| Club: | Brentford |
| Season: | 1983–84 |
| Manager: | (until 2 February 1984) Frank Blunstone (2–9 February 1984) Frank McLintock (from 9 February 1984) |
| Chairman: | Martin Lange |
| Stadium: | Griffin Park |
| League: | Third Division |
| League Result: | 20th |
| Cup1: | FA Cup |
| Cup1 Result: | Third round |
| Cup2: | League Cup |
| Cup2 Result: | Second round |
| Cup3: | Football League Trophy |
| Cup3 Result: | Second round |
| League Topscorer: | Joseph (18) |
| Season Topscorer: | Joseph (24) |
| Highest Attendance: | 17,859 |
| Lowest Attendance: | 2,301 |
| Average Attendance: | 4,735 |
| Pattern La1: | _brentford_home_83-84 |
| Pattern B1: | _brentford_home_83-84 |
| Pattern Ra1: | _brentford_home_83-84 |
| Pattern So1: | _brentford_home_85-86 |
| Shorts1: | ffffff |
| Pattern Name1: | Home (Aug–Dec) |
| Pattern La2: | _brentford_home_83-84 |
| Pattern B2: | _brentford_home_83-84 |
| Pattern Ra2: | _brentford_home_83-84 |
| Pattern So2: | _brentford_home_85-86 |
| Shorts2: | 000000 |
| Pattern Name2: | Home (Dec–May) |
| Pattern La3: | _000000 |
| Pattern B3: | 000000 |
| Pattern Ra3: | 000000 |
| Pattern So3: | _brentford_home_83-84a |
| Pattern Sh3: | 000000 |
| Pattern Name3: | Away |
| Prevseason: | 1982–83 |
| Nextseason: | 1984–85 |
During the 1983–84 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division. A season of transition ended with a narrow escape from relegation.
After two seasons in which, were it not for bad mid-season form, strong run-ins may have yielded a promotion challenge, Brentford manager Fred Callaghan kept his squad together. Save for the retirement of key midfielder Stan Bowles, Bowles' replacement Terry Bullivant was the only significant piece of transfer activity at Griffin Park during the 1983 off-season.[1] Goalkeeper Trevor Swinburne arrived to provide competition for Paddy Roche. With forward Tony Mahoney still not fully fit after recovering from a broken leg, Bill Garner was brought in from non-League football on non-contract terms.
Brentford showed poor form between the beginning of the season and Christmas Eve 1983 (as of, the 4–3 defeat to Wimbledon was the final Football League match played on that date).[2] Two wins and 10 defeats from the opening 19 Third Division matches left the club just above the foot of the table.[3] In the midst of the barren run in the league, a two-legged tie with then-First Division champions Liverpool in the second round of the League Cup failed to produce much cheer, with the Bees suffering an 8–1 aggregate defeat. A reduction in size of Griffin Park in the intervening years meant that the 17,858 crowd which attended the first leg was not bettered prior to the club's final first team match at the ground in July 2020.[4]
Player/assistant manager Ron Harris was replaced with former Brentford manager Frank Blunstone in October 1983 and Harris later remarked that it had been an acrimonious parting. An ever-increasing list of injuries and suspensions led manager Fred Callaghan to make a number of signings during the final two months of 1983, including new captain Ian Bolton for £2,000 and previously on-loan defender Paul Roberts from Millwall for a £10,000 fee. Stan Bowles came out of retirement to assist the team on a non-contract basis. The signings had an effect, with the Bees going four matches undefeated in late December 1983 and early January 1984 to rise out of the relegation places. Defeats in the following two matches led chairman Martin Lange to act and sack manager Fred Callaghan on 2 February. Lange paid tribute to Callaghan by stating that Callaghan could "leave the club proud in the knowledge that he leaves the club far better equipped than when he arrived".
