During the 1987–88 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division. The Bees contended for a place in the play-offs until a run of just two wins from the final 17 matches of the season dropped the club into mid-table.
Season summary After taking over as Brentford manager in January 1987, Steve Perryman continued the remodelling of his squad through the 1987 off-season.White, p. 334-336. Transferred out were defender Phil Bater, midfielder Paul Maddy and forward Francis Joseph, with the deals raising £37,000. In came a number of players on free transfers or a trial basis, the most notable of whom being former Chelsea midfielder Colin Lee, in a dual player/Youth Development Officer role. After beginning the Third Division season in and around the relegation places, manager Perryman continued to buy and sell players, raising another £10,000 from the sale of defender Jamie Murray and winger Ian Holloway and bringing in former Chelsea midfielder Keith Jones for a £40,000 fee. With forward Gary Blissett failing to show form in front of goal and Andy Sinton almost single-handedly leading the attack from midfield, the loan signing of Paul Williams in October 1987 galvanised the team, with Williams scoring six goals in eight appearances before being recalled by Charlton Athletic. An eight-match unbeaten run from mid-November 1987 to 2 January 1988, despite the £30,000 sale of forward Robbie Cooke, put Brentford as high as 6th position, once place outside the play-off zone. The December loan signing of Arsenal midfielder Graham Rix proved key to the continued good form.
A 1–0 win over Blackpool at Bloomfield Road on 16 January 1988, courtesy of a Keith Millen goal, raised Brentford into the play-off zone. After 3–1 victory over rivals Fulham in the following league match and the recall of Graham Rix to Highbury, the Bees' form disintegrated. The team lost four consecutive matches in February without scoring a goal and would win just two of the final 17 matches of the season to finish in 12th place. Manager Steve Perryman had attempted to rectify the slump by signing midfielder Ian Stewart and forward Les Ferdinand on loan, but both proved to be a disappointment. Right back Roger Joseph's performances earned him a place in the Third Division PFA Team of the Year, the first time a Brentford player had been recognised by the PFA.
League table
Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend WinDrawLoss
Pre-season and friendlies DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)23 July 1987Camberley TownA2–0n/aPriddle, Blissett27 July 1987Truro CityA6–2n/aBlissett (2), Cooke (pen), Sinton, Carroll, Holloway1 August 1987YeadingA0–1n/a10 August 1987ChelseaH0–3n/a5 December 1987Tottenham HotspurH0–04,34715 April 1987SouthamptonH0–2n/a
Football League Third Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)115 August 1987SunderlandH0–17,509229 August 1987Bristol CityH0–24,328331 August 1987Grimsby TownA1–03,361Blissett45 September 1987Rotherham UnitedH1–13,604Jones59 September 1987Northampton TownA1–25,748Cooke (pen)612 September 1987Southend UnitedA3–24,418Blissett, Cooke, Sinton715 September 1987ChesterfieldH2–03,183Benjamin (og), Cooke (pen)819 September 1987BlackpoolH2–13,886Sinton, Smith926 September 1987AldershotA1–43,651Sinton1029 September 1987Preston North EndA2–14,241Sinton, Carroll113 October 1987Port ValeH1–04,007Sinton1210 October 1987BuryA2–22,300Bates, Sinton1317 October 1987WalsallH0–05,0561420 October 1987Chester CityH1–14,027Cooke1524 October 1987Brighton & Hove AlbionA1–27,600Stanislaus1631 October 1987Bristol RoversH1–14,487Williams173 November 1987GillinghamA1–04,513Thorne187 November 1987Notts CountyA0–35,6341921 November 1987Wigan AthleticH2–13,625Sinton (pen), Williams2028 November 1987Doncaster RoversA1–01,360Williams2112 December 1987Mansfield TownH2–23,729Carroll, Blissett2218 December 1987York CityA1–11,801Turner2326 December 1987AldershotH3–05,578Millen, Sinton, Birch2428 December 1987FulhamA2–29,369Evans, Birch251 January 1988Bristol CityA3–212,877Blissett (2), Sinton262 January 1988Southend UnitedH1–05,752Stanislaus279 January 1988Northampton TownH0–16,0252816 January 1988BlackpoolA1–03,911Millen2914 February 1988FulhamH3–18,712Blissett, Elkins (og), Millen3017 February 1988Rotherham UnitedA0–22,5723120 February 1988SunderlandA0–215,4583223 February 1988Grimsby TownH0–23,5343327 February 1988Port ValeA0–13,876341 March 1988Preston North EndH2–03,505355 March 1988WalsallA2–44,548Blissett, Evans3612 March 1988BuryH0–33,9203719 March 1988Bristol RoversA0–03,3803826 March 1988Brighton & Hove AlbionH1–15,331Lee392 April 1988Notts CountyH1–04,388Blissett404 April 1988Wigan AthleticA1–13,297Evans419 April 1988GillinghamH2–23,875Sinton (2)4219 April 1988ChesterfieldA1–22,010Turner4323 April 1988Chester CityA1–11,793Cockram4430 April 1988Doncaster RoversH1–13,122Cockram452 May 1988Mansfield TownA1–22,664Carroll467 May 1988York CityH1–24,180Carroll
