1973–74 Brentford F.C. season

English football team season June 2020 Brentford 1973–74 Mike Everitt Les Davey & Walter Wheatley (until January 1974)Walter Wheatley (January–March 1974) Griffin Park Fourth Division 19th FA Cup First round League Cup First round Cross (17) Cross (17) 8,717 3,166 5,063 _red_stripes _brentford_home_7375 _red_stripes _white stripes _redtop_2whitestripes 000000 000000 _brentford_away_7274 FFFFFF FFFFFF 0631a8 _brentford_away_7274 1972–73 1974–75 During the 1973–74 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Fourth Division. A dreadful season, marred by infighting at boardroom level, resulted in a 19th-place finish, Brentford's lowest in the Football League since the 1925–26 season. Season summary In the wake of Brentford's relegation straight back to the Fourth Division at the end of the previous season, manager Frank Blunstone, who had come to the end of his contract, left Griffin Park to take over as youth team manager at Manchester United.White, p. 292-294. Despite the relegation, fan support for Blunstone was high and the finger of blame pointed at the board of directors, with one letter to the Middlesex Chronicle summing up the situation that the board's penny-pinching ways since 1967 were "necessary for a couple of years or so, but timidity of this sort prompts me to believe that promotion last year was an unwelcome accident, which has now been rectified". Brentford entered pre-season without a manager and training was taken by full back Alan Hawley and other senior professionals. Eventually former Wimbledon player-manager Mike Everitt was appointed as manager, just seven days before the beginning of the season. Everitt made no signings before the first match of the season and inherited a tiny 14-man squad, with backup goalkeeper Gary Towse being Brentford's only incoming transfer, signed two months earlier. With Brentford one place above the re-election zone after seven league matches,12 April 2016 Brentford results for the 1973–1974 season http://www.statto.com/football/teams/brentford/1973-1974/results live https://web.archive.org/web/20160412170119/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/brentford/1973-1974/results 12 April 2016 12 May 2018 Statto.com manager Everitt began recruiting new players, including defender Gordon Riddick for a £4,000 fee and loanees Michael Brown and Hughie Reed. The signings had no immediate impact and Brentford sank to the bottom of the Football League after a 4–1 defeat to Scunthorpe United at the Old Showground. The loss meant that Brentford became the first club to occupy both first and last places in the Football League, having risen to top position during the early months of the 1937–38 season. Behind the scenes, the Brentford board had split into two factions, with one side pushing for a move to a new stadium and the other half wishing to stay at Griffin Park. Joint-chairmen Les Davey and Walter Wheatley were split on the matter and Wheatley became sole chairman of the club in January 1974, though he would be ousted two months later. With Brentford still struggling on the field, midfielder Stewart Houston was sold to Manchester United in December 1973 for a club-record £55,000 fee,26 January 1974 Doc Remembers Houston Goal 14 but the money was not immediately reinvested in the squad. The disharmony in the boardroom also spread to the playing squad, with Paul Bence, Alan Nelmes, Jackie Graham, Barry Salvage and Paul Priddy requesting moves away, though ultimately none would depart Griffin Park.Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 78. A 10-match unbeaten run from mid-February through to early-April 1974 finally assured safety and youth products Richard Poole, Kevin Harding and Roy Cotton were able to be blooded, though none of the trio would make more than a handful of senior appearances for the club. Cambridge United forward Dave Simmonds and Bournemouth defender Jimmy Gabriel were brought in on transfer deadline day. Brentford ended the season in 19th place, the club's lowest finish in the Football League since the 1925–26 season. The average home league attendance of 5,063 was the lowest since the club joined the Football League in 1920.White, p. 295. League table 1973–74 Football League Fourth Division Fourth Division y BRE Results Brentford's goal tally listed first. Legend WinDrawLoss Pre-season and friendlies DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)11 August 1973Hereford UnitedH2–23,330Webb, Graham18 August 