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. 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.
Third Division clubs Gillingham Walsall were beaten in the second round, but the third round draw failed to produce a money-spinning tie and instead an away trip to fellow Fourth Division club Workington. 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. Over 23,000 watched Brentford run out 2–0 winners at Ninian Park, courtesy of goals from Jackie Graham and John Docherty. Brentford also faced Second Division opponents in the fifth round, Hull City. Victory would have made Brentford the second Fourth Division club to reach the last-eight of the FA Cup. Brentford took the lead through Bobby Ross at Boothferry Park, but two late goals from the Tigers ended the Bees' run.
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 £ in ) 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.
League table
Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend WinDrawLoss
Pre-season and friendlies DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)1 August 1970Plymouth ArgyleA0–2n/a3 August 1970Yeovil TownA2–2n/aDocherty, Hawley8 August 1970Hillingdon BoroughA1–1n/aCross10 August 1970Bristol RoversH1–13,900Docherty11 November 1970West Ham UnitedH0–35,95021 April 1971Guildford CityA1–0n/aMoore
Football League Fourth Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)115 August 1970ChesterH1–26,477Docherty222 August 1970Lincoln CityA0–26,813329 August 1970SouthportH0–15,324431 August 1970Cambridge UnitedA0–16,65455 September 1970Oldham AthleticA1–54,866Tawse612 September 1970Peterborough UnitedH1–14,176Ross719 September 1970Notts CountyA0–010,281823 September 1970Crewe AlexandraA3–51,909Cross, Gater (og), Turner926 September 1970DarlingtonH1–04,841Docherty1028 September 1970Stockport CountyA0–14,387113 October 1970Northampton TownA0–16,2821210 October 1970Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticH1–25,965Graham1317 October 1970ChesterA2–15,834Dawson, Cross1419 October 1970AldershotH2–37,648Dawson, Ross1524 October 1970Southend UnitedA3–46,052Docherty, Dawson, Ross1631 October 1970Exeter CityH5–05,267Docherty (2), Cross, Graham, Ross177 November 1970Newport CountyA1–02,407Dawson189 November 1970York CityH6–45,955Dawson, Cross (2), Docherty (3)1914 November 1970Grimsby TownH2–05,497Dawson, Ross (pen)2028 November 1970Colchester UnitedA0–44,673215 December 1970BarrowH2–15,632Cross, Ross2219 December 1970Lincoln CityH2–15,966Graham, Bence2326 December 1970Scunthorpe UnitedA1–14,736Cross249 January 1971Stockport CountyH3–07,340Docherty, Ross, Cross2516 January 1971AldershotA0–17,533266 February 1971BarrowA1–02,338Bence2720 February 1971York CityA0–03,3662824 February 1971HartlepoolH1–09,246Graham2927 February 1971Exeter CityA0–13,892306 March 1971Southend UnitedH4–26,348Cross, Ross (2, 1 pen)318 March 1971Crewe AlexandraH3–17,631Bence, Neilson, Ross3213 March 1971Grimsby TownA5–13,336Cross, Bence, Ross (2)3315 March 1971HartlepoolA0–02,9363420 March 1971Newport CountyH0–38,4213524 March 1971WorkingtonA1–11,731Docherty3627 March 1971Oldham AthleticH1–17,207Renwick3729 March 1971Colchester UnitedH1–09,209Neilson383 April 1971SouthportA0–22,026399 April 1971Northampton TownH3–010,058Ross (2), Turner4010 April 1971Scunthorpe UnitedH0–17,5614112 April 1971Peterborough UnitedA2–13,841Neilson, Ross4217 April 1971Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticA0–111,2064324 April 1971Notts CountyH2–29,229Cross, Graham4426 April 1971Cambridge UnitedH1–25,994O'Mara451 May 1971DarlingtonA1–21,629Cross467 May 1971WorkingtonH3–04,781Neilson, Graham, O'Mara
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)1R21 November 1970GillinghamH2–18,000Docherty, Dawson2R11 December 1970WalsallH1–08,500Cross3R2 January 1971WorkingtonA1–05,953Docherty4R23 January 1971Cardiff CityA2–023,335Graham, Docherty5R13 February 1971Hull CityA1–229,709Ross
