During the 1965–66 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division. After an awful first half of the season, Brentford dropped into the relegation places in January 1966 and failed to recover, ending the club's three-season spell in the Third Division.

Season summary

The lack of incoming transfer activity during the 1965 off-season served to highlight the view at Griffin Park that Brentford's squad was strong enough to secure promotion to the Second Division during the 1965–66 season. The campaign began with a rousing 6–1 victory over local rivals Queens Park Rangers at Griffin Park, courtesy of goals from John Fielding, Joe Bonson, Ian Lawther and a Micky Block hat-trick. The win gave way to three defeats and a draw in the following four matches, but consecutive victories over Shrewsbury Town and Swansea Town in mid-September proved to be a false drawn. Brentford would win just one more league match before the end of 1965 and the team's plight was worsened by the departures of influential attackers Jimmy Bloomfield, Mark Lazarus and John Fielding after disputes with manager Tommy Cavanagh. Outside forward John Docherty was bought back from Sheffield United for his second spell at Griffin Park in December 1965, but Brentford began 1966 entrenched in the relegation places.

Misfiring forward Joe Bonson was sold in January 1966 and though manager Cavanagh was provided with the funds to purchase replacement forwards Brian Etheridge, John Regan and Bobby Ross, the new signings failed to help the team convert draws into all-important wins, with four matches being drawn in March. Three consecutive defeats in early April left the supporters clamouring for Cavanagh's head and despite a brief respite after a 2–0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion, a 5–0 defeat away to Exeter City on 16 April led chairman Jack Dunnett to dispense with Cavanagh's services. Youth team manager Ian Black won, drew and lost each of the following three matches in a caretaker capacity, before Billy Gray was appointed as manager.

Gray began his reign with Brentford in 23rd place and three points from safety with five matches remaining. A 3–0 home defeat to Mansfield Town in his first match in charge effectively ended all survival hopes after the gap to safety opened up to five points. A draw and a win versus Watford and Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic respectively in the following two matches put the Bees back within two points of safety, but defeats in the final two matches of the season sealed the club's relegation to the Fourth Division.

Three club records were set or equalled during the season:

Most away Football League games without a win: 21 (24 April 1965 – 16 April 1966) Record home Football League defeat: 0–5 versus Bristol Rovers, 5 February 1966 First substitute to be utilised: Hugh McLaughlin (replaced Billy Cobb versus Oldham Athletic, Third Division, 23 October 1965)

League table

Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend WinDrawLoss

Football League Third Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)121 August 1965Queens Park RangersH6–115,000Fielding, (Block 3, 1 pen), Bonson, Lawther224 August 1965Grimsby TownA2–35,002Block, Gelson328 August 1965Bristol RoversA1–112,160Cobb44 September 1965York CityH0–110,850511 September 1965Oxford UnitedA0–210,003614 September 1965Shrewsbury TownH4–010,950Lazarus (2), Lawther, Cobb718 September 1965Swansea TownH2–010,300Lawther, Block825 September 1965WalsallA1–18,384Cobb92 October 1965WorkingtonH0–18,700106 October 1965Shrewsbury TownA0–04,982119 October 1965Scunthorpe UnitedH0–17,7201216 October 1965WatfordA1–112,337Lawther1323 October 1965Oldham AthleticH0–08,1101430 October 1965GillinghamA0–18,669156 November 1965MillwallH1–214,800Higginson1620 November 1965Exeter CityH1–25,940Cobb1723 November 1965Grimsby TownH3–25,180Cobb, Thomson, Lawther1827 November 1965ReadingA0–26,1281911 December 1965Mansfield TownA0–23,637201 January 1966Scunthorpe UnitedA2–35,568Block, Docherty218 January 1966Peterborough UnitedH1–07,380Lawther2215 January 1966Oldham AthleticA1–112,029Cobb2329 January 1966Queens Park RangersA0–114,493245 February 1966Bristol RoversH0–56,2402512 February 1966Swindon TownA1–212,376Docherty2626 February 1966Oxford UnitedH5–17,100Docherty, Cobb, Etheridge, Lawther (2)271 March 1966Southend UnitedH2–09,000Lawther, Curley285 March 1966Swindon TownH0–19,900297 March 1966Southend UnitedA0–17,0293012 March 1966Swansea TownA1–17,925Regan3119 March 1966WalsallH2–27,900Regan, Docherty (pen)3226 March 1966WorkingtonA1–12,207Docherty3328 March 1966York CityA1–12,598Etheridge342 April 1966MillwallA0–113,385358 April 1966Brighton & Hove AlbionA0–217,176369 April 1966Hull CityH2–49,920Lawther, Docherty3711 April 1966Brighton & Hove AlbionH2–07,670Regan, Curley3816 April 1966Exeter CityA0–54,9753923 April 1966ReadingH1–17,800Gelson4026 April 1966Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticH1–05,790Regan4130 April 1966Hull CityA1–424,318Regan427 May 1966Mansfield TownH0–37,9704310 May 1966WatfordH1–15,580Thomson4417 May 1966Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticH1–05,130Docherty4521 May 1966Peterborough UnitedA0–33,9364628 May 1966GillinghamH0–24,450

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)1R13 November 1965Yeovil TownH2–19,320Fielding (2)2R4 December 1965ReadingA0–510,582

