During the 1972–73 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division. The early-season departures of goalscorers John O'Mara and Bobby Ross and 15 consecutive away league defeats led to Brentford's relegation straight back to the Fourth Division.
Season summary
Brentford's promotion to the Third Division at the end of the 1971–72 season meant that the club would compete in the third-tier for the first time since 1965–66.White, p. 288-291. Self-imposed financial austerity since the club's relegation to the Fourth Division had enabled the club's large debts to be paid off, but despite promotion and increasing attendances, manager Frank Blunstone would again be forced to maintain a small playing squad. Blunstone turned down the chance to become assistant manager at Everton during the off-season. Released in the wake of the promotion were defender Steven Tom, midfielder Brian Turner and winger Gordon Neilson and in came amateur goalkeeper Paul Priddy, midfielders David Court and Alan Murray, winger David Jenkins and Stewart Houston's loan was turned into a permanent transfer for a £15,000 fee. The Brentford youth team was also reactivated after being disbanded due to the budget cuts of 1967, with Kevin Harding, Richard Poole and Graham Pearce being taken on as apprentices. Gary Huxley would win an England Youth cap during the season.
Despite losing and drawing the first two league matches of the season, three consecutive wins put Brentford in 2nd position by 2 September 1972. 10 days later, forward John O'Mara, the previous season's Gallagher's Divisional Footballer Of The Year, was sold to Third Division rivals Blackburn Rovers for a club-record £50,000 fee. Given that Chelsea had recently paid Southend United £100,000 for 25-goal forward Bill Garner, it was felt amongst the Brentford supporters that O'Mara had been sold cheaply. The loss of O'Mara's goals and the departure of captain Bobby Ross shortly afterwards contributed a great deal to Brentford's relegation at the end of the season, given that the two players had scored over half of Brentford's goals during the previous campaign.
By early October 1972, Brentford were in the bottom-six of the Third Division, but a profit of nearly £80,000 from the first eight league matches of the season and the £50,000 from the sale of John O'Mara allowed manager Frank Blunstone to pay £10,000 for Carlisle United forward Stan Webb. By mid-December, Blunstone had just 12 fit players available and despite spending over a further £25,000 on attackers Roger Cross, Barry Salvage and Andy Woon, Brentford's slide towards relegation continued through the early months of 1973. The mid-season signings failed to help arrest the slump and Brentford were relegated after taking just two points from the final six matches of the season. Aside from the lack of goals (winger John Docherty top-scored with 8), Brentford lost 15 consecutive away league matches during the season, a new club record.
League table
Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend WinDrawLoss
Pre-season and friendlies DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)29 July 1972PortsmouthH0–1n/a1 August 1972Hillingdon BoroughA2–1n/aAllen, Murray (pen)5 August 1972AldershotA1–12,730Allen8 August 1972AshfordA1–4n/aMurray (pen)18 October 1972HamptonA2–3n/aMurray, Proctor9 December 1972Exeter CityA0–1n/a4 May 1973EvertonH3–03,035Salvage, Woon, Bence
Football League Third Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)112 August 1972Halifax TownH0–110,164219 August 1972Oldham AthleticA1–16,106Houston326 August 1972Blackburn RoversH4–09,427Arentoft (og), Houston, O'Mara, Graham428 August 1972Bolton WanderersH2–111,803Allen, Murray52 September 1972Plymouth ArgyleA1–07,833Murray69 September 1972Swansea CityH0–29,986716 September 1972Port ValeA0–14,663820 September 1972ChesterfieldA0–36,507923 September 1972BournemouthH1–111,100Docherty1025 September 1972Bristol RoversH2–19,720Docherty, Jenkins1130 September 1972Notts CountyA0–18,152127 October 1972Scunthorpe UnitedA0–13,378139 October 1972Tranmere RoversH2–08,154Docherty, D'Arcy (og)1414 October 1972WalsallH2–09,493Houston, Docherty1521 October 1972Southend UnitedA0–47,2051628 October 1972RochdaleH1–09,201Docherty174 November 1972Bristol RoversA1–37,916Houston1811 November 1972ChesterfieldH3–18,078Murray (pen), Webb, Houston1925 November 1972York CityH2–07,111Webb, Graham2028 November 1972Charlton AthleticA1–26,192Docherty212 December 1972Shrewsbury TownA0–22,0792216 December 1972Grimsby TownA0–49,1102323 December 1972WrexhamH1–06,067Docherty2426 December 1972BournemouthA2–314,372Houston, Graham2530 December 1972Oldham AthleticH1–17,719Webb266 January 1973Blackburn RoversA1–26,534Graham2713 January 1973Rotherham UnitedH1–17,446Cross2820 January 1973Plymouth ArgyleH0–27,0753926 January 1973Swansea CityA1–22,119Murray302 February 1973Tranmere RoversA2–66,650Court, Murray3110 February 1973Port ValeH5–06,694Woon (3), Graham, Salvage3224 February 1973Grimsby TownH0–19,3023326 February 1973Charlton AthleticH1–09,929Salvage343 March 1973Scunthorpe UnitedH1–07,896Murray356 March 1973Rotherham UnitedA1–23,758Webb3610 March 1973WalsallA0–34,1923717 March 1973Southend UnitedH1–28,051Cross3819 March 1973WatfordH1–18,232Cross3924 March 1973RochdaleA1–01,747Allen4031 March 1973York CityA1–02,307Allen414 April 1973Halifax TownA2–3970Webb, Allen427 April 1973Shrewsbury TownH1–26,758Salvage4314 April 1973WatfordA2–27,813Cross, Murray4420 April 1973Notts CountyH1–111,658Graham4523 April 1973WrexhamA1–42,611Webb4628 April 1973Bolton WanderersA0–221,917
