During the 1976–77 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Fourth Division. After a poor start to the season, Bill Dodgin Jr. appointed to replace inexperienced manager John Docherty. With re-election looking likely, Dodgin overhauled the playing squad and the Bees won 14 of the final 18 matches of the season to complete a remarkable turnaround and finish in mid-table.
Season summary
After Brentford's lowest-ever finish in the Fourth Division at the end of the previous season, manager John Docherty released defenders Alan Nelmes and Keith Lawrence and replaced them with John Fraser and Bobby Goldthorpe respectively.White, p. 301-304. Also arriving at Griffin Park were defender Keith Pritchett and midfielder Steve Aylott, while teenagers Danis Salman, Gary Rolph, Graham Cox and Paul Walker all signed apprentice professional contracts. A catalogue of injuries to Fraser, Aylott, Riddick, Sweetzer, McCulloch, Allen and Johnson and a failure to win any of the first six games of the season led to manager Docherty quitting the club, after failing to win a vote of confidence from chairman Dan Tana. Physiotherapist Eddie Lyons was put in caretaker charge of the team for one match before Bill Dodgin Jr. was appointed manager on 16 September 1976, who followed in his father's footsteps by taking over the role.
While Brentford were entrenched in the re-election places the first five months of Bill Dodgin Jr.'s reign, behind the scenes he overhauled the squad and sought players who would meld with his attacking philosophy. Between September 1976 and February 1977, Dodgin brought in midfielder Dave Carlton from his previous club Northampton Town and a number of players on loan – goalkeeper Tony Burns and midfielders Allan Glover, Steve Scrivens, Neil Smillie and John Bain. The sales of defender Keith Pritchett and forwards Roger Cross and Micky French generated over £20,000 in transfer fees, a small portion of which was spent on midfielders Paul Shrubb and Steve Phillips. Most significantly, teenage forward Gordon Sweetzer was promoted through the ranks and began to establish himself in the starting lineup in the New Year.
By January 1977, manager Dodgin's new-look squad was starting to produce results on the field, with Gordon Sweetzer scoring a hat-trick in a 4–0 victory over Stockport County in the middle of the month. In late February, Brentford set off on a run which would see the club become one of the Fourth Division's form teams, winning 14 and drawing two of the final 18 matches of the season. Gordon Sweetzer established a strike partnership with fit-again Andrew McCulloch and showed prolific form, finishing the season with 23 goals from 28 appearances. In March, despite a shaky start, the £20,000 purchase of central defender Pat Kruse would prove to be an important signing for the future. Brentford finished the season in 15th place.
Two club records were set during the season: Youngest debutant: Paul Walker, 15 years, 7 months, 28 days (versus Watford, League Cup first round, 14 August 1976) Youngest FA Cup goalscorer: Gary Rolph – 16 years, 9 months, 26 days (versus Colchester United, FA Cup second round, 20 December 1976)Haynes & Coumbe, p. 137.
