# 1979–80 Brentford F.C. season

During the 1979–80 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division. Despite challenging for promotion in the first half of the season, a barren run between December 1979 and March 1980 meant that the Bees' Third Division status was only preserved on the final day of the season.

## Season summary

Brentford manager Bill Dodgin Jr. oversaw one of the quietest off-seasons in recent years, with the only change being in the striking department – Andrew McCulloch departed for a club record £60,000 fee and in came Lee Holmes and Billy Holmes, the latter for a £10,000 fee. In direct contrast to the previous two seasons, Brentford started strongly, winning six and drawing three of the first 11 league matches of the season to rise to 3rd position in the Third Division on 10 October 1979. Continued good results and a boost from the loan signing of winger Keith Fear put the Bees in 2nd place behind leaders Sheffield United one month later, but after a 7–2 victory over Hull City on 8 December (the Bees' biggest win of the season), the team's form collapsed.
Between 15 December 1979 and 29 March 1980, Brentford won just 7 of a possible 36 points and dropped from 3rd to 18th place. A 1–0 home defeat to Rotherham United at Griffin Park on 29 March left the Bees just two points above the relegation zone and the result spelt the end for manager Bill Dodgin Jr, who was given a paid leave of absence until the end of the season by the Brentford board. Former Woking manager Fred Callaghan was appointed to the position and oversaw something of a revival, though Brentford went into the final match of the season versus Millwall needing at least a point to guarantee safety. A goal from one of Bill Dodgin Jr.'s final signings, Tony Funnell, was enough to preserve Brentford's Third Division status.
One club record was equalled during the season:
* Most consecutive away Football League clean sheets: 4 (8 September – 10 October 1979)

## League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 17 | Oxford United | 46 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 57 | 62 | −5 | 41 | |
| 18 | Blackpool | 46 | 15 | 11 | 20 | 62 | 74 | −12 | 41 | |
| 19 | Brentford | 46 | 15 | 11 | 20 | 59 | 73 | −14 | 41 | |
| 20 | Hull City | 46 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 51 | 69 | −18 | 40 | |
| 21 | Bury | 46 | 16 | 7 | 23 | 45 | 59 | −14 | 39 | Relegated |

## Results

    Brentford's goal tally listed first.

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Pre-season and friendlies

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorer(s) |
| 31 July 1979 | Wrexham | H | 5–1 | Phillips (3), Shrubb, Fraser |
| 3 August 1979 | Charlton Athletic | H | 2–1 | McNichol, L. Holmes |
| 7 August 1979 | St Albans City | A | 1–0 | McNichol |
| 8 August 1979 | Epson & Ewell | A | 2–0 | L. Holmes, Glover |
| 14 April 1980 | Slough Town | A | 2–1 | Booker |
| 6 May 1980 | Tooting & Mitcham United | A | 1–2 | Phillips |

