During the 1971–72 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Fourth Division. The club led the division for much of the first half of the season and 10 wins in the final 14 matches secured automatic promotion with a 3rd-place finish.
Season summary Despite the reduction of the club's debt to a manageable level and an average attendance higher than all but the top three finishers in the Third Division, Fourth Division Brentford went into the 1971–72 season with a squad of just 14 professionals.White, p. 284-287. Long-time goalkeeper Chic Brodie was released, as was bit-part winger Brian Tawse and in came two defensive youngsters on free transfers – Terry Scales and Steven Tom.
Despite the club record £30,000 departure of Roger Cross to rivals Fulham and Alan Hawley also moving to Craven Cottage on loan, Brentford's 12-man squad met pre-season expectations in the early part of the season, holding onto top spot intermittently until a minor blip in October and November 1971. Utility player Michael Allen was signed from Middlesbrough for an £8,000 fee in October and proved to be a vital cog in the midfield. The team owed much of its success to prolific goalscoring from John O'Mara, with the centre forward reaching 20 goals for the season after a 6–2 thrashing of Darlington on 8 January 1972, a result which made Brentford the top scorers in the Football League and was also notable for a 13-minute hattrick from John Docherty.
After another blip caused by the suspension of John O'Mara for five weeks dropped Brentford out of the promotion places,Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 34. the team was buoyed by the loan signing of winger Stewart Houston and entered the final five weeks of the season strongly, winning five matches in a row in March. Two draws and a defeat over Easter threatened to drop the Bees out of the promotion places, but four successive wins meant that automatic promotion was assured with two matches to play, when captain Bobby Ross' penalty was enough to beat Exeter City at Griffin Park on 22 April. Despite going top of the Fourth Division after victory over Barrow in the following match, a 3–0 defeat away to Workington in the final match of the season dropped the Bees to a 3rd-place finish.
Two club records were set during the season: Most clean sheets in a Football League season: 22 – Gordon Phillips Fewest players used in a Football League season: 14Haynes & Coumbe, p. 179. Brentford finished top of the Fourth Division charts in the following statistical categories: Best away record Highest overall goal difference Highest away goal difference Highest average attendanceHaynes, p. 13.
League table
Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend WinDrawLoss
Pre-season and friendlies DateOpponentVenueResultScorer(s)31 July 1971SouthamptonH1–3Untraced (og)4 August 1971Hillingdon BoroughA2–1O'Mara, Scales7 August 1971Oxford UnitedH2–4O'Mara, Cross2 May 1972Guernsey XIA6–0O'Mara (4), Houston, Bence4 May 1972Guernsey XIA7–1O'Mara (2), Houston (2), Ross, Graham, Docherty9 May 1972WimbledonA2–2Docherty, Graham
Football League Fourth Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)114 August 1971BuryA2–02,957Gelson, Tom221 August 1971AldershotH1–18,920Turner328 August 1971DarlingtonA0–02,514430 August 1971BarrowH4–08,866O'Mara, Cross, Turner, Ross54 September 1971HartlepoolH6–08,712Turner (2), O'Mara (3), Cross611 September 1971Grimsby TownA1–311,683O'Mara718 September 1971Peterborough UnitedH5–18,770Neilson, Graham, Docherty, O'Mara, Ross825 September 1971ChesterA0–04,088927 September 1971Stockport CountyH2–010,445Ross (2)102 October 1971Northampton TownH6–111,004Gelson, Docherty, O'Mara (3), Neilson118 October 1971SouthportA0–05,3711216 October 1971BuryH2–09,851O'Mara, Graham1320 October 1971ReadingA1–210,473O'Mara1423 October 1971Southend UnitedH1–214,001O'Mara1530 October 1971Scunthorpe UnitedA0–06,121166 November 1971Newport CountyH3–110,484Docherty, Ross (2, 1 pen)1713 November 1971Colchester UnitedA1–16,898O'Mara1827 November 1971GillinghamH1–310,945Ross194 December 1971Exeter CityA1–03,809O'Mara2011 December 1971SouthportH1–09,624Peat (og)2118 December 1971HartlepoolA2–12,199Allen (2)2227 December 1971Crewe AlexandraH1–018,237O'Mara231 January 1972Peterborough UnitedA2–27,027O'Mara (2)248 January 1972DarlingtonH6–210,582Ross (pen), O'Mara (2), Docherty (3)2515 January 1972Lincoln CityA1–47,552O'Mara2625 January 1972Stockport CountyA1–03,247Ross2729 January 1972ReadingH1–212,144Docherty285 February 1972Cambridge UnitedA1–16,861Graham2912 February 1972Southend UnitedA1–39,841Ross (pen)3019 February 1972Scunthorpe UnitedH0–311,9123126 February 1972Newport CountyA0–03,271324 March 1972Colchester UnitedH0–29,2103313 March 1972Lincoln CityH2–012,065O'Mara, Scales3418 March 1972AldershotA2–16,989O'Mara, Ross3521 March 1972Doncaster RoversA3–05,256Graham (2), Ross3625 March 1972Grimsby TownH2–014,635Docherty, O'Mara3727 March 1972WorkingtonH2–013,972Docherty, Houston3831 March 1972ChesterH1–118,521Docherty391 April 1972Crewe AlexandraA1–22,072Docherty403 April 1972Northampton TownA0–05,314418 April 1972Cambridge UnitedH2–19,061Docherty, Graham4215 April 1972GillinghamA1–05,819Docherty4317 April 1972Doncaster RoversH2–113,484O'Mara (2)4422 April 1972Exeter CityH1–014,540Ross (pen)4524 April 1972BarrowA3–02,646Houston, Allen, Graham4629 April 1972WorkingtonA0–31,751