League table
Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend WinDrawLoss
Pre-season DateOpponentVenueResultScorer(s)2 August 1976WaltonA1–1Sweetzer9 August 1976HayesA1–3Cross12 August 1976AddlestoneA2–4Cross, Walker
Football League Fourth Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)121 August 1976BarnsleyH0–13,903223 August 1976Stockport CountyA0–23,191328 August 1976Huddersfield TownA0–14,55944 September 1976Doncaster RoversH2–23,804Johnson, French510 September 1976AldershotA1–15,129French618 September 1976SouthportH3–04,185Graham, Johnson, Cross725 September 1976Torquay UnitedA1–12,456Cross82 October 1976Bradford CityA2–34,809Cross (2)99 October 1976Newport CountyH1–15,894Goldthorpe1015 October 1976Swansea CityA3–53,656Allen, Pritchett, Goldthorpe1123 October 1976DarlingtonH0–34,3031225 October 1976WorkingtonH5–03,158Cross, Sweetzer, McCulloch (2), Fraser1330 October 1976Colchester UnitedA1–23,607Cross143 November 1976Exeter CityA2–32,779McCulloch, Graham156 November 1976BournemouthH3–24,254Cross, French, McCulloch1613 November 1976HartlepoolA0–21,8881727 November 1976Cambridge UnitedH0–25,0401827 December 1976Southend UnitedA1–29,239Cross (pen)191 January 1977BournemouthA1–34,268Cross203 January 1977Colchester UnitedH1–44,629McCulloch218 January 1977Crewe AlexandraA2–32,198McCulloch, Sweetzer2215 January 1977Stockport CountyH4–03,981Fraser, Sweetzer (3)2322 January 1977BarnsleyA0–24,0952425 January 1977Scunthorpe UnitedA1–22,867Sweetzer2529 January 1977Halifax TownH2–14,517Sweetzer, French265 February 1977Huddersfield TownH1–34,833Salman2712 February 1977Doncaster RoversA0–54,0952819 February 1977AldershotH0–14,5422922 February 1977RochdaleH3–23,307Johnson, Phillips, Sweetzer305 March 1977Torquay UnitedH3–24,172Sweetzer (3, 1 pen)318 March 1977SouthportA2–1969Johnson (pen), Sweetzer3212 March 1977Bradford CityH4–05,742Shrubb, Johnson, Bain, Phillips3318 March 1977Newport CountyA1–31,747Sweetzer3423 March 1977WatfordH3–07,602Sweetzer (2), Graham3526 March 1977Swansea CityH4–06,201Johnson (2, 1 pen), Sweetzer, Phillips362 April 1977DarlingtonA2–21,681Johnson, Sweetzer378 April 1977Southend UnitedH1–08,951Phillips389 April 1977WatfordA1–09,382McCulloch3912 April 1977Exeter CityH1–07,641Sweetzer4016 April 1977WorkingtonA3–11,032Sweetzer, McCulloch, Phillips4119 April 1977Halifax TownA0–01,4644223 April 1977HartlepoolH3–15,978Kruse, McCulloch, Sweetzer (pen)4330 April 1977Cambridge UnitedA2–35,617Sweetzer, Graham442 May 1977Crewe AlexandraH0–05,842457 May 1977Scunthorpe UnitedH4–25,298Kruse, Sweetzer (2), Phillips4614 May 1977RochdaleA3–2977Shrubb, McCulloch, Phillips
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)1R20 November 1976Chesham UnitedH2–05,633French, Cross2R20 December 1976Colchester UnitedA2–34,730Rolph, Fraser
Football League Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer1R (1st leg)14 August 1976WatfordA1–14,827Cross1R (2nd leg)17 August 1976WatfordH0–2 (lost 3–1 on aggregate)5,542 Sources: 100 Years of Brentford, The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies,Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 136-145. Statto
Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1976–77 season. Pos.NameNat.Date of birth (age)Signed fromSigned inNotesGoalkeepersGKGraham CoxYouth1975GKPaul PriddyWalton & Hersham1975DefendersDFMichael AllenMiddlesbrough1971DFSteve AylottOxford United1976DFJohn FraserFulham1976DFBobby GoldthorpeCharlton Athletic1976DFPat KruseTorquay United1977DFDanis SalmanYouth1975DFTom SharpEverton1976DFNigel SmithQueens Park Rangers1975MidfieldersMFJohn BainBristol City1977On loan from Bristol CityMFDave CarltonNorthampton Town1976MFJackie Graham (c)Guildford City1970MFTerry JohnsonSouthend United1974MFSteve PhillipsNorthampton Town1977MFPaul ShrubbHellenic1977MFPaul