1994–95 Brentford F.C. season explained

Club:Brentford
Season:1994–95
Manager:David Webb
Chairman:Martin Lange
Stadium:Griffin Park
League:Second Division
League Result:2nd
Cup1:Play-offs
Cup1 Result:Semi-finals
Cup2:FA Cup
Cup2 Result:First round
Cup3:League Cup
Cup3 Result:Second round
Cup4:Football League Trophy
Cup4 Result:Second round
League Topscorer:Forster (24)
Season Topscorer:Forster (26)
Highest Attendance:9,562
Lowest Attendance:4,031
Average Attendance:6,076
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Prevseason:1993–94
Nextseason:1995–96

During the 1994–95 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Second Division. After a runners-up finish in the league, club's season ended with defeat in the 1995 play-off semi-finals.

Season summary

Brentford entered the 1994–95 Second Division season with the nucleus of a new squad, built since the breakup of the team which was relegated from the First Division at the end of the 1992–93 season. Forward Nicky Forster was manager David Webb's only significant summer signing, a £200,000 buy from Third Division Gillingham.[1]

Eight wins and four defeats from the opening 12 games saw the Bees placed 4th in the league, before four defeats in the next five matches dropped the club into mid-table.[2] By early December 1994, first and second round exits from the three cup competitions lightened the fixture load and Brentford set off on a 14-match unbeaten run, winning 10 matches and racking up notable 7–0 and 6–0 victories over Plymouth Argyle and Cambridge United respectively. The victory over Cambridge United in late January 1995 returned the Bees to the top of the table for the first time since the opening day of the season, when five goals were put past Plymouth Argyle at Home Park. Twin strikers Nicky Forster and Robert Taylor were in imperious form, scoring over half the team's goals and forming a partnership that came to be known as the 'FT Index'.[3] The pair saw to it that Brentford finished the 1994–95 season as the only club in the top four divisions with two players scoring 20 league goals or more.[4]

The unbeaten run came to an end with defeat to Shrewsbury Town on 25 February, but another 11-match unbeaten sequence kept Brentford in top spot going into late April. Brentford's good form ran in tandem with that of Birmingham City's and the Blues topped the table for the first time in eight weeks on 19 April,[5] with the Bees returning to the summit three days later after a 2–0 victory over Cardiff City. Due to a restructuring of the English league system, only top spot in the 1994–95 Second Division offered automatic promotion, which placed heavy emphasis on a "winner takes all" fixture between Birmingham City and Brentford on at St Andrew's on 26 April. A 2–0 defeat for Brentford in front of a 25,581 crowd (the Second Division's record attendance for the season), plus a home defeat to Bournemouth and a draw away with Bristol Rovers in the final two matches, led to a runners-up finish and a place in the play-offs. The Bees met fifth-placed Huddersfield Town in the play-off semi-finals and were knocked out on penalties at Griffin Park after a 2–2 draw on aggregate, with captain Jamie Bates seeing his decisive spot kick saved.

A number of club records were set or equalled during the season:

Results

Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend

WinDrawLoss

Pre-season and friendlies

DateOpponentVenueResultScorer(s)
18 July 1994BournemouthA4–1Mundee (2), Smith, McGhee
20 July 1994Dulwich HamletA5–0Forster (2), Taylor (2), Annon
23 July 1994Chertsey TownA3–2Harvey, Forster, Mundee
25 July 1994HamptonA7–1Benjamin (3), Forster, Ashby, Smith, Ratcliffe
27 July 1994Welling UnitedA4–0Forster, Taylor, Mundee (pen), Annon
29 July 1994PortsmouthH1–2Taylor
3 August 1994Queens Park RangersH0–0
6 August 1994Kettering TownA2–0Annon, Grainger (pen)
9 August 1994BromleyA2–0McGhee, Benjamin
29 October 1994Windsor & EtonA7–0Taylor (5), Asaba, Ansah
8 May 1995BarnetA5–4Forster (2), Taylor (2), Hurdle

