1970–71 season of Brentford F.C.
Brentford 1970–71 football season
Brentford1970–71 season |
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Chairman | Walter Wheatley (until January 1971) Eric Radley-Smith (from January 1971) |
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Manager | Frank Blunstone |
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Stadium | Griffin Park |
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Fourth Division | 14th |
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FA Cup | Fifth round |
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League Cup | First round |
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Top goalscorer | League: Ross (15) All: Ross (16) |
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Highest home attendance | 10,058 |
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Lowest home attendance | 4,176 |
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Average home league attendance | 6,776 |
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During the 1970–71 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Fourth Division. A forgettable league season was chiefly remembered for a run to the fifth round of the FA Cup, the furthest the Bees had progressed in the competition since 1948–49.
Season summary
After taking over halfway through an encouraging 1969–70 season, Brentford manager Frank Blunstone went into the 1970–71 Fourth Division season with the belief that the club would be able to finish one place higher and gain automatic promotion. Five players were released (including ageing defensive stalwarts Tommy Higginson and Allan Jones) and three were transferred in – midfielder Jackie Graham from Guildford City, utility player Paul Bence from Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea youth defender Michael Maskell. Due to financial constraints, Blunstone's squad was limited to just 16 players for the fourth consecutive season, but the youth team was reactivated after being disbanded due to budget cuts in 1967.
A failure to win any of the opening 9 matches of the season in all competitions set a new post-war club record. The loan signing of former Busby Babe Alex Dawson from Brighton & Hove Albion in September 1970 helped improve matters, with the forward scoring 7 goals in 11 appearances and inspiring a five-match winning streak in October and November.[5] Frustratingly, a £7,000 deal to buy him fell through and he left the club after his loan expired. While the team slowly pulled itself away from the relegation zone and finished comfortably in mid-table, the FA Cup gradually became the main focus of the season.[7]
Third Division clubs Gillingham Walsall were beaten in the second round, but the third round draw failed to produce a money-spininng tie and instead an away trip to fellow Fourth Division club Workington.[7] A John Docherty goal was enough to see off Workington and the fourth round draw produced another away tie, this time to Second Division club Cardiff City.[5] Over 23,000 watched Brentford run out 2–0 winners at Ninian Park, courtesy of goals from Jackie Graham and John Docherty.[5] Brentford also faced Second Division opponents in the fifth round, Hull City.[8] Victory would have made Brentford the second Fourth Division club to reach the last-eight of the FA Cup.[8] Brentford took the lead through Bobby Ross at Boothferry Park, but two late goals from the Tigers ended the Bees' run.[8]
Significantly for the long-term future of Brentford, the FA Cup run generated £8,000, which helped boost the profit on the season to £20,000 and enabled the final instalment of the club's 1967 £104,000 loan (equivalent to £1,856,800 in 2024) to be paid off. A 6–4 victory over York City on 9 November 1970 equalled the club record for highest aggregate score in a Football League match.[9]
League table
Source: rsssf.com
Notes:
- ^ The two teams who scored the most goals in each division, and did not qualify for Europe and were not promoted, qualified for the Watney Cup.