1973AldershotA0–12,36320 August 1973Luton TownH1–12,320Cross29 October 1973Ex-Bees XIH3–41,461Woon, Salvage, Metchick6 May 1974OrientH2–22,550O'Mara, Docherty Football League Fourth Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)125 August 1973HartlepoolA0–13,44721 September 1973Exeter CityH0–14,81438 September 1973DarlingtonA2–12,287Woon, Cross410 September 1973Torquay UnitedH0–05,581515 September 1973Doncaster RoversH2–04,957Cross (2)617 September 1973ReadingH0–18,717722 September 1973BuryA0–34,329829 September 1973BarnsleyH5–15,010Scales, Woon (2), Docherty, Metchick93 October 1973ReadingA0–111,267106 October 1973Lincoln CityA2–34,056Woon, Cross1113 October 1973Peterborough UnitedH0–16,1411220 October 1973Rotherham UnitedH1–14,419Webb1324 October 1973Torquay UnitedA0–34,4451427 October 1973Scunthorpe UnitedA1–42,523Cross153 November 1973Mansfield TownH4–14,331Houston, Cross (3, 1 pen)1610 November 1973WorkingtonA2–0970Woon, Riddick1712 November 1973Stockport CountyA1–11,948Riddick1817 November 1973ChesterH3–05,166Cross (3)191 December 1973GillinghamH0–35,748208 December 1973Bradford CityA1–13,243Webb2115 December 1973DarlingtonH0–03,1662222 December 1973BarnsleyA1–22,458Cross2326 December 1973Newport CountyH1–15,445Graham241 January 1974Exeter CityA1–25,754Salvage255 January 1974Swansea CityH0–23,5012612 January 1974Doncaster RoversA2–13,009Woon (2)2719 January 1974HartlepoolH1–24,646Allen2826 January 1974Crewe AlexandraA0–01,380292 February 1974Northampton TownA0–04,130309 February 1974BuryH1–24,015Cross3116 February 1974Peterborough UnitedA0–17,6453223 February 1974Lincoln CityH2–14,171Salvage, Cross332 March 1974Newport CountyA1–12,167Salvage349 March 1974Scunthorpe UnitedH2–14,053Salvage, Allen3516 March 1974Rotherham UnitedA1–12,536Metchick3618 March 1974Northampton TownH3–13,686Cross, Simmons, Salvage3723 March 1974WorkingtonH1–15,008Cross3826 March 1974Swansea CityA0–02,2203930 March 1974Mansfield TownA1–11,909Graham401 April 1974Crewe AlexandraH3–05,552Cross, Metchick, Simmons416 April 1974Stockport CountyH0–05,6254212 April 1974Colchester UnitedA1–28,155Simmons4313 April 1974ChesterA0–02,7754416 April 1974Colchester UnitedH0–07,4784520 April 1974Bradford CityH2–05,224Simmons, Poole4627 April 1974GillinghamA0–19,319 FA Cup 1973–74 FA Cup RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer1R24 November 1973Plymouth ArgyleA1–211,050Allen Football League Cup 1973–74 Football League Cup RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer1R28 August 1973OrientH1–26,620Webb Sources: 100 Years of Brentford, The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies,Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 80-87.Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 304-305. Statto Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1973–74 season. Pos.NameNat.Date of birth (age)Signed fromSigned inNotesGoalkeepersGKPaul PriddyENG1973 8 25 1953 7 11 yMaidenhead United1972GKSteve SherwoodENG1973 8 25 1953 12 10 yChelsea1973On loan from ChelseaDefendersDFMichael AllenENG1973 8 25 1949 3 30 yMiddlesbrough1971DFPaul BenceENG1973 8 25 1948 12 21 yReading1970Loaned to Hillingdon BoroughDFJimmy GabrielSCO1973 8 25 1940 10 10 yBournemouth1974CoachDFPeter GelsonENG1973 8 25 1941 10 18 yYouth1961DFAlan HawleyENG1973 8 25 1946 6 7 yYouth1962Loaned to Hillingdon Borough and AldershotDFGordon Riddick (c)ENG1973 8 25 1943 11 6 yNorthampton Town1973DFTerry ScalesENG1973 8 25 1951 1 18 yWest Ham United1971DFGary SmithENG1973 8 25 1955 11 4 yYouth1974MidfieldersMFJohn DochertySCO1973 8 25 1940 4 29 yReading1970Assistant managerMFJackie GrahamSCO1973 8 25 1946 7 16 yGuildford City1970MFDave MetchickENG1973 8 25 1943 8 14 yAtlanta Apollos1973MFAlan NelmesENG1973 8 25 1948 10 20 yChelsea1967MFBarry SalvageENG1973 8 25 1946 12 21 yQueens Park Rangers1973ForwardsFWRoy CottonENG1973 8 25 1955 11 14 yYouth1973FWRoger CrossENG1973 8 25 1948 10 20 yFulham1973FWKevin HardingENG1973 8 25 1957 3 19 yYouth1974FWRichard PooleENG1973 8 25 1957 7 3 yYouth1974FWDave SimmonsENG1973 8 25 1948 10 24 yCambridge United1974FWStan WebbENG1973 8 25 1947 12 6 yCarlisle United1972FWAndy WoonENG1973 8 25 1952 6 26 yBognor Regis Town1973Players who left the club mid-seasonGKGary TowseENG1973 8 25 1952 5 14 yCrystal Palace1973ReleasedDFMichael BrownWAL1973 8 25 1951 9 27 yBrighton & Hove Albion1973Returned to Brighton & Hove Albion after loanMFStewart HoustonSCO1973 8 25 1949 8 20 yChelsea1972Transferred to Manchester UnitedMFHughie ReedSCO1973 8 25 1950 8 23 yPlymouth