Football League Second Division

No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)
113 August 1994 Plymouth ArgyleA5–17,976Smith, Forster (2), Stephenson, Taylor
220 August 1994Peterborough UnitedH0–15,561
327 August 1994Stockport CountyA1–04,399Taylor
430 August 1994Rotherham UnitedH2–04,031Taylor, Forster
53 September 1994WrexhamH0–25,820
610 September 1994Wycombe WanderersA3–46,847Taylor, Stephenson, Cousins (og)
713 September 1994York CityA1–22,836Taylor
817 September 1994BlackpoolH3–24,157Forster, Smith, Grainger (pen)
924 September 1994Crewe AlexandraA2–03,839Forster, Taylor
101 October 1994Shrewsbury TownH1–04,556Taylor
118 October 1994Bristol RoversH3–05,330Forster (2), Taylor
1215 October 1994BournemouthA1–04,411Forster
1322 October 1994Birmingham CityH1–27,779Ward (og)
1429 October 1994Cambridge UnitedA0–03,102
152 November 1994Bradford CityA0–14,105
165 November 1994Hull CityH0–15,455
1719 November 1994Huddersfield TownA0–110,889
1826 November 1994Brighton & Hove AlbionH2–14,728Ashby, Ansah
1910 December 1994Peterborough UnitedA2–24,102Taylor, Forster
2017 December 1994Plymouth ArgyleH7–04,492Annon, Smith, Taylor (2), Forster, Mundee, Harvey
2126 December 1994Leyton OrientH3–06,125Mundee, Ratcliffe, Forster
2227 December 1994Chester CityA4–12,261Forster (3), Grainger
2331 December 1994Oxford UnitedH2–07,125Forster, Taylor
242 January 1995Cardiff CityA3–25,235Harvey, Forster, Taylor
2514 January 1995Swansea CityH0–07,211
2621 January 1995Hull CityA2–13,823Mundee, Grainger
2728 January 1995Cambridge UnitedH6–06,390Forster, Taylor (2), Grainger, Bailey (2)
284 February 1995Brighton & Hove AlbionA1–19,499Bailey
2911 February 1995Bradford CityH4–36,019Mundee, Taylor, Grainger, Forster
3017 February 1995Swansea CityA2–03,935Forster (2)
3121 February 1995Huddersfield TownH0–09,562
3225 February 1995Shrewsbury TownA1–24,570Forster
334 March 1995Crewe AlexandraH2–07,143Mundee, Taylor
347 March 1995WrexhamA0–02,834
3511 March 1995Stockport CountyH1–06,513Taylor
3618 March 1995Rotherham UnitedA2–02,968Forster, Abrahams
3721 March 1995Wycombe WanderersH0–09,530
3825 March 1995BlackpoolA2–14,663Bates, Taylor
391 April 1995York CityH3–06,474Grainger, Forster, Taylor
408 April 1995Oxford UnitedA1–17,800Taylor
4115 April 1995Chester CityH1–18,020Abrahams
4217 April 1995Leyton OrientA2–04,459Bates, Forster
4322 April 1995Cardiff CityH2–08,268Grainger (pen), Taylor
4426 April 1995Birmingham CityA0–225,581
4529 April 1995BournemouthH1–210,079Abrahams
466 May 1995Bristol RoversA2–28,501McGhee, Taylor

Football League Second Division play-offs

See main article: 1995 Football League play-offs.

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)
SF (1st leg)14 May 1995Huddersfield TownA1–114,160Forster
SF (2nd leg) 17 May 1995Huddersfield TownH1–1, (drew 2–2 on aggregate, lost 4–3 on penalties)11,161Grainger (pen)

FA Cup

See main article: 1994–95 FA Cup.

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)
R112 November 1994Cambridge UnitedA2–23,353Annon, Taylor
R1 (replay)22 November 1994Cambridge UnitedH1–24,096Grainger

League Cup

See main article: 1994–95 Football League Cup.

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)
R1 (1st leg) 16 August 1994Colchester UnitedA2–02,521Stephenson, Taylor
R2 (2nd leg) 23 August 1994Colchester UnitedH2–0 (won 4–0 on aggregate)2,315Parris, Smith
R2 (1st leg) 20 September 1994Tranmere RoversA0–13,754
R2 (2nd leg)27 September 1994Tranmere RoversH0–0 (lost 1–0 on aggregate)4,076

Football League Trophy

See main article: 1994–95 Football League Trophy.

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)
SR1 (match 1)19 October 1994Brighton & Hove AlbionA1–01,104Forster
SR1 (match 2)8 November 1994GillinghamH3–11,795Annon, Asaba, Ansah
SR23 December 1994Oxford UnitedH1–22,410Grainger (pen)

Playing squad

Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1994–95 season.