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendance1R14 November 1987Brighton & Hove AlbionH0–26,358
Football League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)R1 (1st leg)18 August 1987Southend UnitedH2–12,837Sinton, BlissettR1 (2nd leg)25 August 1987Southend UnitedA2–4 (lost 4–5 on aggregate)2,111Carroll, Cooke
Football League Trophy
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorerSPR (match 1)28 October 1987Northampton TownA0–13,076SPR (match 2)24 November 1987Notts CountyH3–22,005Williams (3)SR119 January 1988Wolverhampton WanderersA0–46,298 Sources: 100 Years of Brentford, The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties,Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 204-217.Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 404-406. Statto
Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1987–88 season. Pos.NameNat.Date of birth (age)Signed fromSigned inNotesGoalkeepersGKTony OliverPortsmouth1987GKGary PhillipsBarnet1984DefendersDFJamie BatesYouth1986DFTerry EvansHillingdon1985DFMatthew HowardYouth1988DFRoger JosephSouthall1984DFKeith MillenYouth1985DFRoger StanislausArsenal1987MidfieldersMFPaul BuckleYouth1988MFRobbie CarrollGosport Borough1986MFAllan CockramSt Albans City1988MFAndy FeeleyLeicester City1987MFKeith JonesChelsea1987MFColin LeeChelsea1987Youth Development OfficerMFSteve PerrymanOxford United1986ManagerMFAndy SintonCambridge United1985MFPaul SmithArsenal1987MFWayne Turner (c)Coventry City1986ForwardsFWPaul BirchPortsmouth1987Loaned from Portsmouth before transferring permanentlyFWGary BlissettCrewe Alexandra1987FWBob BookerBedmond Sports & Social1978Players who left the club mid-seasonDFJamie MurrayCambridge United1984Transferred to Cambridge UnitedMFIan HollowayWimbledon1986Transferred to Bristol RoversMFSean PriddleExeter City1987ReleasedMFGraham RixPortsmouth1987Returned to Portsmouth after loanMFIan StewartArsenal1988Returned to Arsenal after loanMFSteve ThorneWatford1987ReleasedFWRobbie CookeCambridge United1984Transferred to MillwallFWLes FerdinandQueens Park Rangers1987Returned to Queens Park Rangers after loanFWWarren GravetteTottenham Hotspur1987ReleasedFWPaul WilliamsCharlton Athletic1987Returned to Charlton Athletic after loan Sources: The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties, Timeless Bees
Coaching staff NameRole Steve PerrymanManager Phil HolderAssistant Manager Roy ClarePhysiotherapist
Statistics
Appearances and goals Substitute appearances in brackets. PosNatNameLeagueFA CupLeague CupFL TrophyTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKTony Oliver110000000110GKGary Phillips350102030410DFJamie Bates20 (3)100102023 (3)1DFTerry Evans294100020324DFMatthew Howard0 (1)00000000 (1)0DFRoger Joseph430102030490DFKeith Millen403002020443DFJamie Murray40—20—60DFRoger Stanislaus36 (1)210—3040 (1)2MFPaul Buckle0 (1)00000000 (1)0MFRobbie Carroll8 (4)40 (1)0210 (1)010 (6)5MFAllan Cockram72———72MFAndy Feeley27 (7)010202032 (7)0MFIan Holloway10———10MFKeith Jones34 (2)110—1036 (2)1MFColin Lee19 (3)110201023 (3)1MFSteve Perryman16 (5)0101 (1)03021 (6)0MFSean Priddle5 (1)00000005 (1)0MFAndy Sinton46111021305212MFPaul Smith10 (7)100001 (1)011 (8)1MFSteve Thorne1110000021MFWayne Turner242000020262FWPaul Birch13 (3)2——1014 (3)2FWGary Blissett40 (1)900212044 (1)10FWBob Booker1 (11)00 (1)0000 (2)01 (14)0FWRobbie Cooke15 (1)410211019 (1)5FWWarren Gravette1 (4)00000001 (4)0Players loaned in during the seasonMFIan Stewart4 (3)0———4 (3)0MFGraham Rix60———60FWLes Ferdinand30———30FWPaul Williams73——1386 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: The Big Brentford Book of the EightiesCroxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 429.
Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL3FACFLCFLTTotalMFAndy Sinton1101012FWGary Blissett901010FWPaul Williams3——36MFRobbie Carroll40105FWRobbie Cooke40105DFTerry Evans40004DFKeith Millen30003MFAllan Cockram2———2FWPaul Birch2——02DFRoger Stanislaus20—02MFWayne Turner20002MFKeith Jones10—01DFJamie Bates10001MFColin Lee10001MFPaul Smith10001MFSteve Thorne10001Opponents20002Total5304360 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties
Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Steve Perryman15 August 19877 May 1988
Summary Games played 52 (46 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 3 Football League Trophy)Games won 18 (16 Third Division, 0 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy)Games drawn 14 (14 Third Division, 0 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 0 Football League Trophy)Games lost 20 (16 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 2 Football League Trophy)Goals scored 60 (53 Third Division, 0 FA Cup, 4 League Cup, 3 Football League Trophy)Goals conceded 73 (59 Third Division, 2 FA Cup, 5 League Cup, 7 Football League Trophy)Clean sheets 13 (13 Third Division, 0 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 0 Football League Trophy)Biggest league win 3–0 versus Aldershot, 26 December 1987Worst league defeat 3–0 on two occasions; 4–1 versus Aldershot, 26 September 1987Most appearances 52, Andy Sinton (46 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 3 Football League Trophy)Top scorer (league) 11, Andy SintonTop scorer (all competitions) 12, Andy Sinton
Transfers & loans Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.July 1987FW Warren Gravette Tottenham HotspurFreeJuly 1987MF Colin Lee Chelsean/aJuly 1987GK Tony Oliver PortsmouthTrialCroxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 218-222.July 1987MF Sean Priddle Exeter CityFreeAugust 1987MF Andy Feeley Leicester CityTrial27 August 1987MF Paul Smith ArsenalTrial3 September 1987MF Keith Jones Chelsea£40,00018 September 1987DF Roger Stanislaus ArsenalTrialSeptember 1987MF Steve Thorne WatfordTrial1987MF Paul Bucklen/an/a1987DF Jason Cousinsn/an/a1987MF Marcus Gaylen/an/a1987DF Matthew Howard Watfordn/aJanuary 1988FW Paul Birch Portsmouth£10,00022 March 1988MF Allan Cockram St Albans CityNon-contractPlayers loaned inDate fromPos.NameFromDate toRef.20 October 1987FW Paul Williams Charlton AthleticNovember 1987December 1987FW Paul Birch PortsmouthJanuary 1988December 1987MF Graham Rix ArsenalFebruary 1988February 1988MF Ian Stewart PortsmouthMarch 198824 March 1988FW Les Ferdinand Queens Park RangersApril 1988Players transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.July 1987DF Phil Bater Cardiff City£5,000July 1987FW Francis Joseph Reading£25,000July 1987MF Paul Maddy Chester City£7,00021 August 1987MF Ian Holloway Bristol Rovers£5,000September 1987DF Jamie Murray Cambridge United£5,00011 December 1987FW Robbie Cooke Millwall£30,000Players loaned outDate fromPos.NameToDate toRef.1987FW Francis Joseph HJK HelsinkiJuly 1987January 1988n/a Mark Gill Felthamn/aJanuary 1988n/a Chris Good Hitchin Townn/aPlayers releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.January 1988MF Steve Thornen/an/aApril 1988n/a Chris Goodn/an/aApril 1988FW Warren Gravette Maidenhead UnitedApril 1988April 1988MF Sean Priddle Weymouth1988May 1988n/a Mark Gilln/an/aMay 1988MF Paul Smith Bristol Rovers15 July 1988
Awards Supporters' Player of the Year: Andy SintonCroxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 383.