1980–81 Brentford F.C. season explained

Club:Brentford
Season:1980–81
Manager:Fred Callaghan
Chairman:Dan Tana
Stadium:Griffin Park
League:Third Division
League Result:9th
Cup1:FA Cup
Cup1 Result:Second round
Cup2:League Cup
Cup2 Result:First round
League Topscorer:Booker (7)
Season Topscorer:Booker,
Crown, Funnell (8)
Highest Attendance:11,610
Lowest Attendance:4,883
Average Attendance:6,752
Pattern La1:_brentford_home_80-81
Pattern B1:_brentford_home_80-81
Pattern Ra1:_brentford_home_80-81
Pattern So1:_brentford_home_80-81
Pattern Sh1:_brentford_home_80-81
Pattern La2:_brentford_home_80-81a
Pattern B2:_brentford_home_80-81a
Pattern Ra2:_brentford_home_80-81a
Pattern So2:_brentford_home_80-81a
Pattern Sh2:_brentford_home_80-81a
Prevseason:1979–80
Nextseason:1981–82

During the 1980–81 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division. In a mid-table season, the Bees drew a club-record 19 league matches.

Season summary

After narrowly saving Brentford from relegation to the Fourth Division at the end of the previous season, interim manager Fred Callaghan was given the job on a full-time basis, with Ron Harris appointed as his assistant.[1] Callaghan conducted a clear-out of the squad, releasing captain Jackie Graham and bit-part players Doug Allder, Allan Glover, Billy Holmes and Trevor Porter. Aside from Ron Harris (who would continue his playing career), Callaghan brought in five new players, with £20,000 laid out on midfielders David Crown, Terry Hurlock and Barry Silkman. £55,000 was generated from the sales of forwards Steve Phillips and Lee Holmes, but Callaghan was presented with a problem when Len Bond, Barry Tucker, John Fraser and Dave Carlton, mainstays of the team for the previous two years, refused to sign new contracts. All but Tucker would depart Griffin Park during the early months of the season, with Bond fetching a £12,000 fee.

Brentford had a mixed start to the season, exiting the League Cup at the first hurdle, but three wins and two draws from six matches in September 1980 put the club in 6th position.[2] Gradually the season played itself out into one of consolidation in mid-table, with Callaghan continuing to overhaul his squad. Forwards Gary Johnson and Lee Frost arrived from Chelsea in December 1980 for a £30,000 fee, while squad members Willie Graham, Iori Jenkins and Dean Smith were released in February 1981. Brentford ended the season in 9th place, off the back of a run of just two defeats in the final 21 matches. Bob Booker finished the season as the team's top scorer in league matches, with a meagre seven goals.[3]

Four club records were set or equalled during the season:[4] [5]

Results

Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend

WinDrawLoss

Pre-season and friendlies

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)
28 July 1980Yeovil TownA2–2n/aBooker, Crown
31 July 1980HounslowA1–1n/aFunnell
2 August 1980WimbledonA1–2772Booker
4 August 1980Slough TownA0–2n/a
6 August 1980ChelseaH3–04,550Smith, Hill, Crown
5 February 1981Hillingdon BoroughA1–4n/aPullen
9 March 1981KBH3–02,090Funnell (3)
19 March 1981Dorchester TownA1–0n/aRoberts
14 April 1981Walthamstow AvenueA5–2n/aCrown (2), Funnell, Roberts, McKellar (pen)
27 April 1981Walton & HershamA2–2n/aCrown (2)
28 April 1981Leytonstone/IlfordA1–4n/aBooker
5 May 1981WembleyA4–2n/aRoberts (2), R. Johnson
7 May 1981NK GOŠK DubrovnikA1–3n/aHarris
12 May 1981HNK Hajduk SplitA1–1n/aShrubb

