1966–67_Brentford_F.C._season

1966–67 Brentford F.C. season

1966–67 Brentford F.C. season

1966–67 season of Brentford F.C.

During the 1966–67 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Fourth Division. In a season overshadowed by the events of 19 January 1967, a promotion charge was derailed by five defeats in the final six matches of the campaign.

Quick Facts Chairman, Manager ...

Season summary

In a bid to buy Brentford out of the bottom two divisions of the Football League, the large transfer funds made available by chairman Jack Dunnett to previous managers Malky MacDonald and Tommy Cavanagh had left the club with mounting debts.[1] Cavanagh had spent £30,000 on seven players since being appointed to the manager's job in January 1965, with five key attacking players (Bloomfield, Lazarus, Ward, Bonson and Fielding) being sold on for a total less than half that sum during the course of the 1965–66 Third Division season, towards the end of which he was sacked.[1] New manager Billy Gray failed to halt Brentford's relegation slide, which meant that the club would be members of the Fourth Division for the 1966–67 season.[1] An average home attendance of 11,000 would be needed to break even,[1] a record which had been falling year on year since the 1963–64 season.[2] A net loss on the previous season of £19,823 on the previous season (equivalent to £392,800 in 2024) meant that manager Gray had no money to buy established players and so brought in a number of youngsters, including his nephew John Richardson.[1]

The Bees had a good start to the season, winning the first two matches to sit top of the Fourth Division, but despite the strikeforce being bolstered by experienced Brian Bedford,[3] a winless run of five defeats in eight matches dropped the club into the relegation places in mid-October 1966.[4] Manager Billy Gray then made wholesale changes to the starting XI, introducing a number of youngsters, with the new-look team going on to win five consecutive matches.[1] The establishment of the new lineup led to a clearout of players, with out-of-favour Micky Block, Billy Cobb, John Regan, Mel Scott and Ron Crisp all exiting Griffin Park before the end of the season.[1] The Bees failed to keep up their good form through November and December and dropped back into mid-table.[1] The team weathered the storm caused by the tumultuous events of 19 January 1967, which resulted in the departure of chairman Jack Dunnett and manager Billy Gray.[1] Trainer Jimmy Sirrel took over as acting manager and built on the improved January form under Gray and led the team on a 16-match unbeaten league run, which equalled the club record at the time.[1] The run left Brentford within three points of the promotion places,[5] but an inexplicable five consecutive defeats in the final six matches of the season ended any chances of promotion.[4]

The Brentford reserve team had a successful season, beating local rivals Fulham in a replay to win the 1966–67 London Challenge Cup.[6]

League table

Main article: 1966–67 Football League § Fourth Division

More information Pos, Pld ...
Source: rsssf.com

Results

Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League Fourth Division

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FA Cup

Main article: 1966–67 FA Cup
More information Round, Date ...

Football League Cup

Main article: 1966–67 Football League Cup
More information Round, Date ...

Playing squad

Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1966–67 season.
More information Pos., Name ...
  • Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford,[7] Timeless Bees[8]

Coaching staff

Billy Gray (20 August 1965 – March 1967)

More information Name, Role ...

Jimmy Sirrel (March – 13 May 1967)

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Statistics

Appearances and goals

Substitute appearances in brackets.
More information Pos, Nat ...
  • Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
  • Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[7]

Goalscorers

More information Pos., Nat ...
  • Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
  • Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[7]

Management

More information Name, Nat ...

Summary

Games played53 (46 Fourth Division, 4 FA Cup, 3 League Cup)
Games won21 (18 Fourth Division, 2 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)
Games drawn15 (13 Fourth Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)
Games lost17 (15 Fourth Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)
Goals scored67 (58 Fourth Division, 6 FA Cup, 3 League Cup)
Goals conceded66 (56 Fourth Division, 6 FA Cup, 4 League Cup)
Clean sheets17 (13 Fourth Division, 2 FA Cup, 2 League Cup)
Biggest league win4–0 on two occasions
Worst league defeat3–0 on four occasions
Most appearances52, Peter Gelson (45 Fourth Division, 4 FA Cup, 3 League Cup)
Top scorer (league)13, John Docherty
Top scorer (all competitions)19, John Docherty

Transfers & loans

More information Players transferred in, Date ...

Awards

References

  1. [1]
    White 1989, p. 262-266.
  2. [2]
    Haynes 1998, p. 53-54.
  3. [3]
    "Brentford Capture Bedford". Middlesex County Times. 16 September 1966.
  4. [4]
    "Brentford results for the 1966–1967 season". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  5. [5]
    "11v11 league table generator". www.11v11.com. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  6. [6]
    Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopedia. Yore Publications. p. 82. ISBN 1 874427 57 7.
  7. [7]
    White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 389. ISBN 0951526200.
  8. [8]
    Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Yore Publications. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  9. [9]
    Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 134.
  10. [10]
    "Young Star Is New Bee". The Brentford & Chiswick Times. 29 July 1966.
  11. [11]
    "Father's Footsteps – Almost". The Brentford & Chiswick Times. 18 November 1966.
  12. [12]
    Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 48.
  13. [13]
    Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 170.
  14. [14]
    "Block Joins Watford". Middlesex County Times. 30 September 1966.
  15. [15]
    "Cobb Leaves". Middlesex County Times. 2 December 1966.
  16. [16]
    Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 132.
  17. [17]
    Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 42.
  18. [18]
    "Scott Is Off To USA". The Brentford & Chiswick Times. 24 February 1967.
  19. [19]
    Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 16.
  20. [20]
    Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 18.
  21. [21]
    Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 44.
  22. [22]
    Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 53.
  23. [23]
    "Free Transfers For Six Brentford Men". Middlesex Chronicle. 19 May 1967.
  24. [24]
    Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 99.
  25. [25]
    Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 118.
  26. [26]
    Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 152.
  27. [27]
    Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 160.
  28. [28]
    Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 49.
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