Results
- Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend
Pre-season and friendlies
No. | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) |
1 | 15 August 1970 | Chester | H | 1–2 | 6,477 | Docherty |
2 | 22 August 1970 | Lincoln City | A | 0–2 | 6,813 | |
3 | 29 August 1970 | Southport | H | 0–1 | 5,324 | |
4 | 31 August 1970 | Cambridge United | A | 0–1 | 6,654 | |
5 | 5 September 1970 | Oldham Athletic | A | 1–5 | 4,866 | Tawse |
6 | 12 September 1970 | Peterborough United | H | 1–1 | 4,176 | Ross |
7 | 19 September 1970 | Notts County | A | 0–0 | 10,281 | |
8 | 23 September 1970 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 3–5 | 1,909 | Cross, Gater (og), Turner |
9 | 26 September 1970 | Darlington | H | 1–0 | 4,841 | Docherty |
10 | 28 September 1970 | Stockport County | A | 0–1 | 4,387 | |
11 | 3 October 1970 | Northampton Town | A | 0–1 | 6,282 | |
12 | 10 October 1970 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | H | 1–2 | 5,965 | Graham |
13 | 17 October 1970 | Chester | A | 2–1 | 5,834 | Dawson, Cross |
14 | 19 October 1970 | Aldershot | H | 2–3 | 7,648 | Dawson, Ross |
15 | 24 October 1970 | Southend United | A | 3–4 | 6,052 | Docherty, Dawson, Ross |
16 | 31 October 1970 | Exeter City | H | 5–0 | 5,267 | Docherty (2), Cross, Graham, Ross |
17 | 7 November 1970 | Newport County | A | 1–0 | 2,407 | Dawson |
18 | 9 November 1970 | York City | H | 6–4 | 5,955 | Dawson, Cross (2), Docherty (3) |
19 | 14 November 1970 | Grimsby Town | H | 2–0 | 5,497 | Dawson, Ross (pen) |
20 | 28 November 1970 | Colchester United | A | 0–4 | 4,673 | |
21 | 5 December 1970 | Barrow | H | 2–1 | 5,632 | Cross, Ross |
22 | 19 December 1970 | Lincoln City | H | 2–1 | 5,966 | Graham, Bence |
23 | 26 December 1970 | Scunthorpe United | A | 1–1 | 4,736 | Cross |
24 | 9 January 1971 | Stockport County | H | 3–0 | 7,340 | Docherty, Ross, Cross |
25 | 16 January 1971 | Aldershot | A | 0–1 | 7,533 | |
26 | 6 February 1971 | Barrow | A | 1–0 | 2,338 | Bence |
27 | 20 February 1971 | York City | A | 0–0 | 3,366 | |
28 | 24 February 1971 | Hartlepool | H | 1–0 | 9,246 | Graham |
29 | 27 February 1971 | Exeter City | A | 0–1 | 3,892 | |
30 | 6 March 1971 | Southend United | H | 4–2 | 6,348 | Cross, Ross (2, 1 pen) |
31 | 8 March 1971 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 3–1 | 7,631 | Bence, Neilson, Ross |
32 | 13 March 1971 | Grimsby Town | A | 5–1 | 3,336 | Cross, Bence, Ross (2) |
33 | 15 March 1971 | Hartlepool | A | 0–0 | 2,936 | |
34 | 20 March 1971 | Newport County | H | 0–3 | 8,421 | |
35 | 24 March 1971 | Workington | A | 1–1 | 1,731 | Docherty |
36 | 27 March 1971 | Oldham Athletic | H | 1–1 | 7,207 | Renwick |
37 | 29 March 1971 | Colchester United | H | 1–0 | 9,209 | Neilson |
38 | 3 April 1971 | Southport | A | 0–2 | 2,026 | |
39 | 9 April 1971 | Northampton Town | H | 3–0 | 10,058 | Ross (2), Turner |
40 | 10 April 1971 | Scunthorpe United | H | 0–1 | 7,561 | |
41 | 12 April 1971 | Peterborough United | A | 2–1 | 3,841 | Neilson, Ross |
42 | 17 April 1971 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | A | 0–1 | 11,206 | |
43 | 24 April 1971 | Notts County | H | 2–2 | 9,229 | Cross, Graham |
44 | 26 April 1971 | Cambridge United | H | 1–2 | 5,994 | O'Mara |
45 | 1 May 1971 | Darlington | A | 1–2 | 1,629 | Cross |
46 | 7 May 1971 | Workington | H | 3–0 | 4,781 | Neilson, Graham, O'Mara |
FA Cup
Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) |
1R | 21 November 1970 | Gillingham | H | 2–1 | 8,000 | Docherty, Dawson |
2R | 11 December 1970 | Walsall | H | 1–0 | 8,500 | Cross |
3R | 2 January 1971 | Workington | A | 1–0 | 5,953 | Docherty |
4R | 23 January 1971 | Cardiff City | A | 2–0 | 23,335 | Graham, Docherty |
5R | 13 February 1971 | Hull City | A | 1–2 | 29,709 | Ross |
Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance |
1R | 18 August 1970 | Aldershot | A | 0–1 | 6,899 |
- Sources: The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies,[10] Statto
Playing squad
- Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1970–71 season.