### Football League Third Division

| No. | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) |
| 1 | 18 August 1979 | Reading | A | 2–2 | 8,140 | Henderson (og), Fraser |
| 2 | 25 August 1979 | Swindon Town | A | 0–4 | 7,204 | |
| 3 | 1 September 1979 | Chesterfield | H | 3–1 | 5,762 | Carlton, Fraser, W. Holmes |
| 4 | 8 September 1979 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 2–0 | 11,778 | L. Holmes, Phillips |
| 5 | 15 September 1979 | Grimsby Town | H | 1–0 | 7,121 | Salman |
| 6 | 17 September 1979 | Exeter City | H | 0–2 | 7,809 | |
| 7 | 22 September 1979 | Wimbledon | A | 0–0 | 5,524 | |
| 8 | 29 September 1979 | Southend United | H | 2–0 | 6,928 | McNichol, Phillips |
| 9 | 3 October 1979 | Exeter City | A | 0–0 | 3,297 | |
| 10 | 6 October 1979 | Barnsley | H | 3–1 | 7,292 | Kruse, L. Holmes, Smith |
| 11 | 10 October 1979 | Oxford United | A | 2–0 | 6,362 | McNichol, Phillips |
| 12 | 13 October 1979 | Blackpool | A | 4–5 | 5,386 | Carlton, Phillips, W. Holmes, McNichol |
| 13 | 20 October 1979 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 2–0 | 7,970 | McNichol, Phillips |
| 14 | 22 October 1979 | Sheffield United | H | 1–2 | 13,764 | Smith |
| 15 | 27 October 1979 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 1–0 | 5,203 | J. Graham |
| 16 | 3 November 1979 | Reading | H | 2–2 | 10,011 | Smith (2) |
| 17 | 6 November 1979 | Sheffield United | A | 2–0 | 14,808 | Tibbott (og), Smith |
| 18 | 10 November 1979 | Colchester United | H | 1–0 | 9,070 | McNichol |
| 19 | 17 November 1979 | Rotherham United | A | 2–4 | 4,709 | McNichol (2, 1 pen) |
| 20 | 1 December 1979 | Carlisle United | A | 1–3 | 4,275 | L. Holmes |
| 21 | 8 December 1979 | Hull City | H | 7–2 | 6,793 | Phillips (2), Booker (3), Fear, Kruse |
| 22 | 15 December 1979 | Oxford United | H | 1–1 | 7,592 | Salman |
| 23 | 21 December 1979 | Bury | A | 2–4 | 2,443 | Fraser, Booker |
| 24 | 26 December 1979 | Chester | H | 2–2 | 10,139 | McNichol, Fear |
| 25 | 29 December 1979 | Swindon Town | H | 1–3 | 12,122 | Fraser |
| 26 | 5 January 1980 | Gillingham | H | 0–2 | 7,849 | |
| 27 | 12 January 1980 | Chesterfield | A | 0–1 | 5,529 | |
| 28 | 19 January 1980 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 2–2 | 8,389 | Phillips, L. Holmes |
| 29 | 2 February 1980 | Grimsby Town | A | 1–5 | 9,817 | Phillips |
| 30 | 9 February 1980 | Wimbledon | H | 0–1 | 7,383 | |
| 31 | 16 February 1980 | Southend United | A | 2–3 | 4,198 | Shrubb, Phillips |
| 32 | 23 February 1980 | Blackpool | H | 2–1 | 6,403 | Booker, Salman |
| 33 | 1 March 1980 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 0–3 | 10,227 | |
| 34 | 8 March 1980 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 0–0 | 6,462 | |
| 35 | 10 March 1980 | Mansfield Town | A | 0–0 | 3,461 | |
| 36 | 15 March 1980 | Barnsley | A | 0–1 | 9,368 | |
| 37 | 18 March 1980 | Millwall | A | 1–3 | 6,107 | Kruse |
| 38 | 23 March 1980 | Colchester United | A | 1–6 | 3,821 | Funnell |
| 39 | 29 March 1980 | Rotherham United | H | 0–1 | 4,992 | |
| 40 | 5 April 1980 | Chester | A | 1–1 | 2,930 | Phillips |
| 41 | 7 April 1980 | Mansfield Town | H | 2–0 | 6,057 | L. Holmes, Phillips |
| 42 | 8 April 1980 | Bury | H | 0–0 | 6,751 | |
| 43 | 12 April 1980 | Gillingham | A | 1–0 | 5,889 | Booker |
| 44 | 19 April 1980 | Carlisle United | H | 0–3 | 6,130 | |
| 45 | 26 April 1980 | Hull City | A | 1–2 | 5,382 | L. Holmes |
| 46 | 3 May 1980 | Millwall | H | 1–0 | 7,033 | Funnell |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer |
| 1R | 24 November 1979 | Swindon Town | A | 1–4 | 9,472 | Smith |

### Football League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer |
| 1R (1st leg) | 15 August 1979 | Southend United | A | 1–2 | 4,780 | L. Holmes |
| 1R (2nd leg) | 21 August 1979 | Southend United | H | 1–4 (lost 6–2 on aggregate) | 7,818 | Allder |
* Sources: 100 Years of Brentford, The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies, Statto