Argyle1973Returned to Plymouth Argyle after loan Sources: The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies,Croxford Mark The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies Lane David Waterman Greville Legends Publishing 2011 978-1906796709 Sunbury, Middlesex Timeless BeesHaynes Graham Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006 Coumbe Frank Yore Publications 2006 978-0955294914 Coaching staff NameRoleENG Mike EverittManagerSCO John DochertyAssistant managerSCO Jimmy GabrielCoachENG Jess WillardTrainer, Chief Scout Statistics Appearances and goals Substitute appearances in brackets. PosNatNameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKENGPaul Priddy2501010270GKENGGary Towse50000050DFENGMichael Allen27 (5)20 (1)11026 (8)3DFENGPaul Bence3000010310DFSCOJimmy Gabriel90——90DFENGPeter Gelson4001010420DFENGAlan Hawley2200010230DFENGGordon Riddick26 (1)210—27 (1)2DFENGTerry Scales3311010351MFSCOJohn Docherty13 (1)1100014 (1)1MFSCOJackie Graham3121000322MFSCOStewart Houston2311010251MFENGDave Metchick33 (1)310—34 (1)3MFENGAlan Nelmes3301010350MFENGBarry Salvage3750010385FWENGRoy Cotton1 (1)000001 (1)0FWENGRoger Cross39 (2)17101041 (2)17FWENGKevin Harding50000050FWENGRichard Poole5 (1)100005 (1)1FWENGDave Simmons124——124FWENGStan Webb13 (2)2001114 (2)3FWENGAndy Woon24 (3)7100 (1)025 (4)7Players loaned in during the seasonGKENGSteve Sherwood160——160DFWALMichael Brown30——30MFSCOHughie Reed3 (1)0——3 (1)0 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford100 Years Of Brentford Brentford FC 1989 0951526200 White Eric 392 Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL4FACFLCTotalFWENGRoger Cross170017FWENGAndy Woon7007MFENGBarry Salvage5005FWENGDave Simmons4——4MFENGDave Metchick30—3DFENGMichael Allen2103FWENGStan Webb2013DFENGGordon Riddick20—2MFSCOJackie Graham2002MFSCOJohn Docherty1001MFSCOStewart Houston1001FWENGRichard Poole1001DFENGTerry Scales1001Total481150 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Mike EverittENG25 August 197327 April 1974 48 12 16 20 46 12 16 18 Summary Games played 48 (46 Fourth Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Games won 12 (12 Fourth Division, 0 FA Cup, 0 League Cup)Games drawn 16 (16 Fourth Division, 0 FA Cup, 0 League Cup)Games lost 20 (18 Fourth Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Goals scored 50 (48 Fourth Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Goals conceded 54 (50 Fourth Division, 2 FA Cup, 2 League Cup)Clean sheets 13 (13 Fourth Division, 0 FA Cup, 0 League Cup)Biggest league win 5–1 versus Barnsley, 29 September 1973Worst league defeat 3–0 on three occasions; 4–1 versus Scunthorpe United, 27 October 1973Most appearances 43, Roger Cross (41 Fourth Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)Top scorer (league) 17, Roger CrossTop scorer (all competitions) 17, Roger Cross Transfers & loans Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.June 1973GKENG Gary TowseENG Crystal PalaceFreeCroxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 88-92.September 1973MFENG Dave MetchickUSA Atlanta ApollosTrialOctober 1973DFENG Gordon RiddickENG Northampton Town£4,000March 1974DFSCO Jimmy GabrielENG BournemouthFreeMarch 1974FWENG Dave SimmonsENG Cambridge United£12,000Players loaned inDate fromPos.NameFromDate toRef.September 1973DFWAL Michael BrownENG Brighton & Hove AlbionOctober 1973October 1973MFSCO Hughie ReedENG Plymouth ArgyleNovember 1973January 1974GKENG Steve SherwoodENG ChelseaEnd of seasonPlayers transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.December 1973MFSCO Stewart HoustonENG Manchester United£55,0001973MFENG David JenkinsENG Hereford UnitedFreePlayers loaned outDate fromPos.NameToDate toRef.December 1973DFENG Paul BenceENG Hillingdon BoroughDecember 1973February 1974DFENG Alan HawleyENG Hillingdon BoroughFebruary 1974February 1974DFENG Alan HawleyENG AldershotMarch 1974Players releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.January 1974GKENG Gary TowseRSA 1928 Jewish Guild1974May 1974FWENG Roy CottonENG OrientJuly 1974Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 108.May 1974MFSCO John DochertyENG Queens Park RangersJuly 1974May 1974DFSCO Jimmy GabrielUSA Seattle Sounders1974May 1974DFENG Alan HawleyENG Hillingdon Borough1974May 1974FWENG Stan WebbENG DarlingtonJuly 1974 Awards Supporters' Player of the Year: Peter GelsonCroxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 295. Players' Player of the Year: Peter Gelson References Category:Brentford F.C. seasons Brentford