Assistant Frank Blunstone took caretaker charge of the team for one match before the appointment of former Leicester City manager Frank McLintock on 9 February. McLintock installed former Brentford player John Docherty as his assistant. McLintock took over a club in 21st position with 20 matches to play and conducted an overhaul of the playing staff, selling central defender Alan Whitehead and bringing in right back Bobby Fisher and midfielder Tommy Finney from Cambridge United, plus Nigel Gray and Bill Roffey on loan. Attacker Bob Booker was recalled to the starting lineup, Ian Bolton and Tony Mahoney were dropped, Terry Bullivant and Graham Wilkins departed on loan and Stan Bowles retired for a second time.
A slight upturn in form meant that Brentford went into their final match of the season versus Walsall perched atop the relegation zone in 20th place and needing a victory, but a 1–1 draw was all that could be mustered. Circumstances transpired that 21st-place Scunthorpe United's 1–1 draw on the same day, in their penultimate match of the season, meant that the Iron needed to win their final match by a margin of seven goals to secure their safety. Brentford's Third Division status was retained when Scunthorpe United lost in their season finale on the following Tuesday night.
Brentford's goal tally listed first.
| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 August 1983 | Kingstonian | A | 6–0 | n/a | Cassells (3), Joseph, Spencer, Greenaway | |
| 6 August 1983 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 2–4 | 6,405 | Hurlock (2) | |
| 8 August 1983 | Staines Town | A | 2–1 | n/a | Hopson, Tully | |
| 9 August 1983 | St Albans City | A | 2–3 | n/a | Hopson (2) | |
| 10 August 1983 | West Ham United | H | 2–0 | 3,104 | G. Roberts, Joseph | |
| 11 August 1983 | Walton & Hersham | A | 7–2 | n/a | Cassells (2), Greenaway (2), Lynch (2), Garner | |
| 13 August 1983 | Aldershot | A | 2–0 | n/a | Garner, Cassells | |
| 15 August 1983 | Hayes | A | 0–6 | n/a | ||
| 16 August 1983 | Reading | A | 2–5 | n/a | Kamara, Joseph | |
| 20 August 1983 | Bristol City | A | 0–1 | 1,111 | Smith | |
| 23 August 1983 | Bracknell Town | A | 0–0 | n/a | ||
| 15 November 1983 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 3–2 | 1,414 | Mahoney (2), Davies | |
| 14 May 1984 | Chelsea | H | 3–6 | 3,461 | Cassells, McNichol, G. Roberts |
| No. | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 August 1983 | Millwall | H | 2–2 | 6,224 | Joseph, Kamara | |
| 2 | 3 September 1983 | Preston North End | A | 3–3 | 3,957 | Joseph, G. Roberts, Cassells | |
| 3 | 6 September 1983 | Bristol Rovers | A | 1–3 | 5,148 | Joseph | |
| 4 | 10 September 1983 | Lincoln City | H | 3–0 | 4,777 | Kamara, Joseph (2) | |
| 5 | 17 September 1983 | Wigan Athletic | A | 1–2 | 3,034 | Garner | |
| 6 | 24 September 1983 | Burnley | H | 0–0 | 8,042 | ||
| 7 | 1 October 1983 | Gillingham | A | 2–4 | 3,268 | Kamara, McNichol | |
| 8 | 8 October 1983 | Oxford United | A | 1–2 | 7,326 | Kamara | |
| 9 | 15 October 1983 | Hull City | H | 1–1 | 4,258 | Joseph | |
| 10 | 18 October 1983 | Port Vale | H | 3–1 | 3,903 | Bullivant, G. Roberts, McNichol | |