## Playing squad

    Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1979–80 season.
| Pos. | Name | Date of birth (age) | Signed from | Signed in | Notes |
| Goalkeepers |||||||
| GK | Len Bond | (1954-01-12)12 January 1954 (aged 25) | Bristol City | 1977 | |
| GK | Trevor Porter | (1956-10-16)16 October 1956 (aged 22) | Slough Town | 1978 | |
| Defenders |||||||
| DF | Iori Jenkins | (1959-12-11)11 December 1959 (aged 19) | Chelsea | 1979 | |
| DF | Pat Kruse | (1953-11-30)30 November 1953 (aged 25) | Torquay United | 1977 | |
| DF | Jim McNichol | (1958-06-09)9 June 1958 (aged 21) | Luton Town | 1978 | |
| DF | Danis Salman | (1960-03-12)12 March 1960 (aged 19) | Youth | 1975 | |
| DF | Paul Shrubb | (1955-08-01)1 August 1955 (aged 24) | Hellenic | 1977 | |
| DF | Barry Tucker | (1952-08-28)28 August 1952 (aged 26) | Northampton Town | 1978 | |
| Midfielders |||||||
| MF | Doug Allder | (1951-12-30)30 December 1951 (aged 27) | Unattached | 1977 | |
| MF | Dave Carlton | (1952-11-24)24 November 1952 (aged 26) | Northampton Town | 1976 | |
| MF | John Fraser | (1953-07-12)12 July 1953 (aged 26) | Fulham | 1976 | |
| MF | Allan Glover | (1950-10-21)21 October 1950 (aged 28) | Orient | 1978 | |
| MF | Jackie Graham (c) | (1946-07-16)16 July 1946 (aged 33) | Guildford City | 1970 | |
| MF | Willie Graham | (1959-02-14)14 February 1959 (aged 20) | Northampton Town | 1977 | |
| MF | Paul Walker | (1960-12-17)17 December 1960 (aged 18) | Youth | 1976 | |
| Forwards |||||||
| FW | Bob Booker | (1958-01-25)25 January 1958 (aged 21) | Bedmond Sports & Social | 1978 | Loaned to Barnet |
| FW | Tony Funnell | (1957-08-20)20 August 1957 (aged 21) | Gillingham | 1980 | |
| FW | Billy Holmes | (1951-02-04)4 February 1951 (aged 28) | Hereford United | 1979 | |
| FW | Lee Holmes | (1955-09-28)28 September 1955 (aged 23) | Haringey Borough | 1979 | |
| FW | Steve Phillips | (1954-08-04)4 August 1954 (aged 25) | Northampton Town | 1977 | |
| FW | Dean Smith | (1958-11-28)28 November 1958 (aged 20) | Leicester City | 1977 | |
| Players who left the club mid-season |||||||
| DF | Steve Harding | (1956-07-23)23 July 1956 (aged 23) | Bristol Rovers | 1980 | Returned to Bristol Rovers after loan |
| MF | Noel Parkinson | (1959-11-16)16 November 1959 (aged 19) | Ipswich Town | 1980 | Returned to Ipswich Town from loan |
| FW | Keith Fear | (1952-05-08)8 May 1952 (aged 27) | Plymouth Argyle | 1979 | Returned to Plymouth Argyle after loan |
* Sources: The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies, Timeless Bees

## Coaching staff
### Bill Dodgin Jr. (15 August 1979 – 15 March 1980)

| Name | Role |
| Bill Dodgin Jr. | Manager |
| Tommy Baldwin | Assistant Manager |
| Eddie Lyons | Physiotherapist |

### Fred Callaghan (15 March – 3 May 1980)

| Name | Role |
| Fred Callaghan | Manager |
| Eddie Lyons | Physiotherapist |

## Statistics
### Appearances and goals

    Substitute appearances in brackets.
| Pos | Nat | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Total | Total |
| Pos | Nat | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| GK | | Len Bond | 42 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 45 | 0 |
| GK | | Trevor Porter | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| DF | | Iori Jenkins | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| DF | | Pat Kruse | 44 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 47 | 3 |
| DF | | Jim McNichol | 31 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 34 | 8 |
| DF | | Danis Salman | 39 (2) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 41 (2) | 3 |
| DF | | Paul Shrubb | 34 (5) | 1 | 0 (1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 36 (6) | 1 |
| DF | | Barry Tucker | 41 (1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 (1) | 0 |
| MF | | Doug Allder | 19 (8) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 (1) | 1 | 21 (9) | 1 |
| MF | | Dave Carlton | 38 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 41 | 2 |
| MF | | John Fraser | 42 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 45 | 4 |
| MF | | Allan Glover | 3 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 (1) | 0 |
| MF | | Jackie Graham | 30 (1) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 (1) | 1 |
| MF | | Willie Graham | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | | Paul Walker | 2 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 (1) | 0 |
| FW | | Bob Booker | 9 (3) | 6 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 9 (3) | 6 |
| FW | | Tony Funnell | 8 (1) | 2 | — | — | — | — | 8 (1) | 2 |
| FW | | Billy Holmes | 8 (7) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 (7) | 2 |
| FW | | Lee Holmes | 26 (2) | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 28 (2) | 7 |
| FW | | Steve Phillips | 45 (1) | 12 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 48 (1) | 12 |
| FW | | Dean Smith | 20 (2) | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 23 (2) | 6 |
| Players loaned in during the season |||||||||||
| DF | | Steve Harding | 3 (1) | 0 | — | — | — | — | 3 (1) | 0 |
| MF | | Keith Fear | 7 (1) | 2 | — | — | — | — | 7 (1) | 2 |
| MF | | Noel Parkinson | 9 (1) | 0 | — | — | — | — | 9 (1) | 0 |
* Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
* Source: 100 Years of Brentford

