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]
- Most Football League draws in a season: 19
- Most Football League away draws in a season: 10
- Most consecutive away Football League draws: 6 (27 December 1980 – 7 March 1981)
- Most consecutive away Football League clean sheets: 4 (6 September – 8 October 1980)
Results
Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend
Pre-season and friendlies
Football League Third Division
No. | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) |
---|
1 | 16 August 1980 | Charlton Athletic | A | 1–3 | 5,125 | Hill |
2 | 18 August 1980 | Millwall | H | 1–0 | 6,524 | Funnell |
3 | 23 August 1980 | Reading | H | 1–2 | 6,717 | Funnell |
4 | 30 August 1980 | Walsall | A | 3–2 | 4,586 | Walker, Hill, Funnell |
5 | 6 September 1980 | Portsmouth | A | 2–0 | 16,971 | Booker, Funnell |
6 | 13 September 1980 | Fulham | H | 1–3 | 11,610 | Booker |
7 | 15 September 1980 | Barnsley | H | 1–1 | 6,935 | Funnell |
8 | 20 September 1980 | Blackpool | A | 3–0 | 3,738 | Crown (2), Walker |
9 | 27 September 1980 | Hull City | H | 2–2 | 6,305 | Jenkins, Funnell |
10 | 30 September 1980 | Barnsley | A | 1–0 | 11,227 | Walker |
11 | 4 October 1980 | Newport County | H | 0–1 | 7,309 | |
12 | 8 October 1980 | Exeter City | A | 0–0 | 4,665 | |
13 | 11 October 1980 | Carlisle United | A | 2–1 | 3,030 | Walker, Silkman (pen) |
14 | 18 October 1980 | Chester | H | 0–1 | 6,604 | |
15 | 20 October 1980 | Gillingham | H | 3–3 | 6,786 | Crown, Hurlock, Smith |
16 | 25 October 1980 | Burnley | A | 0–2 | 7,324 | |
17 | 28 October 1980 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 1–0 | 7,249 | Smith |
18 | 1 November 1980 | Oxford United | H | 3–0 | 6,549 | Hill, Crown (2) |
19 | 3 November 1980 | Exeter City | H | 0–1 | 6,593 | |
20 | 8 November 1980 | Chesterfield | A | 1–2 | 7,127 | Graham |
21 | 11 November 1980 | Millwall | A | 2–2 | 4,279 | Booker, Hurlock |
22 | 15 November 1980 | Charlton Athletic | H | 0–1 | 8,181 | |
23 | 29 November 1980 | Huddersfield Town | A | 0–3 | 8,871 | |
24 | 6 December 1980 | Swindon Town | H | 1–1 | 5,727 | Kruse |
25 | 20 December 1980 | Rotherham United | A | 1–4 | 5,913 | G. Johnson |
26 | 26 December 1980 | Colchester United | H | 2–1 | 6,241 | Kruse, Hurlock |
27 | 27 December 1980 | Sheffield United | A | 0–0 | 13,130 | |
28 | 3 January 1981 | Burnley | H | 0–0 | 6,379 | |
29 | 10 January 1981 | Chester | A | 0–0 | 2,237 | |
30 | 17 January 1981 | Huddersfield Town | H | 0–0 | 5,831 | |
31 | 24 January 1981 | Walsall | H | 4–0 | 5,503 | Frost, G. Johnson, Shrubb |
32 | 31 January 1981 | Reading | A | 0–0 | 6,374 | |
33 | 7 February 1981 | Fulham | A | 1–1 | 8,627 | Roberts |
34 | 14 February 1981 | Portsmouth | H | 2–2 | 10,162 | Tucker (pen), Roberts |
35 | 21 February 1981 | Hull City | A | 0–0 | 4,535 | |
36 | 28 February 1981 | Blackpool | H | 2–0 | 5,850 | G. Johnson, Frost |
37 | 7 March 1981 | Newport County | A | 1–1 | 5,270 | Crown |
38 | 14 March 1981 | Carlisle United | H | 1–1 | 6,209 | Frost |
39 | 21 March 1981 | Gillingham | A | 0–2 | 3,916 | |
40 | 28 March 1981 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 0–1 | 5,868 | |
41 | 4 April 1981 | Oxford United | A | 1–1 | 4,085 | Booker |
42 | 11 April 1981 | Chesterfield | H | 3–2 | 4,883 | Roberts, G. Johnson, Ridley (og) |
43 | 18 April 1981 | Sheffield United | H | 1–1 | 5,622 | Booker |
44 | 20 April 1981 | Colchester United | A | 2–0 | 2,609 | Shrubb, Booker |
45 | 25 April 1981 | Rotherham United | H | 2–1 | 6,909 | Booker, Hurlock |
46 | 2 May 1981 | Swindon Town | A | 0–0 | 8,968 | | |
FA Cup
See main article: 1980–81 FA Cup.
Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) | Notes |
---|
1R | 22 November 1980 | Addlestone & Weybridge Town | A | 2–2 | 6,536 | Booker, Funnell (pen) | [6] |
1R (replay) | 25 November 1980 | Addlestone & Weybridge Town | H | 2–0 | 7,678 | Crown, Funnell | |
2R | 13 December 1980 | Fulham | A | 0–1 | 11,261 | | | |
Football League Cup
See main article: 1980–81 Football League Cup.
- Sources: 100 Years of Brentford, The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties,[7] [8] Statto
Playing squad
Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1980–81 season.