Football League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendance1R18 August 1970AldershotA0–16,899 Sources: The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies, Statto
Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1970–71 season. Pos.NameNat.Date of birth (age)Signed fromSigned inNotesGoalkeepersGKChic BrodieNorthampton Town1963GKGordon PhillipsHayes1963DefendersDFPaul BenceReading1970DFPeter GelsonYouth1961DFAlan HawleyYouth1962DFAlan NelmesChelsea1967DFDick RenwickAldershot1969MidfieldersMFJohn DochertyReading1970MFAlan GaneSlough Town1971AmateurMFJackie GrahamGuildford City1970MFAllan MansleyBlackpool1968Loaned to Fulham and Notts CountyMFGordon NeilsonArsenal1968MFBobby Ross (c)Shrewsbury Town1966MFBrian TawseBrighton & Hove Albion1970Loaned to FolkestoneMFBrian TurnerPortsmouth1970ForwardsFWRoger CrossWest Ham United1970FWMick HeathWalton & Hersham1971AmateurFWJohn O'MaraWimbledon1971Players who left the club mid-seasonDFMichael MaskellChelsea1970ReleasedFWAlex DawsonBrighton & Hove Albion1970Returned to Brighton & Hove Albion after loan Sources: The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies, Timeless Bees
Coaching staff NameRole Frank BlunstoneManager Eddie LyonsTrainer
Statistics
Appearances and goals Substitute appearances in brackets. PosNatNameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKChic Brodie1701010190GKGordon Phillips2904000330DFPaul Bence4445010504DFPeter Gelson4505010510DFAlan Hawley25 (1)0301029 (1)0DFMichael Maskell10—0010DFAlan Nelmes4605010520DFDick Renwick4015000451MFJohn Docherty35 (1)10531041 (1)13MFJackie Graham4265110487MFAllan Mansley7 (2)000007 (2)0MFGordon Neilson16 (3)42 (1)01019 (4)4MFBobby Ross461551105216MFBrian Tawse7 (2)100108 (2)1MFBrian Turner40 (2)2401045 (2)2FWRoger Cross461451105215FWMick Heath10——10FWJohn O'Mara92——92Players loaned in during the seasonFWAlex Dawson10611—117 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford
Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL4FACFLCTotalMFBobby Ross151016FWRoger Cross141015MFJohn Docherty103013FWAlex Dawson61—7MFJackie Graham6107DFPaul Bence4004MFGordon Neilson4004FWJohn O'Mara2——2MFBrian Turner2002DFDick Renwick1001MFBrian Tawse1001Opponents1001Total667073 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford
Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Frank Blunstone15 August 19707 May 1971
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 1970Worst league defeat 4–0 versus Colchester United, 28 November 1970; 5–1 versus Oldham Athletic, 5 September 1970Most appearances 52, Roger Cross, Alan Nelmes, Bobby Ross (46 Fourth Division, 5 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Top scorer (league) 15, Bobby RossTop scorer (all competitions) 16, Bobby Ross
Transfers & loans Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.July 1970DF Paul Bence ReadingFreeJuly 1970MF Jackie Graham Guildford City£2,500July 1970DF Michael Maskell ChelseaFree1970DF Richard Poolen/an/a1970DF Kevin Hardingn/an/aMarch 1971FW John O'Mara Wimbledon£1,000April 1971FW Mick Heath Walton & HershamAmateurPlayers loaned inDate fromPos.NameFromDate toRef.September 1970FW Alex Dawson Brighton & Hove AlbionNovember 1970Players loaned outDate fromPos.NameToDate toRef.November 1970MF Allan Mansley FulhamDecember 1970February 1971MF Brian Tawse Folkestonen/aMarch 1971MF Allan Mansley Notts Countyn/aPlayers releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.October 1970DF Michael Maskell Stevenage Athletic1970May 1971GK Chic Brodie MargateJuly 1971May 1971MF Allan Mansley Notts CountyMay 1971May 1971MF Brian Tawse Durban City1971June 1971DF Dick Renwick Stockport CountyOctober 1971
Awards Supporters' Player of the Year: Bobby Ross Players' Player of the Year: Alan Nelmes
Notes
References