Football League Third Division

No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)
116 August 1980Charlton AthleticA1–35,125Hill
218 August 1980MillwallH1–06,524Funnell
323 August 1980ReadingH1–26,717Funnell
430 August 1980WalsallA3–24,586Walker, Hill, Funnell
56 September 1980PortsmouthA2–016,971Booker, Funnell
613 September 1980FulhamH1–311,610Booker
715 September 1980BarnsleyH1–16,935Funnell
820 September 1980BlackpoolA3–03,738Crown (2), Walker
927 September 1980Hull CityH2–26,305Jenkins, Funnell
1030 September 1980BarnsleyA1–011,227Walker
114 October 1980Newport CountyH0–17,309
128 October 1980Exeter CityA0–04,665
1311 October 1980Carlisle UnitedA2–13,030Walker, Silkman (pen)
1418 October 1980ChesterH0–16,604
1520 October 1980GillinghamH3–36,786Crown, Hurlock, Smith
1625 October 1980BurnleyA0–27,324
1728 October 1980Plymouth ArgyleA1–07,249Smith
181 November 1980Oxford UnitedH3–06,549Hill, Crown (2)
193 November 1980Exeter CityH0–16,593
208 November 1980ChesterfieldA1–27,127Graham
2111 November 1980MillwallA2–24,279Booker, Hurlock
2215 November 1980Charlton AthleticH0–18,181
2329 November 1980Huddersfield TownA0–38,871
246 December 1980Swindon TownH1–15,727Kruse
2520 December 1980Rotherham UnitedA1–45,913G. Johnson
2626 December 1980Colchester UnitedH2–16,241Kruse, Hurlock
2727 December 1980Sheffield UnitedA0–013,130
283 January 1981BurnleyH0–06,379
2910 January 1981ChesterA0–02,237
3017 January 1981Huddersfield TownH0–05,831
3124 January 1981WalsallH4–05,503Frost, G. Johnson, Shrubb
3231 January 1981ReadingA0–06,374
337 February 1981FulhamA1–18,627Roberts
3414 February 1981PortsmouthH2–210,162Tucker (pen), Roberts
3521 February 1981Hull CityA0–04,535
3628 February 1981BlackpoolH2–05,850G. Johnson, Frost
377 March 1981Newport CountyA1–15,270Crown
3814 March 1981Carlisle UnitedH1–16,209Frost
3921 March 1981GillinghamA0–23,916
4028 March 1981Plymouth ArgyleH0–15,868
414 April 1981Oxford UnitedA1–14,085Booker
4211 April 1981ChesterfieldH3–24,883Roberts, G. Johnson, Ridley (og)
4318 April 1981Sheffield UnitedH1–15,622Booker
4420 April 1981Colchester UnitedA2–02,609Shrubb, Booker
4525 April 1981Rotherham UnitedH2–16,909Booker, Hurlock
462 May 1981Swindon TownA0–08,968

FA Cup

See main article: 1980–81 FA Cup.

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)Notes
1R22 November 1980Addlestone & Weybridge TownA2–26,536Booker, Funnell (pen)[6]
1R (replay)25 November 1980Addlestone & Weybridge TownH2–07,678Crown, Funnell
2R13 December 1980FulhamA0–111,261

Football League Cup

See main article: 1980–81 Football League Cup.

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)
1R (1st leg)9 August 1980Charlton AthleticH3–15,847Crown, Smith, Walker
1R (2nd leg)12 August 1980Charlton AthleticA0–5 (lost 6–3 on aggregate)3,764

Playing squad

Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1980–81 season.

Pos.NameNat.Date of birth (age)Signed fromSigned inNotes
Goalkeepers
GKPaul McCulloughAugust 9, 1980Dawlish Town1980
GKDavid McKellarAugust 9, 1980Derby County1980Loaned from Derby County before transferring permanently
Defenders
DFMark HillAugust 9, 1980Queens Park Rangers1980
DFRobbie JohnsonAugust 9, 1980Arsenal1981
DFPat KruseAugust 9, 1980Torquay United1977
DFJim McNicholAugust 9, 1980Luton Town1978
DFDanis SalmanAugust 9, 1980Youth1975
DFPaul ShrubbAugust 9, 1980Hellenic1977
DFBarry TuckerAugust 9, 1980Northampton Town1978
Midfielders
MFDavid CrownAugust 9, 1980Walthamstow Avenue1980
MFLee FrostAugust 9, 1980Chelsea1980
MFTony FunnellAugust 9, 1980Gillingham1980
MFRon Harris (c)August 9, 1980Chelsea1980Assistant manager
MFTerry HurlockAugust 9, 1980Leytonstone/Ilford1980
MFGary RobertsAugust 9, 1980Wembley1980
MFKevin TeerAugust 9, 1980Youth1981
MFPaul WalkerAugust 9, 1980Youth1976
Forwards
FWBob BookerAugust 9, 1980Bedmond Sports & Social1978
FWGary JohnsonAugust 9, 1980Chelsea1980
Players who left the club mid-season
DFIori JenkinsAugust 9, 1980Chelsea1979Released
MFWillie GrahamAugust 9, 1980Northampton Town1977Transferred to Hillingdon Borough
MFBarry SilkmanAugust 9, 1980Manchester City1980Transferred to Queens Park Rangers
FWDean SmithAugust 9, 1980Leicester City1977Released

Coaching staff

NameRole
Fred CallaghanManager
Ron HarrisAssistant Manager
Eddie LyonsPhysiotherapist
John GriffinChief Scout

Statistics

Appearances and goals

Substitute appearances in brackets.

PosNatNameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GKPaul McCullough70000290
GKDavid McKellar3903000420
DFMark Hill37 (1)3202041 (1)3
DFIori Jenkins11 (3)1002013 (3)1
DFRobbie Johnson1010
DFPat Kruse4223020472
DFJim McNichol11 (3)0100012 (3)0
DFDanis Salman380200 (1)040 (1)0
DFPaul Shrubb38 (4)2302043 (4)2
DFBarry Tucker2311000241
MFDavid Crown37 (1)6312142 (1)8
MFLee Frost153153
MFTony Funnell21 (2)62 (1)20023 (3)8
MFWillie Graham51000051
MFRon Harris2903020340
MFTerry Hurlock4243000454
MFGary Roberts14 (5)30014 (5)3
MFBarry Silkman14120161
MFKevin Teer0 (1)000000 (1)0
MFPaul Walker2943021345
FWBob Booker25 (1)7312030 (1)8
FWGary Johnson225225
FWDean Smith6 (1)210219 (1)3

Goalscorers

Pos.NatPlayerFL3FACFLCTotal
FWBob Booker7108
MFTony Funnell6208
MFDavid Crown6118
FWGary Johnson55
MFPaul Walker4015
MFTerry Hurlock4004
MFLee Frost33
MFGary Roberts303
DFMark Hill3003
FWDean Smith2013
DFPat Kruse2002
DFPaul Shrubb2002
MFBarry Silkman101
MFWillie Graham1001
DFIori Jenkins1001
DFBarry Tucker1001
Opponents1001
Total524359

Summary

Games played 51 (46 Third Division, 3 FA Cup, 2 League Cup)
Games won 16 (14 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)
Games drawn 20 (19 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, 0 League Cup)
Games lost 15 (13 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)
Goals scored 59 (52 Third Division, 4 FA Cup, 3 League Cup)
Goals conceded 58 (49 Third Division, 3 FA Cup, 6 League Cup)
Clean sheets 18 (17 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, 0 League Cup)
Biggest league win 4–0 versus Walsall, 24 January 1981
Worst league defeat 3–0 versus Huddersfield Town, 29 November 1980; 4–1 versus Rotherham United, 20 December 1980
Most appearances 47, Pat Kruse, Paul Shrubb (42 Third Division, 3 FA Cup, 2 League Cup)
Top scorer (league) 7, Bob Booker
Top scorer (all competitions) 8, Bob Booker, David Crown

Transfers & loans

Players transferred in
DatePos.NamePrevious ClubFeeRef.
May 1980MF Ron Harris Chelsean/a[12]
July 1980MF David Crown Walthamstow Avenue£5,000
July 1980DF Mark Hill Queens Park RangersFree
July 1980GK Paul McCullough Dawlish Townn/a
August 1980MF Terry Hurlock Leytonstone/Ilford£10,000
August 1980MF Barry Silkman Manchester City£5,000
October 1980GK David McKellar Derby County£25,000
October 1980MF Gary Roberts Wembley£6,000
December 1980FW Lee Frost Chelsean/a
December 1980FW Gary Johnson Chelsea£30,000
1980DF Kevin Teern/an/a
1980DF Terry Rowen/an/a
March 1981DF Robbie Johnson ArsenalTrial
Players loaned in
Date fromPos.NameFromDate toRef.
September 1980GK David McKellar Derby CountyOctober 1980
Players transferred out
DatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.
August 1980FW Steve Phillips Northampton Town£50,000
October 1980GK Len Bond Exeter City£12,000
October 1980MF Barry Silkman Queens Park Rangers£20,000
1980FW Lee Holmes Enfield£5,000
Players released
DatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.
August 1980MF Dave Carlton Northampton TownSeptember 1980
August 1980MF John Fraser Oxford City1980
November 1980DF Dave O'Mahoneyn/an/a
February 1981MF Willie Graham Hillingdon BoroughFebruary 1981
February 1981DF Iori Jenkins Kettering Town1981
February 1981FW Dean Smith Nuneaton BoroughFebruary 1981
May 1981FW Lee Frost Addlestone & Weybridge Town1981
May 1981GK Paul McCullough Mjällby AIFn/a

Awards

Notes and References

  1. White, p. 314-315.
  2. Web site: Brentford results for the 1980–1981 season . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170217063119/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/brentford/1980-1981/results . 17 February 2017 . 15 February 2017 . Statto.com . en-GB.
  3. Book: 100 Years Of Brentford . Brentford FC . 1989 . 0951526200 . White . Eric . 396.
  4. Web site: Brentford scoring and sequence records . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304193423/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/brentford/records . 4 March 2016 . 15 February 2017 . Statto.com . en-GB.
  5. Book: Haynes, Graham . A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopedia . 1998 . Yore Publications . 1-874427-57-7 . 78–79.
  6. Match played at Griffin Park, Brentford. Brentford wore away colours.
  7. Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 22-35.
  8. Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 386-389.
  9. Book: Croxford, Mark . The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties . Lane . David . Waterman . Greville . Legends Publishing . 2011 . 978-1906796716 . Sunbury, Middlesex.
  10. Book: Haynes, Graham . Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006 . Coumbe . Frank . Yore Publications . 2006 . 978-0955294914.
  11. Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 422.
  12. Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 36-43.
  13. Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 383.