| 11 | 22 October 1983 | Sheffield United | A | 0–0 | 9,848 | ||
| 12 | 29 October 1983 | Bournemouth | H | 1–1 | 4,630 | Joseph | |
| 13 | 31 October 1983 | Southend United | A | 0–6 | 3,182 | ||
| 14 | 5 November 1983 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 2–2 | 4,183 | Mahoney, Cassells | |
| 15 | 12 November 1983 | Orient | A | 0–2 | 3,650 | ||
| 16 | 26 November 1983 | Bradford City | H | 1–4 | 3,738 | G. Roberts | |
| 17 | 3 December 1983 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 0–1 | 5,416 | ||
| 18 | 17 December 1983 | Walsall | A | 0–1 | 3,965 | ||
| 19 | 24 December 1983 | Wimbledon | H | 3–4 | 6,689 | Kamara, McNichol, Hurlock | |
| 20 | 27 December 1983 | Exeter City | A | 2–1 | 4,303 | Cassells, G. Roberts | |
| 21 | 31 December 1983 | Newport County | H | 2–1 | 4,631 | Hurlock, G. Roberts | |
| 22 | 2 January 1984 | Scunthorpe United | A | 4–4 | 2,239 | Mahoney, Cassells (pen), McNichol, Joseph | |
| 23 | 15 January 1984 | Millwall | A | 2–1 | 5,370 | Joseph (2) | |
| 24 | 21 January 1984 | Wigan Athletic | H | 0–1 | 3,972 | ||
| 25 | 1 February 1984 | Lincoln City | A | 0–2 | 2,266 | ||
| 26 | 4 February 1984 | Gillingham | H | 2–3 | 4,317 | Joseph, Bolton | |
| 27 | 11 February 1984 | Burnley | A | 2–2 | 7,027 | Cassells, Kamara | |
| 28 | 14 February 1984 | Southend United | H | 0–0 | 3,961 | ||
| 29 | 18 February 1984 | Bournemouth | A | 3–0 | 4,308 | Cassells (3) | |
| 30 | 25 February 1984 | Sheffield United | H | 1–3 | 5,100 | G. Roberts | |
| 31 | 3 March 1984 | Port Vale | A | 3–4 | 3,704 | G. Roberts, Gray, Joseph | |
| 32 | 6 March 1984 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 1–1 | 4,322 | Hurlock | |
| 33 | 10 March 1984 | Orient | H | 1–1 | 4,358 | Joseph | |
| 34 | 17 March 1984 | Oxford United | H | 1–2 | 5,936 | G. Roberts | |
| 35 | 20 March 1984 | Rotherham United | H | 2–1 | 3,391 | Booker, Mahoney (pen) | |
| 36 | 24 March 1984 | Hull City | A | 0–2 | 5,572 | ||
| 37 | 31 March 1984 | Bristol Rovers | H | 2–2 | 4,067 | Booker, Hurlock | |
| 38 | 3 April 1984 | Preston North End | H | 4–1 | 3,446 | Kamara, Finney, G. Roberts, Booker | |
| 39 | 7 April 1984 | Rotherham United | A | 0–4 | 3,705 | ||
| 40 | 14 April 1984 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 3–0 | 3,831 | Joseph, Deakin (og) | |
| 41 | 20 April 1984 | Exeter City | H | 3–0 | 5,620 | Joseph, Booker, Finney | |
| 42 | 21 April 1984 | Wimbledon | A | 1–2 | 5,487 | Joseph | |
| 43 | 28 April 1984 | Bradford City | A | 1–1 | 3,755 | Cassells | |
| 44 | 5 May 1984 | Scunthorpe United | H | 3–0 | 4,561 | Rowe, Joseph, Roffey | |
| 45 | 7 May 1984 | Newport County | A | 1–1 | 2,154 | G. Roberts | |
| 46 | 12 May 1984 | Walsall | H | 1–1 | 5,281 | Caswell (og) |
See main article: 1983–84 FA Cup.
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1R | 19 November 1983 | Dagenham | A | 2–2 | 2,146 | Joseph, P. Roberts | |
| 1R (replay) | 22 November 1983 | Dagenham | H | 2–1 | 3,936 | Mahoney, G. Roberts | |
| 2R | 10 December 1983 | Wimbledon | H | 3–2 | 5,666 | Kamara, G. Roberts, Joseph | |
| 3R | 7 January 1984 | Gillingham | A | 3–5 | 6,509 | G. Roberts, Hurlock, Cassells |
See main article: 1983–84 Football League Cup.
