During the 1975–76 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Fourth Division. A poor middle third of the season led to an 18th-place finish, just three points above the re-election zone.
Season summary
Despite a strong finish to the previous campaign, only one incoming transfer (veteran goalkeeper Bill Glazier for £4,000) did not raise the belief around Griffin Park that Brentford would challenge for promotion from the Fourth Division during the 1975–76 season.White, p. 298-300. Instead, manager John Docherty made up the numbers with members of the club's youth team, with teenagers Gordon Sweetzer, Danis Salman, Paul Walker and Graham Cox all joining the club.
Brentford had a strong start to the season, winning three and drawing three of the first six league matches of the season and advancing to the second round of the League Cup, where the run was brought to an end at Old Trafford by Manchester United. With goalkeeper Bill Glazier quitting the club after just 12 appearances, Brentford would tread water in the lower reaches of mid-table throughout the season, in which a run to the third round of the FA Cup became the focus. Having reached that stage of the competition for the first time since the 1970–71 season, the Bees took Second Division club Bolton Wanderers to a replay before losing 2–0 at Burnden Park. A slight upturn in form towards the end of the season was inspired by the signing of Oxford United forward Andrew McCulloch for a club record £25,000 fee.Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 114.
Two club records were set during the season: Youngest Football League debutant: Danis Salman, 15 years, 8 months, 3 days (versus Watford, 15 November 1975) Lowest away Football League attendance: 894 versus Rochdale, 27 March 1976
League table
Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend WinDrawLoss
Pre-season and friendlies DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)2 August 1975Oxford UnitedH1–51,420Lawrence4 August 1975WaltonA0–0n/a6 August 1975PortsmouthH0–19557 August 1975HayesA2–1n/aGraham, Bartlett9 August 1975AldershotH1–11,490Cross11 August 1975BexleyA5–0n/aCross (2), Simmons, French, untraced (og)29 April 1976Hillingdon BoroughA4–2513Scales, Lawrence, Sweetzer, Poole3 May 1976HounslowA3–1n/aRussell, Malcolm, Sweetzer
Football League Fourth Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)116 August 1975Bradford CityA1–12,385Johnson223 August 1975HartlepoolH1–14,948Cross330 August 1975Torquay UnitedA3–23,179Cross, Allen, Graham46 September 1975BarnsleyH1–05,605Cross515 September 1975Doncaster RoversA1–16,353Johnson620 September 1975Stockport CountyH2–16,282Simmons, Riddick724 September 1975BournemouthA0–34,113827 September 1975Huddersfield TownA1–24,160Sweetzer94 October 1975Newport CountyH1–35,678Graham1011 October 1975Lincoln CityA1–36,312Graham1118 October 1975SouthportH1–04,515Johnson1221 October 1975Northampton TownA1–36,225Scales1325 October 1975Cambridge UnitedA1–22,596French141 November 1975Scunthorpe UnitedH5–24,227French, Johnson, Cross (2), Graham153 November 1975WorkingtonH4–05,379French, Sweetzer, Johnson (pen), Cross167 November 1975Tranmere RoversA1–54,326Cross1715 November 1975WatfordH1–06,934Scales1829 November 1975Crewe AlexandraA0–12,248196 December 1975RochdaleH3–04,853Johnson (pen), Cross, Riddick2020 December 1975DarlingtonH3–04,193Sweetzer (2), Cross2126 December 1975Exeter CityA0–04,9122227 December 1975ReadingH2–210,612Johnson, Scales2310 January 1976Torquay UnitedH1–15,687Johnson2416 January 1976Stockport CountyA0–22,2672524 January 1976Doncaster RoversH0–14,8852631 January 1976Northampton TownH2–14,114Johnson (pen), Cross277 February 1976WorkingtonA1–11,231French2814 February 1976Tranmere RoversH0–14,7252921 February 1976WatfordA2–36,223Bristow (og), Sweetzer3023 February 1976BournemouthH1–24,585Graham3128 February 1976Cambridge UnitedH0–04,095326 March 1976Scunthorpe UnitedA1–23,377Sharp338 March 1976Newport CountyA0–11,1503413 March 1976Lincoln CityH1–05,386Cross3516 March 1976SouthportA0–21,5063620 March 1976Crewe AlexandraH0–03,8513727 March 1976RochdaleA2–1894McCulloch, French3829 March 1976DarlingtonA0–21,758393 April 1976Bradford CityH2–23,453McCulloch, Cross405 April 1976Huddersfield TownH0–04,4134110 April 1976BarnsleyA1–13,877Cross4216 April 1976Swansea CityH1–04,623Johnson4317 April 1976Exeter CityH5–14,175Bence, French (2), McCulloch, Cross4419 April 1976ReadingA0–112,9724524 April 1976HartlepoolA0–11,2764626 April 1976Swansea CityA2–21,480French, Johnson
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)1R22 November 1975Northampton TownH2–06,645Sweetzer (2)2R13 December 1975WimbledonA2–08,375Johnson (2, 1 pen)3R3 January 1976Bolton WanderersH0–012,4523R (replay)6 January 1976Bolton WanderersA0–218,538