WalkerYouth1976Loaned to Slough TownForwardsFWAndrew McCullochOxford United1976FWGary RolphYouth1976FWGordon SweetzerQueens Park Rangers1975Players who left the club mid-seasonGKTony BurnsCrystal Palace1977Returned to Crystal Palace after loanDFPaul BenceReading1970Loaned to Torquay United, releasedDFKeith PritchettQueens Park Rangers1976Transferred to WatfordDFGordon RiddickNorthampton Town1973ReleasedMFAllan GloverWest Bromwich Albion1976Returned to West Bromwich Albion after loanMFHarry RedknappBournemouth1976ReleasedMFTerry ScalesWest Ham United1971ReleasedMFSteve ScrivensFulham1976Returned to Crystal Palace after loanMFNeil SmillieCrystal Palace1977Returned to Crystal Palace after loanFWRoger CrossFulham1973Transferred to MillwallFWMicky FrenchQueens Park Rangers1975Transferred to Swindon Town Sources: The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies, Timeless Bees
Coaching staff
John Docherty (14 August – 7 September 1976) NameRole John DochertyManager Eddie LyonsPhysiotherapist Bob PearsonChief Scout
Eddie Lyons (7 – 16 September 1976) NameRole Eddie LyonsCaretaker Manager Bob PearsonChief Scout
Bill Dodgin Jr. (16 September 1976 – 14 May 1977) NameRole Bill Dodgin Jr.Manager Fred CallaghanAssistant manager Eddie LyonsPhysiotherapist Gordon QuinnChief Scout
Statistics
Appearances and goals Substitute appearances in brackets. PosNatNameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKGraham Cox30000030GKPaul Priddy3702020410DFMichael Allen4012000421DFSteve Aylott50000050DFPaul Bence10 (1)0—2011 (1)0DFJohn Fraser3922100413DFBobby Goldthorpe1921 (1)02022 (1)2DFPat Kruse152——152DFKeith Pritchett111—20131DFGordon Riddick1502000170DFDanis Salman16 (2)11 (1)02019 (3)1DFTom Sharp2 (2)0000 (1)02 (3)0DFNigel Smith32 (2)0002034 (2)0MFDave Carlton31 (1)020—33 (1)0MFJackie Graham4242020464MFTerry Johnson24 (3)8100025 (3)8MFSteve Phillips197——197MFHarry Redknapp10——10MFTerry Scales1201020150MFPaul Shrubb10 (3)2——10 (3)2MFPaul Walker1 (1)010204 (1)0FWRoger Cross21921212511FWMicky French15 (4)4212019 (4)5FWAndrew McCulloch18 (2)10000018 (2)10FWGary Rolph6 (1)011007 (1)1FWGordon Sweetzer25 (2)23100026 (2)23Players loaned in during the seasonGKTony Burns60——60MFJohn Bain17 (1)1——17 (1)1MFAllan Glover60——60MFSteve Scrivens50——50MFNeil Smillie30——30 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford
Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL4FACFLCTotalFWGordon Sweetzer230023FWRoger Cross91111FWAndrew McCulloch100010MFTerry Johnson8008MFSteve Phillips7——7FWMicky French4105MFJackie Graham4004DFJohn Fraser2103DFPat Kruse2——2MFPaul Shrubb2——2DFBobby Goldthorpe2002MFJohn Bain1——1DFMichael Allen1001DFKeith Pritchett1001DFDanis Salman1001FWGary Rolph0101Total774182 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford
Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %John Docherty14 August 19767 September 1976Eddie Lyons (caretaker)7 September 197616 September 1976Bill Dodgin, Jr.16 September 197614 May 1977
Summary Games played 50 (46 Fourth Division, 2 FA Cup, 2 League Cup)Games won 19 (18 Fourth Division, 1 FA Cup, 0 League Cup)Games drawn 8 (7 Fourth Division, 0 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Games lost 23 (21 Fourth Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Goals scored 82 (77 Fourth Division, 4 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Goals conceded 82 (76 Fourth Division, 3 FA Cup, 3 League Cup)Clean sheets 12 (11 Fourth Division, 1 FA Cup, 0 League Cup)Biggest league win 5–0 versus Workington, 25 October 1976Worst league defeat 5–0 versus Doncaster Rovers, 12 February 1977Most appearances 46, Jackie Graham (42 Fourth Division, 2 FA Cup, 2 League Cup)Top scorer (league) 23, Gordon SweetzerTop scorer (all competitions) 23, Gordon Sweetzer
Transfers & loans