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1R (1st leg) | 30 August 1983 | Charlton Athletic | H | 3–0 | 4,858 | G. Roberts, Joseph, Berry (og) | |
| 1R (2nd leg) | 13 September 1983 | Charlton Athletic | A | 1–2 (won 4–2 on aggregate) | 3,622 | ||
| 2R (1st leg) | 5 October 1983 | Liverpool | H | 1–4 | 17,859 | G. Roberts | |
| 2R (2nd leg) | 25 October 1983 | Liverpool | A | 0–4 (lost 8–1 on aggregate) | 9,092 |
See main article: 1983–84 Football League Trophy.
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SR1 | 21 February 1984 | Orient | H | 3–2 | 2,301 | Finney, Joseph (2) | |
| SR2 | 26 March 1983 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 0–2 | 2,308 |
Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1983–84 season.
| Pos. | Name | Nat. | Date of birth (age) | Signed from | Signed in | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | |||||||
| GK | Paddy Roche | August 27, 1983 | Manchester United | 1982 | |||
| GK | Trevor Swinburne | August 27, 1983 | Carlisle United | 1983 | |||
| Defenders | |||||||
| DF | Ian Bolton | August 27, 1983 | Watford | 1983 | |||
| DF | Bobby Fisher | August 27, 1983 | Cambridge United | 1984 | |||
| DF | Nigel Gray | August 27, 1983 | Swindon Town | 1984 | On loan from Swindon Town | ||
| DF | Jim McNichol | August 27, 1983 | Luton Town | 1978 | |||
| DF | Paul Roberts | August 27, 1983 | Millwall | 1983 | Loaned from Millwall before transferring permanently | ||
| DF | Bill Roffey | August 27, 1983 | Orient | 1984 | On loan from Orient | ||
| DF | Terry Rowe | August 27, 1983 | Youth | 1982 | |||
| DF | Danis Salman | August 27, 1983 | Youth | 1975 | |||
| DF | Tony Spencer | August 27, 1983 | Youth | 1982 | |||
| DF | Graham Wilkins | August 27, 1983 | Bury | 1982 | Loaned to Southend United | ||
| Midfielders | |||||||
| MF | Bob Booker | August 27, 1983 | Bedmond Sports & Social | 1978 | |||
| MF | Terry Bullivant | August 27, 1983 | Charlton Athletic | 1983 | Loaned to Reading | ||
| MF | Tommy Finney | August 27, 1983 | Cambridge United | 1984 | |||
| MF | Mark Hopson | May 1966 (aged 17) | Youth | 1982 | |||
| MF | Terry Hurlock (c) | August 27, 1983 | Leytonstone/Ilford | 1980 | |||
| MF | Chris Kamara | August 27, 1983 | Portsmouth | 1981 | |||
| MF | Tony Lynch | August 27, 1983 | Youth | 1983 | |||
| MF | Gary Roberts | August 27, 1983 | Wembley | 1980 | |||
| Forwards | |||||||
| FW | Keith Cassells | August 27, 1983 | Southampton | 1983 | |||
| FW | Francis Joseph | August 27, 1983 | Wimbledon | 1982 | |||
| FW | Tony Mahoney | August 27, 1983 | Fulham | 1982 | |||
| Players who left the club mid-season | |||||||
| DF | Ian Davies | August 27, 1983 | Manchester City | 1983 | Returned to Manchester City after loan | ||
| DF | Andy Rollings | August 27, 1983 | Torquay United | 1983 | Released | ||
| DF | Alan Whitehead | August 27, 1983 | Bury | 1981 | Loaned to Scunthorpe United, transferred to Scunthorpe United | ||
| MF | Stan Bowles | August 27, 1983 | Unattached | 1983 | Released | ||
| MF | Ron Harris | August 27, 1983 | Chelsea | 1980 | Released | ||
| FW | Bill Garner | August 27, 1983 | Chelmsford City | 1983 | Released | ||
| Name | Role | |
|---|---|---|
| Fred Callaghan | Manager | |
| Frank Blunstone | Assistant Manager | |
| Eddie Lyons | Physiotherapist |
| Name | Role | |
|---|---|---|
| Frank Blunstone | Caretaker Manager | |
| Eddie Lyons | Physiotherapist |
| Name | Role | |
|---|---|---|
| Frank McLintock | Manager | |
| John Docherty | Assistant Manager | |
| Eddie Lyons | Physiotherapist |
Substitute appearances in brackets.