Football League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)2R22 November 1965WorkingtonA0–03,3742R (replay)30 November 1965WorkingtonH1–24,720Lawther Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford, Statto

Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1965–66 season. Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepersGKChic BrodieNorthampton Town1963GKGordon PhillipsHayes1963DefendersDFPeter GelsonYouth1961DFAlan HawleyYouth1962DFAllan JonesLiverpool1963DFHamish MacKenzieDunfermline Athletic1964DFGeorge ThomsonEverton1963MidfieldersHBRon CrispWatford1965HBTommy HigginsonKilmarnock1959HBHugh McLaughlinSt Roch's1961HBEddie ReeveYouth1964HBMel Scott (c)Chelsea1963HBWillie SmithCeltic1963ForwardsFWMicky BlockChelsea1962FWBilly CobbPlymouth Argyle1964FWTom CurleyCeltic1965FWJohn DochertySheffield United1966FWBrian EtheridgeNorthampton Town1966FWIan LawtherScunthorpe United1964FWJohn ReganShrewsbury Town1966FWBobby RossShrewsbury Town1966FWBarry ThornleyGravesend & Northfleet1965Players who left the club mid-seasonFWJimmy BloomfieldBirmingham City1964Transferred to West Ham UnitedFWJoe BonsonNewport County1964Transferred to Lincoln CityFWJohn FieldingSouthport1963Transferred to Grimsby TownFWMark LazarusQueens Park Rangers1964Transferred to Queens Park Rangers Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford, Timeless Bees

Coaching staff

Tommy Cavanagh (21 August 1965 – 18 April 1966) NameRole Tommy CavanaghManager Jimmy SirrelTrainer Eddie LyonsPhysiotherapist

Ian Black (18 April – 2 May 1966) NameRole Ian BlackCaretaker Manager Jimmy SirrelTrainer Eddie LyonsPhysiotherapist

Billy Gray (3–28 May 1966) NameRole Billy GrayManager Jimmy SirrelTrainer Eddie LyonsPhysiotherapist

Statistics

Appearances and goals

Substitute appearances in brackets. PosNatNameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKChic Brodie3501020380GKGordon Phillips1101000120DFPeter Gelson3422000362DFAllan Jones4402020480DFAlan Hawley3602020400DFHamish MacKenzie20000020DFGeorge Thomson4421020472HBRon Crisp10 (1)0100011 (1)0HBTommy Higginson3012020341HBHugh McLaughlin0 (1)000000 (1)0HBEddie Reeve20000020HBMel Scott3801020410HBWillie Smith50000050FWMicky Block2962020336FWJimmy Bloomfield20—0020FWJoe Bonson1211020151FWBilly Cobb27 (2)7202031 (2)7FWTom Curley1420000142FWJohn Docherty267——267FWBrian Etheridge162——162FWJohn Fielding912200113FWIan Lawther371020214111FWMark Lazarus92—20112FWJohn Regan125——125FWBobby Ross170——170FWBarry Thornley70000070 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford

Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL3FACFLCTotalFWIan Lawther100111FWBilly Cobb7007FWJohn Docherty7——7FWMicky Block6006FWJohn Regan5——5FWJohn Fielding1203FWBrian Etheridge2——2FWMark Lazarus2—02FWTom Curley2002HBPeter Gelson2002DFGeorge Thomson2002FWJoe Bonson1001HBTommy Higginson1001Total482151 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford

Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Tommy Cavanagh22 August 196416 April 1966Ian Black (caretaker)23 April 196630 April 1966Billy Gray7 May 196628 May 1966

Summary Games played 50 (46 Third Division, 2 FA Cup, 2 League Cup)Games won 11 (10 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, 0 League Cup)Games drawn 13 (12 Third Division, 0 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Games lost 26 (24 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Goals scored 51 (48 Third Division, 2 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Goals conceded 77 (69 Third Division, 6 FA Cup, 2 League Cup)Clean sheets 10 (9 Third Division, 0 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Biggest league win 6–1 versus Queens Park Rangers, 21 August 1965Worst league defeat 5–0 on two occasionsMost appearances 48, Allan Jones (44 Third Division, 2 FA Cup, 2 League Cup)Top scorer (league) 10, Ian LawtherTop scorer (all competitions) 11, Ian Lawther

Transfers & loans Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.May 1965DF Michael Ogburn Portsmouthn/aAugust 1965HB Ron Crisp Watford£2,000August 1965FW Tom Curley Celticn/aOctober 1965FW Barry Thornley Gravesend & Northfleet£2,000December 1965FW John Docherty Sheffield Unitedn/a1965HB Keith Hookern/an/aFebruary 1966FW Brian Etheridge Northampton Town£8,000March 1966FW John Regan Shrewsbury Town£4,250March 1966FW Bobby Ross Shrewsbury Town£4,250Players transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.August 1965FW Dai Ward Worcester City£2,000October 1965FW Jimmy Bloomfield West Ham United£6,5004 November 1965FW Mark Lazarus Queens Park Rangers£6,000December 1965FW John Fielding Grimsby Townn/aJanuary 1966FW Joe Bonson Lincoln Cityn/aPlayers releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.May 1966FW Joe Gadston Corby Town1966May 1966HB Hugh McLaughlin Gravesend & Northfleet1966May 1966HB Willie Smith Hastings UnitedAugust 1966May 1966FW Tim Soutar Ashford Town (Kent)1966

References