- Sources: The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies,[10] Timeless Bees[11]
Coaching staff
Statistics
Appearances and goals
- Substitute appearances in brackets.
Pos | Nat | Name | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total |
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
GK | | Chic Brodie | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
GK | | Gordon Phillips | 29 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 0 |
DF | | Paul Bence | 44 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50 | 4 |
DF | | Peter Gelson | 45 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 0 |
DF | | Alan Hawley | 25 (1) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 29 (1) | 0 |
DF | | Michael Maskell | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
DF | | Alan Nelmes | 46 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 0 |
DF | | Dick Renwick | 40 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 1 |
MF | | John Docherty | 35 (1) | 10 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 41 (1) | 13 |
MF | | Jackie Graham | 42 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 7 |
MF | | Allan Mansley | 7 (2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 (2) | 0 |
MF | | Gordon Neilson | 16 (3) | 4 | 2 (1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 (4) | 4 |
MF | | Bobby Ross | 46 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 16 |
MF | | Brian Tawse | 7 (2) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 (2) | 1 |
MF | | Brian Turner | 40 (2) | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 45 (2) | 2 |
FW | | Roger Cross | 46 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 15 |
FW | | Mick Heath | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 |
FW | | John O'Mara | 9 | 2 | — | — | 9 | 2 |
Players loaned in during the season |
FW | | Alex Dawson | 10 | 6 | 1 | 1 | — | 11 | 7 |
- Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
- Source: 100 Years of Brentford[5]
Goalscorers
- Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
- Source: 100 Years of Brentford[5]
Management
Name | Nat | From | To | Record All Comps | Record League |
P | W | D | L | W % | P | W | D | L | W % |
Frank Blunstone | | 15 August 1970 | 7 May 1971 | 52 | 22 | 8 | 22 | 042.31 | 46 | 18 | 8 | 20 | 039.13 |
Summary
Games played | 52 (46 Fourth Division, 5 FA Cup, 1 League Cup) |
Games won | 22 (18 Fourth Division, 4 FA Cup, 0 League Cup) |
Games drawn | 8 (8 Fourth Division, 0 FA Cup, 0 League Cup) |
Games lost | 22 (20 Fourth Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup) |
Goals scored | 73 (66 Fourth Division, 7 FA Cup, 0 League Cup) |
Goals conceded | 66 (62 Fourth Division, 3 FA Cup, 1 League Cup) |
Clean sheets | 16 (13 Fourth Division, 3 FA Cup, 0 League Cup) |
Biggest league win | 5–0 versus Exeter City, 31 October 1970 |
Worst league defeat | 4–0 versus Colchester United, 28 November 1970; 5–1 versus Oldham Athletic, 5 September 1970 |
Most appearances | 52, Roger Cross, Alan Nelmes, Bobby Ross (46 Fourth Division, 5 FA Cup, 1 League Cup) |
Top scorer (league) | 15, Bobby Ross |
Top scorer (all competitions) | 16, Bobby Ross |
Transfers & loans
Awards
Notes
References
- ^ a b c d e White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 391. ISBN 0951526200.
- ^ a b "Brentford results for the 1970–1971 season". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 17 March 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
- ^ a b c "Moment in Time: Hull City". Brentford FC. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
- ^ "Brentford scoring and sequence records". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
- ^ a b Croxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2011). The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies. Sunbury, Middlesex: Legends Publishing. ISBN 978-1906796709.
- ^ Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Yore Publications. ISBN 978-0955294914.
- ^ "Chic Brodie". 20 September 2017. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
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National teams | |
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League competitions | Levels 1–4 | |
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Levels 5–6 | |
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Levels 7–9 | |
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Cup competitions | FA cups | |
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Football League cups | |
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European competitions | |
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