| Pos | Nat | Name | League | FA Cup | League Cup | FL Trophy | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
| GK | Paddy Roche | 25 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | ||
| GK | Trevor Swinburne | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 0 | ||
| DF | Ian Bolton | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 17 | 1 | |||
| DF | Bobby Fisher | 17 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 19 | 0 | ||||
| DF | Jim McNichol | 19 (1) | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 (1) | 4 | ||
| DF | Paul Roberts | 34 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | 1 | 0 | 39 | 1 | |||
| DF | Andy Rollings | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||||
| DF | Terry Rowe | 18 (3) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 (1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 (4) | 1 | ||
| DF | Danis Salman | 21 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 0 | ||
| DF | Tony Spencer | 5 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 (1) | 0 | ||
| DF | Alan Whitehead | 18 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 25 | 0 | |||
| DF | Graham Wilkins | 12 (1) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 (2) | 0 | ||
| MF | Bob Booker | 26 (3) | 4 | 0 (1) | 0 | 3 (1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 31 (5) | 4 | ||
| MF | Stan Bowles | 7 (1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 8 (1) | 0 | ||||
| MF | Terry Bullivant | 24 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 1 | ||
| MF | Tommy Finney | 14 (1) | 2 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 15 (1) | 3 | ||||
| MF | Ron Harris | 3 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | ||||
| MF | Terry Hurlock | 32 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 0 | ||
| MF | Chris Kamara | 37 (1) | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 45 (1) | 8 | ||
| MF | Tony Lynch | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| MF | Gary Roberts | 40 (1) | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 (1) | 0 | 48 (2) | 15 | ||
| FW | Keith Cassells | 26 (4) | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 (2) | 0 | 29 (6) | 10 | ||
| FW | Bill Garner | 2 (1) | 1 | — | — | — | 2 (1) | 1 | |||||
| FW | Francis Joseph | 42 (1) | 18 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 52 (1) | 24 | ||
| FW | Tony Mahoney | 15 (8) | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21 (8) | 4 | ||
| Players loaned in during the season | |||||||||||||
| DF | Ian Davies | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||||
| DF | Nigel Gray | 16 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 17 | 1 | ||||
| DF | Bill Roffey | 13 | 1 | — | — | — | 13 | 1 | |||||
| Pos. | Nat | Player | FL3 | FAC | FLC | FLT | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FW | Francis Joseph | 18 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 24 | ||
| MF | Gary Roberts | 10 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 15 | ||
| FW | Keith Cassells | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | ||
| MF | Chris Kamara | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||
| MF | Bob Booker | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| DF | Jim McNichol | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| FW | Tony Mahoney | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| MF | Tommy Finney | 2 | — | — | 1 | 3 | ||
| FW | Bill Garner | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | ||
| DF | Bill Roffey | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | ||
| DF | Nigel Gray | 1 | — | — | 0 | 1 | ||
| DF | Ian Bolton | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 1 | ||
| DF | Paul Roberts | 0 | 1 | — | 0 | 1 | ||
| MF | Terry Bullivant | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
| DF | Terry Rowe | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