No.Pos.NameNat.Date of birth (age)Signed fromSigned inNotes
Goalkeepers
1GKKevin DeardenAugust 13, 1994Tottenham Hotspur1993
20GKTamer FernandesAugust 13, 1994Youth1993
25GKNeil MasonAugust 13, 1994Assistant physiotherapist
Defenders
2DFBrian StathamAugust 13, 1994Tottenham Hotspur1992
3DFMartin GraingerAugust 13, 1994Colchester United1993
4DFBarry AshbyAugust 13, 1994Watford1994
5DFShane WestleyAugust 13, 1994Wolverhampton Wanderers1992Loaned to Southend United
6DFCarl HutchingsAugust 13, 1994Youth1993
12DFJamie Bates (c)August 13, 1994Youth1986
19DFGus HurdleAugust 13, 1994Carshalton Athletic1993
21DFCorey CampbellAugust 13, 1994Youth1994
Midfielders
7MFLee HarveyAugust 13, 1994Nottingham Forest1993
8MFPaul SmithAugust 13, 1994Southend United1993
10MFDarren AnnonAugust 13, 1994Carshalton Athletic1994
14MFDenny MundeeAugust 13, 1994Bournemouth1993
17MFSimon RatcliffeAugust 13, 1994Norwich City1989
18MFPaul StephensonAugust 13, 1994Millwall1993
22MFJon HookerAugust 13, 1994Gillingham1994
23MFPaul AbrahamsAugust 13, 1994Colchester United1995
Forwards
9FWNicky ForsterAugust 13, 1994Gillingham1994
11FWRobert TaylorAugust 13, 1994Leyton Orient1994
13FWCraig RavenscroftAugust 13, 1994Youth1993Loaned to Woking
16FWDavid McGheeAugust 13, 1994Youth1994
27FWCarl AsabaAugust 13, 1994Dulwich Hamlet1994Loaned to Colchester United
Players who left the club mid-season
15FWIan BenjaminAugust 13, 1994Luton Town1993Released
23FWDennis BaileyAugust 13, 1994Queens Park Rangers1995Returned to Queens Park Rangers after loan
23FWAndy AnsahAugust 13, 1994Southend United1994Returned to Southend United after loan
24DFGeorge ParrisAugust 13, 1994Birmingham City1994Returned to Birmingham City after loan

Coaching staff

NameRole
David WebbManager
Kevin LockFirst Team Coach
Roy JohnsonPhysiotherapist
Neil MasonAssistant Physiotherapist
Fergus DignanMedical Officer

Statistics

Appearances and goals

Substitute appearances in brackets.

No.PosNatNameLeagueFA CupLeague CupFL TrophyPlayoffsTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
1GKKevin Dearden43020403020540
2DFBrian Statham26 (10)02020202034 (10)0
3DFMartin Grainger36 (1)72120312145 (1)10
4DFBarry Ashby40120303020501
5DFShane Westley15 (1)02030200022 (1)0
6DFCarl Hutchings38 (1)01 (1)0402 (1)00 (1)045 (4)0
7MFLee Harvey24 (1)22040200032 (1)2
8MFPaul Smith35320411020444
9FWNicky Forster462420402 (1)12156 (1)26
10MFDarren Annon9 (1)111001 (1)10011 (2)3
11FWRobert Taylor4323214120205325
12DFJamie Bates38210202020452
13MFCraig Ravenscroft1000000 (1)0001 (1)0
14MFDenny Mundee22 (17)5100 (1)0201 (1)026 (19)5
15MFIan Benjamin100 (1)01 (1)0
16MFDavid McGhee1 (6)1000000001 (6)1
17MFSimon Ratcliffe24 (1)1000 (1)0102027 (2)1
18MFPaul Stephenson34200411020413
19MFGus Hurdle7 (2)00 (1)020100010 (3)0
20GKTamer Fernandes3 (1)000000 (1)0003 (2)0
22MFJon Hooker0 (1)000000 (1)0
23MFPaul Abrahams7 (3)3108 (3)3
27FWCarl Asaba000000110011
Players loaned in during the season
23MFAndy Ansah2 (1)1214 (1)2
23FWDennis Bailey6363
24MFGeorge Parris502171

Goalscorers

No.Pos.NatPlayerFL2FACFLCFLTFLPTotal
9FWNicky Forster24001126
11FWRobert Taylor23110025
3DFMartin Grainger7101110
14MFDenny Mundee500005
8MFPaul Smith301004
10MFDarren Annon110103
23FWDennis Bailey33
23MFPaul Abrahams303
18MFPaul Stephenson201003
12DFJamie Bates200002
7MFLee Harvey200002
23FWAndy Ansah112
4DFBarry Ashby100001
16MFDavid McGhee100001
17MFSimon Ratcliffe100001
24MFGeorge Parris011
27FWCarl Asaba000101
Opponents200002
Total81345295