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer1R18 November 1972Yeovil TownA1–29,447Allen
Football League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer1R16 August 1972Cambridge UnitedH1–07,750Docherty2R5 September 1972Rotherham UnitedA0–24,996 Sources: 100 Years of Brentford, The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies,Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 58-69.Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 301-302. Statto
Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1972–73 season. Pos.NameNat.Date of birth (age)Signed fromSigned inNotesGoalkeepersGKGordon PhillipsHayes1963GKPaul PriddyMaidenhead United1972DefendersDFPeter GelsonYouth1961DFAlan Hawley (c)Youth1962DFAlan NelmesChelsea1967DFTerry ScalesWest Ham United1971MidfieldersMFMichael AllenMiddlesbrough1971MFPaul BenceReading1970MFDavid CourtLuton Town1972MFJohn DochertyReading1970MFJackie GrahamGuildford City1970MFDavid JenkinsTottenham Hotspur1972Loaned to Hereford UnitedMFAlan MurrayYork City1972MFBarry SalvageQueens Park Rangers1973ForwardsFWRoger CrossFulham1973FWStewart HoustonChelsea1972FWStan WebbCarlisle United1972FWAndy WoonBognor Regis Town1973Players who left the club mid-seasonGKKieron BakerBournemouth1972Returned to Bournemouth after loanFWJohn O'MaraWimbledon1971Transferred to Blackburn RoversFWBobby RossShrewsbury Town1966Released 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 Phillips1501000160GKPaul Priddy2500020270DFPeter Gelson41 (1)0102044 (1)0DFAlan Hawley4300020450DFAlan Nelmes35 (1)0102038 (1)0DFTerry Scales4101020440MFMichael Allen2641110285MFPaul Bence33 (3)0001034 (3)0MFDavid Court8 (4)100109 (4)1MFJohn Docherty34 (2)7101136 (2)8MFJackie Graham30 (1)6102033 (1)6MFDavid Jenkins13 (5)1001014 (5)1MFAlan Murray42 (3)7102045 (3)7MFBarry Salvage163——163FWRoger Cross194——194FWStewart Houston3961020426FWJohn O'Mara41—1051FWBobby Ross70—1 (1)08 (1)0FWStan Webb24610—256FWAndy Woon5 (1)3——5 (1)3Players loaned in during the seasonGKKieron Baker60——60 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford
Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL3FACFLCTotalMFJohn Docherty7018MFAlan Murray7007MFJackie Graham6006FWStewart Houston6006FWStan Webb6006MFMichael Allen5106FWRoger Cross4——4MFBarry Salvage3——3FWAndy Woon3——3FWJohn O'Mara1—01MFDavid Court1001MFDavid Jenkins1001Opponents2002Total511153 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford
Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Frank Blunstone12 August 197228 April 1973
Summary Games played 49 (46 Fourth Division, 1 FA Cup, 2 League Cup)Games won 16 (15 Fourth Division, 0 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Games drawn 7 (7 Fourth Division, 0 FA Cup, 0 League Cup)Games lost 26 (24 Fourth Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Goals scored 53 (51 Fourth Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Goals conceded 73 (69 Fourth Division, 2 FA Cup, 2 League Cup)Clean sheets 13 (12 Fourth Division, 0 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Biggest league win 5–0 versus Port Vale, 10 February 1973Worst league defeat 4–0 on two occasions; 6–2 versus Tranmere Rovers, 2 February 1973Most appearances 48, Alan Murray (45 Fourth Division, 1 FA Cup, 2 League Cup)Top scorer (league) 7, John Docherty, Alan MurrayTop scorer (all competitions) 8, John Docherty
Transfers & loans Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.June 1972MF Alan Murray MiddlesbroughFreeCroxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 70-74.July 1972MF David Jenkins Tottenham HotspurFreeAugust 1972MF David Court Luton TownFreeOctober 1972MF Billy Staggn/an/aOctober 1972FW Stan Webb Carlisle United£10,0001972FW Stewart Houston Chelsea£15,0001972FW Roy Cotton Tottenham Hotspurn/aCroxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 358.January 1973FW Roger Cross Fulham£16,000February 1973MF Barry Salvage Queens Park Rangers£9,000February 1973FW Andy Woon Bognor Regis Town£1,000Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 266.Players loaned inDate fromPos.NameFromDate toRef.February 1973GK Kieron Baker BournemouthMarch 1973Players transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.12 September 1972FW John O'Mara Blackburn Rovers£50,000Players loaned outDate fromPos.NameToDate toRef.March 1973MF David Jenkins Hereford UnitedEnd of seasonPlayers releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.October 1972FW Bobby Ross Cambridge UnitedOctober 1972May 1973MF David Court Barnet1973May 1973MF Alan Murray Doncaster RoversJuly 1973May 1973GK Gordon Phillips Hillingdon Borough1973
Awards Supporters' Player of the Year: Peter GelsonCroxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 295. Players' Player of the Year: Paul Bence
References