirrelManager Eddie LyonsPhysiotherapist

Statistics

Appearances and goals Substitute appearances in brackets. PosNatNameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKChic Brodie800030110GKGordon Phillips3804000420DFRon Crisp700031101DFPeter Gelson44 (1)0403051 (1)0DFAlan Hawley3703030430DFTommy Higginson4324030502DFAllan Jones2314000271DFHamish MacKenzie1700030200DFMichael Ogburn1201000130MFPhil Basey20000020MFBilly Cobb71—2091MFTom Curley2641000274MFGeorge Dobson20000020MFJohn Docherty431345315019MFEddie Reeve18 (2)0101020 (2)0MFBobby Ross46940315310MFMel Scott1210020141MFGeorge Thomson2503000280FWBrian Bedford211010—2210FWBrian Etheridge60200080FWKeith Hooker9 (1)100009 (1)1FWIan Lawther38 (1)11403045 (1)11FWJohn Regan20—0020FWJohn Richardson2023110243FWJohn South10100020FWBobby Wilson11——11 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford

Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL4FACFLCTotalMFJohn Docherty135119FWIan Lawther110011FWBrian Bedford100—10MFBobby Ross90110MFTom Curley4004FWJohn Richardson2103DFTommy Higginson2002FWBobby Wilson1——1MFBilly Cobb1—01MFMel Scott1001FWKeith Hooker1001DFAllan Jones1001DFRon Crisp0011Opponents2002Total586367 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford

Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Billy Gray20 August 196625 February 1967Jimmy Sirrel3 March 196713 May 1967

Summary Games played 53 (46 Fourth Division, 4 FA Cup, 3 League Cup)Games won 21 (18 Fourth Division, 2 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Games drawn 15 (13 Fourth Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Games lost 17 (15 Fourth Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Goals scored 67 (58 Fourth Division, 6 FA Cup, 3 League Cup)Goals conceded 66 (56 Fourth Division, 6 FA Cup, 4 League Cup)Clean sheets 17 (13 Fourth Division, 2 FA Cup, 2 League Cup)Biggest league win 4–0 on two occasionsWorst league defeat 3–0 on four occasionsMost appearances 52, Peter Gelson (45 Fourth Division, 4 FA Cup, 3 League Cup)Top scorer (league) 13, John DochertyTop scorer (all competitions) 19, John Docherty

Transfers & loans Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.May 1966FW John Richardson Millwalln/aJuly 1966FW Ellis Wyn Jonesn/an/a15 September 1966FW Brian Bedford Scunthorpe United£2,000November 1966MF Alan Jefferies Didcot Townn/aNovember 1966FW John South Fulhamn/a1966MF George Dobsonn/an/aApril 1967FW Bobby Wilson FelthamAmateurPlayers transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.October 1966MF Micky Block WatfordFreeNovember 1966MF Billy Cobb Luton Town£2,000November 1966FW John Regan Crewe Alexandra£1,000Players releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.13 December 1966MF Ron Crisp Los Angeles TorosFreeFebruary 1967MF Mel Scott Oakland ClippersFebruary 1967May 1967MF Phil Basey Crawley Town1967May 1967FW Brian Bedford Atlanta Chiefs1967May 1967MF Tom Curley Crewe AlexandraAugust 1967May 1967FW Brian Etheridge Daring Club de Bruxelles1967May 1967MF Alan Jefferiesn/aMay 1967DF Hamish MacKenzien/aMay 1967DF Michael Ogburnn/aMay 1967FW John South Guildford City1967May 1967FW Barry Thornley Oxford UnitedJuly 1967May 1967FW Bobby Wilson Walton & HershamAmateur

Awards Supporters' Player of the Year: John Docherty

References