Summary

Games played 57 (46 Second Division, 2 FA Cup, 4 League Cup, 3 Football League Trophy, 2 Football League play-offs)
Games won 29 (25 Second Division, 0 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 2 Football League Trophy, 0 Football League play-offs)
Games drawn 14 (10 Second Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 0 Football League Trophy, 2 Football League play-offs)
Games lost 14 (11 Second Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy, 0 Football League play-offs)
Goals scored 95 (81 Second Division, 3 FA Cup, 4 League Cup, 5 Football League Trophy, 2 Football League play-offs)
Goals conceded 49 (39 Second Division, 4 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 3 Football League Trophy, 2 Football League play-offs)
Clean sheets 21 (22 Second Division, 0 FA Cup, 3 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy, 0 Football League play-offs)
Biggest league win 7–0 versus Plymouth Argyle, 17 December 1994
Worst league defeat 2–0 on 3 occasions
Most appearances 57, Nicky Forster (46 Second Division, 2 FA Cup, 4 League Cup, 3 Football League Trophy, 2 Football League play-offs)
Top scorer (league) 24, Nicky Forster
Top scorer (all competitions) 26, Nicky Forster

Transfers & loans

Players transferred in
DatePos.NamePrevious ClubFeeRef.
17 June 1994FW Nicky Forster Gillingham£200,000
9 August 1994FW Carl Asaba Dulwich HamletFree
December 1994FW Joe Omigie DonnaFree
14 November 1994MF Jon Hooker Gillingham£5,000
9 March 1995MF Paul Abrahams Colchester United£30,000
Players loaned in
Date fromPos.NameFromDate toRef.
8 August 1994DF George Parris Birmingham CitySeptember 1994
November 1994FW Andy Ansah Southend UnitedDecember 1994
26 January 1995FW Dennis Bailey Queens Park Rangers26 February 1995[7]
Players transferred out
DatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.
12 August 1994FW Dean P. Williams Doncaster Rovers£2,000
Players loaned out
Date fromPos.NameToDate toRef.
9 September 1994DF David Thompson BlackpoolNovember 1994
December 1994MF Craig Ravenscroft WokingJanuary 1995
January 1995DF Shane Westley Southend UnitedMarch 1995
16 February 1995FW Carl Asaba Colchester UnitedEnd of season
Players released
DatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.
n/aFW Matthew Metcalf Wroxhamn/a
n/aFW Dean A. Williams Stevenage BoroughAugust 1994
August 1994DF Billy Manuel Peterborough United16 September 1994
September 1994MF Ian Benjamin Wigan Athletic30 September 1994
September 1994MF Robbie Peters Carlisle UnitedNovember 1994
November 1994DF David Thompson BlackpoolNovember 1994

Kit

In February 1995, it was announced that Brentford had cancelled its sponsorship deal with KLM. As a result, the Hummel International home shirt was replaced by an unbranded replica, which was devoid of sponsorship.[8]

Home kit 1 only until March 1995|||||

Awards

Notes and References

  1. Book: Croxford, Mark . The Big Brentford Book Of The Nineties . Lane . David . Waterman . Greville . Legends Publishing . 2013 . 9781906796723 . Sunbury, Middlesex . 150.
  2. Web site: Brentford results for the 1994–1995 season . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160324074330/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/brentford/1994-1995/results . 24 March 2016 . 14 April 2016 . Statto.com.
  3. Web site: Street . Tim . Scott sends warning over Nicky Forster signing . 15 April 2016 . getwestlondon.
  4. Book: Haynes, Graham . A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopedia . 1998 . Yore Publications . 1 874427 57 7 . Harefield, Middlesex . 44.
  5. Web site: Birmingham City results for the 1994–1995 season . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160406212906/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/birmingham-city/1994-1995/results . 6 April 2016 . 15 April 2016 . Statto.com.
  6. Book: 100 Years Of Brentford . Brentford FC . 1989 . 0951526200 . White . Eric . 355–400.
  7. Web site: Dennis Bailey . 14 April 2016 . 11v11.com.
  8. Book: Griffin Gazette versus Bradford City . 11 February 1995 . Quay Design of Poole . 2.
  9. Book: News Of The World Football Annual 1995–96 . Invincible Press . 1995 . 0855432330 . Sewell . Albert . Hammersmith, London . 338.
  10. Book: Lynch, Tony . The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes . Random House . 1995 . 0-09-179135-9 . 150.