Pos. | Name | Nat. | Date of birth (age) | Signed from | Signed in | Notes |
---|
Goalkeepers |
---|
GK | Paul McCullough | | August 9, 1980 | Dawlish Town | 1980 | |
GK | David McKellar | | August 9, 1980 | Derby County | 1980 | Loaned from Derby County before transferring permanently |
Defenders |
---|
DF | Mark Hill | | August 9, 1980 | Queens Park Rangers | 1980 | |
DF | Robbie Johnson | | August 9, 1980 | Arsenal | 1981 | |
DF | Pat Kruse | | August 9, 1980 | Torquay United | 1977 | |
DF | Jim McNichol | | August 9, 1980 | Luton Town | 1978 | |
DF | Danis Salman | | August 9, 1980 | Youth | 1975 | |
DF | Paul Shrubb | | August 9, 1980 | Hellenic | 1977 | |
DF | Barry Tucker | | August 9, 1980 | Northampton Town | 1978 | |
Midfielders |
---|
MF | David Crown | | August 9, 1980 | Walthamstow Avenue | 1980 | |
MF | Lee Frost | | August 9, 1980 | Chelsea | 1980 | |
MF | Tony Funnell | | August 9, 1980 | Gillingham | 1980 | |
MF | Ron Harris (c) | | August 9, 1980 | Chelsea | 1980 | Assistant manager |
MF | Terry Hurlock | | August 9, 1980 | Leytonstone/Ilford | 1980 | |
MF | Gary Roberts | | August 9, 1980 | Wembley | 1980 | |
MF | Kevin Teer | | August 9, 1980 | Youth | 1981 | |
MF | Paul Walker | | August 9, 1980 | Youth | 1976 | |
Forwards |
---|
FW | Bob Booker | | August 9, 1980 | Bedmond Sports & Social | 1978 | |
FW | Gary Johnson | | August 9, 1980 | Chelsea | 1980 | |
Players who left the club mid-season |
---|
DF | Iori Jenkins | | August 9, 1980 | Chelsea | 1979 | Released |
MF | Willie Graham | | August 9, 1980 | Northampton Town | 1977 | Transferred to Hillingdon Borough |
MF | Barry Silkman | | August 9, 1980 | Manchester City | 1980 | Transferred to Queens Park Rangers |
FW | Dean Smith | | August 9, 1980 | Leicester City | 1977 | Released | |
- Sources: The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties,[9] Timeless Bees[10]
Coaching staff
Statistics
Appearances and goals
Substitute appearances in brackets.
- Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
- Source: The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties[11]
Goalscorers
- Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
- Source: The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties
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 |
---|
Date | Pos. | Name | Previous Club | Fee | Ref. |
---|
May 1980 | MF | Ron Harris | Chelsea | n/a | [12] |
July 1980 | MF | David Crown | Walthamstow Avenue | £5,000 | |
July 1980 | DF | Mark Hill | Queens Park Rangers | Free | |
July 1980 | GK | Paul McCullough | Dawlish Town | n/a | |
August 1980 | MF | Terry Hurlock | Leytonstone/Ilford | £10,000 | |
August 1980 | MF | Barry Silkman | Manchester City | £5,000 | |
October 1980 | GK | David McKellar | Derby County | £25,000 | |
October 1980 | MF | Gary Roberts | Wembley | £6,000 | |
December 1980 | FW | Lee Frost | Chelsea | n/a | |
December 1980 | FW | Gary Johnson | Chelsea | £30,000 | |
1980 | DF | Kevin Teer | n/a | n/a | |
1980 | DF | Terry Rowe | n/a | n/a | |
March 1981 | DF | Robbie Johnson | Arsenal | Trial | |
Players loaned in |
---|
Date from | Pos. | Name | From | Date to | Ref. |
---|
September 1980 | GK | David McKellar | Derby County | October 1980 | |
Players transferred out |
---|
Date | Pos. | Name | Subsequent club | Fee | Ref. |
---|
August 1980 | FW | Steve Phillips | Northampton Town | £50,000 | |
October 1980 | GK | Len Bond | Exeter City | £12,000 | |
October 1980 | MF | Barry Silkman | Queens Park Rangers | £20,000 | |
1980 | FW | Lee Holmes | Enfield | £5,000 | |
Players released |
---|
Date | Pos. | Name | Subsequent club | Join date | Ref. |
---|
August 1980 | MF | Dave Carlton | Northampton Town | September 1980 | |
August 1980 | MF | John Fraser | Oxford City | 1980 | |
November 1980 | DF | Dave O'Mahoney | n/a | n/a | |
February 1981 | MF | Willie Graham | Hillingdon Borough | February 1981 | |
February 1981 | DF | Iori Jenkins | Kettering Town | 1981 | |
February 1981 | FW | Dean Smith | Nuneaton Borough | February 1981 | |
May 1981 | FW | Lee Frost | Addlestone & Weybridge Town | 1981 | |
May 1981 | GK | Paul McCullough | Mjällby AIF | n/a | | |
Awards
Notes and References
- White, p. 314-315.
- 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.
- Book: 100 Years Of Brentford . Brentford FC . 1989 . 0951526200 . White . Eric . 396.
- 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.
- Book: Haynes, Graham . A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopedia . 1998 . Yore Publications . 1-874427-57-7 . 78–79.
- Match played at Griffin Park, Brentford. Brentford wore away colours.
- Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 22-35.
- Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 386-389.
- Book: Croxford, Mark . The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties . Lane . David . Waterman . Greville . Legends Publishing . 2011 . 978-1906796716 . Sunbury, Middlesex.
- Book: Haynes, Graham . Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006 . Coumbe . Frank . Yore Publications . 2006 . 978-0955294914.
- Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 422.
- Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 36-43.
- Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 383.