### Goalscorers

| Pos. | Nat | Player | FL3 | FAC | FLC | Total |
| FW | | Steve Phillips | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| DF | | Jim McNichol | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| FW | | Lee Holmes | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| FW | | Bob Booker | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| FW | | Dean Smith | 5 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| MF | | John Fraser | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| DF | | Pat Kruse | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| DF | | Danis Salman | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| MF | | Keith Fear | 2 | — | — | 2 |
| FW | | Tony Funnell | 2 | — | — | 2 |
| MF | | Dave Carlton | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| FW | | Billy Holmes | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| MF | | Doug Allder | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| MF | | Jackie Graham | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| DF | | Paul Shrubb | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Opponents | Opponents | Opponents | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Total | Total | Total | 59 | 1 | 2 | 62 |
* Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
* Source: 100 Years of Brentford

### Management

| Name | Nat | From | To | Record All Comps | Record All Comps | Record All Comps | Record All Comps | Record All Comps | Record League | Record League | Record League | Record League | Record League |
| Name | Nat | From | To | P | W | D | L | W % | P | W | D | L | W % |
| Bill Dodgin, Jr. | | 15 August 1979 | 29 March 1980 | 42 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 028.57 | 39 | 12 | 9 | 18 | 030.77 |
| Fred Callaghan | | 29 March 1980 | 3 May 1980 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 042.86 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 042.86 |

### Summary

| Games played | 49 (46 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, 2 League Cup) |
| Games won | 15 (15 Third Division, 0 FA Cup, 0 League Cup) |
| Games drawn | 11 (11 Third Division, 0 FA Cup, 0 League Cup) |
| Games lost | 23 (20 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, 2 League Cup) |
| Goals scored | 62 (59 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, 2 League Cup) |
| Goals conceded | 83 (73 Third Division, 4 FA Cup, 6 League Cup) |
| Clean sheets | 16 (16 Third Division, 0 FA Cup, 0 League Cup) |
| Biggest league win | 7–2 versus Hull City, 8 December 1979 |
| Worst league defeat | 6–1 versus Colchester United, 23 March 1980 |
| Most appearances | 49, Steve Phillips (46 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, 2 League Cup) |
| Top scorer (league) | 12, Steve Phillips |
| Top scorer (all competitions) | 12, Steve Phillips |

## Transfers & loans

Players transferred in :
| Date | Pos. | Name | Previous Club | Fee | Ref. |
| June 1979 | FW | Lee Holmes | Haringey Borough | n/a | |
| August 1979 | FW | Billy Holmes | Hereford United | £10,000 | |
| September 1979 | DF | Dave O'Mahoney | n/a | n/a | |
| November 1979 | DF | Iori Jenkins | Chelsea | Free | |
| 1979 | MF | Terry Benning | Watford | n/a | |
| January 1980 | n/a | Barry Bowen | n/a | Non-contract | |
| March 1980 | FW | Tony Funnell | Gillingham | £56,000 | |
| Players loaned in ||||||
| Date from | Pos. | Name | From | Date to | Ref. |
| November 1979 | MF | Keith Fear | Plymouth Argyle | January 1980 | |
| 17 January 1980 | DF | Steve Harding | Bristol Rovers | February 1980 | |
| 19 February 1980 | MF | Noel Parkinson | Ipswich Town | April 1980 | |
| Players transferred out ||||||
| Date | Pos. | Name | Subsequent club | Fee | Ref. |
| June 1979 | FW | Andrew McCulloch | Sheffield Wednesday | £60,000 | |
| Players loaned out ||||||
| Date from | Pos. | Name | To | Date to | Ref. |
| October 1979 | FW | Bob Booker | Barnet | December 1979 | |
| Players released ||||||
| Date | Pos. | Name | Subsequent club | Join date | Ref. |
| May 1980 | MF | Doug Allder | Tooting & Mitcham United | 1980 | |
| May 1980 | MF | Terry Benning | n/a | n/a | |
| May 1980 | MF | Allan Glover | Staines Town | 1980 | |
| May 1980 | MF | Jackie Graham | Addlestone & Weybridge Town | 1980 | |
| May 1980 | FW | Billy Holmes | Aylesbury United | 1980 | |
| May 1980 | GK | Trevor Porter | Retired | | |

## Awards

* Supporters' Player of the Year: Pat Kruse
* Players' Player of the Year: Pat Kruse