| Opponents | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | |||
| Total | 69 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 87 | |||
| Name | Nat | From | To | Record All Comps | Record League | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | W % | P | W | D | L | W % | ||||
| Fred Callaghan | 27 August 1983 | 1 February 1984 | |||||||||||
| Frank Blunstone (caretaker) | 4 February 1984 | 4 February 1984 | |||||||||||
| Frank McLintock | 11 February 1984 | 12 May 1984 | |||||||||||
| Games played | 56 (46 Third Division, 4 FA Cup, 4 League Cup, 2 Football League Trophy) | |
| Games won | 15 (11 Third Division, 2 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy) | |
| Games drawn | 17 (16 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 0 Football League Trophy) | |
| Games lost | 24 (19 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, 3 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy) | |
| Goals scored | 87 (69 Third Division, 10 FA Cup, 5 League Cup, 3 Football League Trophy) | |
| Goals conceded | 103 (79 Third Division, 10 FA Cup, 10 League Cup, 4 Football League Trophy) | |
| Clean sheets | 9 (8 Third Division, 0 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 0 Football League Trophy) | |
| Biggest league win | 3–0 on five occasions; 4–1 versus Preston North End, 3 April 1984 | |
| Worst league defeat | 6–0 versus Southend United, 31 October 1983 | |
| Most appearances | 53, Francis Joseph (43 Third Division, 4 FA Cup, 4 League Cup, 2 Football League Trophy) | |
| Top scorer (league) | 18, Francis Joseph | |
| Top scorer (all competitions) | 24, Francis Joseph |
| Players transferred in | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Pos. | Name | Previous Club | Fee | Ref. | |
| July 1983 | MF | Terry Bullivant | Charlton Athletic | Free | ||
| August 1983 | FW | Bill Garner | Chelmsford City | Non-contract | [11] | |
| August 1983 | GK | Trevor Swinburne | Carlisle United | £12,000 | ||
| September 1983 | MF | Tony Lynch | Maidstone United | n/a | ||
| September 1983 | DF | Keith Millen | Crystal Palace | n/a | ||
| November 1983 | DF | Paul Roberts | Millwall | £10,000 | ||
| November 1983 | DF | Andy Rollings | Torquay United | Trial | ||
| December 1983 | DF | Ian Bolton | Watford | £2,000 | ||
| December 1983 | MF | Stan Bowles | Unattached | Non-contract | ||
| February 1984 | MF | Tommy Finney | Cambridge United | n/a | ||
| February 1984 | DF | Bobby Fisher | Cambridge United | £5,000 | ||
| Players loaned in | ||||||
| Date from | Pos. | Name | From | Date to | Ref. | |
| 1 September 1983 | DF | Paul Roberts | Millwall | October 1983 | [12] | |
| 11 November 1983 | DF | Ian Davies | Manchester City | December 1983 | ||
| March 1984 | DF | Nigel Gray | Swindon Town | End of season | ||
| March 1984 | DF | Bill Roffey | Orient | End of season | ||
| Players transferred out | ||||||
| Date | Pos. | Name | Subsequent club | Fee | Ref. | |
| August 1983 | GK | David McKellar | Carlisle United | £4,000 | ||
| March 1984 | DF | Alan Whitehead | Scunthorpe United | £40,000 | ||
| Players loaned out | ||||||
| Date from | Pos. | Name | To | Date to | Ref. | |
| January 1984 | DF | Alan Whitehead | Scunthorpe United | March 1984 | ||
| March 1984 | MF | Terry Bullivant | Reading | n/a | ||
| March 1984 | DF | Graham Wilkins | Southend United | n/a | ||
| Players released | ||||||
| Date | Pos. | Name | Subsequent club | Join date | Ref. | |
| October 1983 | MF | Ron Harris | Aldershot | 1984 | ||
| December 1983 | DF | Andy Rollings | Maidstone United | n/a | ||
| 1983 | FW | Bill Garner | n/a | n/a | ||
| February 1984 | MF | Stan Bowles | Retired | |||
| May 1984 | FW | Tony Mahoney | Crystal Palace | June 1984 | ||
| May 1984 | DF | Jim McNichol | Exeter City | July 1984 | ||
| May 1984 | GK |  Paddy Roche | Halifax Town | July 1984 | ||
| May 1984 | DF | Graham Wilkins | Southall | 1984 | ||