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)1R20 November 1971Swansea CityA1–17,915O'Mara1R (replay)22 November 1971Swansea CityH2–315,000Ross, O'Mara
Football League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer1R18 August 1971Colchester UnitedA1–36,125Ross Sources: 100 Years of Brentford, The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies,Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 36-48.Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 300. Statto
Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1971–72 season. Pos.NameNat.Date of birth (age)Signed fromSigned inNotesGoalkeepersGKGordon PhillipsHayes1963DefendersDFPaul BenceReading1970DFPeter GelsonYouth1961DFAlan HawleyYouth1962Loaned to FulhamDFAlan NelmesChelsea1967DFTerry ScalesWest Ham United1971DFSteven TomQueens Park Rangers1971MidfieldersMFMichael AllenMiddlesbrough1971MFJohn DochertyReading1970MFJackie GrahamGuildford City1970MFGordon NeilsonArsenal1968MFBrian TurnerPortsmouth1970ForwardsFWStewart HoustonChelsea1972On loan from ChelseaFWJohn O'MaraWimbledon1971FWBobby Ross (c)Shrewsbury Town1966Players who left the club mid-seasonFWRoger CrossWest Ham United1970Transferred to FulhamFWTrevor DawkinsCrystal Palace1971Returned to Crystal Palace after loanFWKen WallaceWest Ham United1972Returned to West Ham United 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 CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKGordon Phillips4602010490DFPaul Bence32 (2)0201035 (2)0DFPeter Gelson36 (1)2001037 (1)2DFAlan Hawley2000000200DFAlan Nelmes4602010490DFTerry Scales4312010461DFSteven Tom13 (5)1201016 (5)1MFMichael Allen29 (1)320—31 (1)3MFJohn Docherty441320004613MFJackie Graham4572010487MFGordon Neilson8 (4)2000 (1)08 (5)2MFBrian Turner34 (1)4201037 (1)4FWRoger Cross52—1062FWJohn O'Mara402522104327FWBobby Ross44 (1)13211147 (1)15Players loaned in during the seasonFWTrevor Dawkins3 (1)0——3 (1)0FWStewart Houston152——152FWKen Wallace30——30 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford
Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL4FACFLCTotalFWJohn O'Mara252027FWBobby Ross131115MFJohn Docherty130013MFJackie Graham7007MFBrian Turner4004MFMichael Allen30—3FWStewart Houston2——2FWRoger Cross2—02DFPeter Gelson2002MFGordon Neilson2002DFTerry Scales1001DFSteven Tom1001Opponents1001Total763180 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford
Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Frank Blunstone14 August 197129 April 1972
Summary Games played 49 (46 Fourth Division, 2 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Games won 24 (24 Fourth Division, 0 FA Cup, 0 League Cup)Games drawn 12 (11 Fourth Division, 1 FA Cup, 0 League Cup)Games lost 13 (11 Fourth Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Goals scored 80 (76 Fourth Division, 3 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Goals conceded 51 (44 Fourth Division, 4 FA Cup, 3 League Cup)Clean sheets 22 (22 Fourth Division, 0 FA Cup, 0 League Cup)Biggest league win 6–0 versus Hartlepool, 4 September 1971Worst league defeat 3–0 on two occasions; 4–1 versus Lincoln City, 15 January 1972Most appearances 49, Alan Nelmes, Gordon Phillips (46 Fourth Division, 2 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Top scorer (league) 25, John O'MaraTop scorer (all competitions) 27, John O'Mara
Transfers & loans Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.June 1971DF Steven Tom Crystal PalaceFreeCroxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 50-53.July 1971DF Terry Scales West Ham UnitedFreeOctober 1971MF Michael Allen Middlesbrough£8,000Players loaned inDate fromPos.NameFromDate toRef.September 1971FW Trevor Dawkins Crystal PalaceOctober 1971February 1972FW Ken Wallace West Ham UnitedMarch 1972March 1972FW Stewart Houston ChelseaEnd of seasonPlayers transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.September 1971FW Roger Cross Fulham£30,000Players loaned outDate fromPos.NameToDate toRef.September 1971MF Alan Hawley FulhamOctober 1971Players releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.May 1972MF Gordon Neilson Hillingdon Borough1972May 1972DF Steven Tom Barnet1972May 1972MF Brian Turner Mount Wellington1972
Awards Supporters' Player of the Year: John O'MaraCroxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 295. Players' Player of the Year: Jackie Graham Gallaghers Divisional Footballer of the Year: John O'MaraHaynes & Coumbe, p. 118. Football League Fourth Division Manager of the Month: Frank Blunstone (September 1971, March 1972)
References