Football League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)1R (1st leg)19 August 1975Brighton & Hove AlbionH2–15,360Johnson (pen), Cross1R (2nd leg)27 August 1975Brighton & Hove AlbionA1–1 (won 3–2 on aggregate)11,016Cross2R10 September 1974Manchester UnitedA1–225,286Lawrence Sources: 100 Years of Brentford, The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies,Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 116-126.Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 308. Statto
Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1975–76 season. Pos.NameNat.Date of birth (age)Signed fromSigned inNotesGoalkeepersGKPaul PriddyWalton & Hersham1975DefendersDFMichael AllenMiddlesbrough1971DFPaul Bence (c)Reading1970DFKeith LawrenceChelsea1974DFAlan NelmesChelsea1967DFGordon RiddickNorthampton Town1973DFTom SharpEverton1976Loaned from Everton before transferring permanentlyDFNigel SmithQueens Park Rangers1975MidfieldersMFJackie GrahamGuildford City1970MFTerry JohnsonSouthend United1974MFDanis SalmanYouth1975MFTerry ScalesWest Ham United1971ForwardsFWRoger CrossFulham1973FWMicky FrenchQueens Park Rangers1975FWAndrew McCullochOxford United1976FWRichard PooleYouth1972FWGordon SweetzerQueens Park Rangers1975Players who left the club mid-seasonGKBill GlazierCoventry City1975ReleasedGKGraham HornLuton Town1975Returned to Luton Town after loanFWDave SimmonsCambridge United1974Transferred to Cambridge United Sources: The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies, Timeless Bees
Coaching staff NameRole John DochertyManager Eddie LyonsTrainer Bob PearsonChief Scout
Statistics
Appearances and goals Substitute appearances in brackets. PosNatNameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKBill Glazier190—30120GKPaul Priddy34040—380DFMichael Allen4514030521DFPaul Bence4614030531DFKeith Lawrence3504031421DFAlan Nelmes28 (1)03 (1)03034 (2)0DFGordon Riddick23 (3)21 (1)00 (1)024 (5)2DFTom Sharp2 (10)1——2 (10)1DFNigel Smith3704030440MFJackie Graham3854030455MFTerry Johnson461142315314MFDanis Salman3 (3)000003 (3)0MFTerry Scales4334030503FWRoger Cross3714302 (1)242 (1)16FWMicky French27 (4)81 (1)02030 (5)8FWAndrew McCulloch133——133FWRichard Poole2 (5)000002 (5)0FWDave Simmons101—2 (1)012 (1)1FWGordon Sweetzer25 (2)5420029 (2)7Players loaned in during the seasonGKGraham Horn30——30 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford
Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL4FACFLCTotalFWRoger Cross140216MFTerry Johnson112114FWMicky French8008FWGordon Sweetzer5207MFJackie Graham5005FWAndrew McCulloch3——3MFTerry Scales3003DFGordon Riddick2002DFTom Sharp1——1FWDave Simmons10—1DFMichael Allen1001DFPaul Bence1001DFKeith Lawrence0011Opponents1001Total564464 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford
Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %John Docherty16 August 197526 April 1976
Summary Games played 53 (46 Fourth Division, 4 FA Cup, 3 League Cup)Games won 17 (14 Fourth Division, 2 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Games drawn 15 (13 Fourth Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Games lost 21 (19 Fourth Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Goals scored 64 (56 Fourth Division, 4 FA Cup, 4 League Cup)Goals conceded 67 (60 Fourth Division, 3 FA Cup, 4 League Cup)Clean sheets 14 (12 Fourth Division, 2 FA Cup, 0 League Cup)Biggest league win 4–0 versus Workington, 3 November 1975Worst league defeat 5–1 versus Tranmere Rovers, 7 November 1975Most appearances 53, Paul Bence, Terry Johnson (46 Fourth Division, 4 FA Cup, 3 League Cup)Top scorer (league) 14, Roger CrossTop scorer (all competitions) 16, Roger Cross
Transfers & loans Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.June 1975GK Bill Glazier Coventry City£4,000Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 128-130.September 1975GK Paul Priddy Walton & Hershamn/aSeptember 1975MF Danis Salman Queens Park Rangersn/aSeptember 1975FW Gordon Sweetzer Queens Park RangersTrialSeptember 1975MF Paul Walkern/an/a1975GK Graham Coxn/an/aJanuary 1976MF Larry McGettiganUnattachedNon-contractJanuary 1976n/a David Oxley DundeeTrialMarch 1976FW Andrew McCulloch Oxford United£25,000March 1976DF Tom Sharp Evertonn/aPlayers loaned inDate fromPos.NameFromDate toRef.November 1975GK Graham Horn Luton TownDecember 1975January 1976DF Tom Sharp EvertonMarch 1976Players transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.November 1975FW Dave Simmons Cambridge UnitedNominalPlayers releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.October 1975GK Bill Glazier St. Louis Stars19771975MF Barry Salvage MillwallAugust 1975May 1976DF Keith Lawrence Wealdstone1976May 1976MF Larry McGettigan Emeraldsn/aMay 1976DF Alan Nelmes Hillingdon Borough1976May 1976n/a David Oxleyn/an/aMay 1976FW Richard Poole WatfordJuly 1976
Awards Supporters' Player of the Year: Michael AllenCroxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 295. Players' Player of the Year: Michael Allen
References