# 1977–78 Wimbledon F.C. season

During the 1977–78 English football season, Wimbledon F.C. competed in the Football League Fourth Division, following promotion from the Southern Football League the previous season. It was Wimbledon's first ever season in the Football League.

## Season summary

Wimbledon enjoyed a satisfactory season upon their Football League debut, finishing 13th in the Fourth Division. Manager Allen Batsford had resigned in January, to be replaced by Dario Gradi.

## Kit

Adidas became Wimbledon's kit sponsors. The kit remained white but also featured Adidas' trademark "three stripes" in blue from collar to cuffs on the shirt and on the sides of the shorts.

## Squad

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Division Four | Division Four | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| | MF | ENG | Glenn Aitken | 13 | 1 | 11+0 | 1 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Dave Bassett | 39 | 1 | 35+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 1 |
| | DF | ENG | Brian Bithell | 6 | 0 | 6+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | David Bradley | 7 | 0 | 7+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Les Briley | 14 | 1 | 13+1 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Jeff Bryant | 47 | 7 | 43+0 | 7 | 1+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Roger Connell | 33 | 15 | 28+2 | 14 | 0+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 1 |
| | FW | ENG | Alan Cork | 17 | 4 | 17+0 | 4 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Francis Cowley | 2 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Geoff Davies | 26 | 1 | 23+0 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Paul Denny | 27 | 1 | 23+3 | 1 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Dave Donaldson | 42 | 0 | 38+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Terry Eames | 19 | 0 | 17+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Billy Edwards | 24 | 2 | 21+0 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Steve Galliers | 31 | 1 | 22+5 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Dave Galvin | 41 | 5 | 40+0 | 5 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | GK | ENG | Ray Goddard | 18 | 0 | 18+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | GK | ENG | Dickie Guy | 16 | 0 | 13+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Billy Holmes | 18 | 7 | 15+0 | 5 | 0+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 2 |
| | FW | ENG | John Leslie | 45 | 13 | 40+1 | 13 | 1+0 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 |
| | MF | ENG | Steve Parsons | 24 | 5 | 24+0 | 5 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Willie Smith | 4 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Phil Summerill | 25 | 4 | 22+2 | 4 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| | GK | ENG | Richard Teale | 16 | 0 | 15+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| | DF | ENG | Kevin Tilley | 16 | 0 | 11+2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 |

## Staff

Chairman Ron Noades Manager Allen Batsford (until 2 January 1978) Dario Gradi (from 5 January 1978)

## Transfers
### Out

* Ian Cooke - retired

## Matches
### Football League Division Four
#### Results

| Date | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance |
| 20 August 1977 | Halifax Town (H) | 3–3 | Bryant 61', Leslie 70', Connell 86' | 4,616 |
| 22 August 1977 | Brentford (A) | 1–4 | Bryant 10' | 11,001 |
| 27 August 1977 | Torquay United (A) | 1–1 | Connell 90' | 4,162 |
| 3 September 1977 | Southport (H) | 2–2 | Connell 25', Harrison (o.g.) 59' | 3,603 |
| 10 September 1977 | Hartlepool United (A) | 0–2 | | 2,700 |
| 13 September 1977 | Aldershot (H) | 1–2 | Edwards 50' | 4,446 |
| 17 September 1977 | Scunthorpe United (A) | 0–3 | | 2,618 |
| 24 September 1977 | Northampton Town (H) | 2–0 | Holmes 35', Summerill 38' | 3,326 |
| 27 September 1977 | Newport County (H) | 3–0 | Galvin 19', Davies 32', Holmes 60' | 3,941 |
| 1 October 1977 | Reading (A) | 2–2 | Summerill 35', Holmes 75' | 4,369 |
| 4 October 1977 | Grimsby Town (A) | 1–3 | Summerill 55' | 4,048 |
| 8 October 1977 | Crewe Alexandra (H) | 0–0 | | 2,634 |
| 15 October 1977 | Bournemouth (A) | 2–1 | Holmes 21', Leslie 72' | 4,272 |
| 22 October 1977 | Southend United (H) | 1–3 | Galvin 13' | 4,448 |
| 29 October 1977 | Darlington (A) | 1–3 | Holmes 44' (pen.) | 2,710 |
| 5 November 1977 | Swansea City (H) | 1–1 | Summerill 73' | 2,701 |
| 7 November 1977 | Darlington (H) | 1–1 | Aitken 39' | 2,028 |
| 19 November 1977 | York City (H) | 2–1 | Leslie (2) 44', 50' | 2,056 |
| 2 December 1977 | Stockport County (A) | 2–2 | Leslie (2) 64', 77' | 5,008 |
| 10 December 1977 | Barnsley (H) | 0–0 | | 2,406 |
| 17 December 1977 | Huddersfield Town (H) | 0–3 | | 3,544 |
| 26 December 1977 | Rochdale (A) | 0–3 | | 1,283 |
| 28 December 1977 | Doncaster Rovers (H) | 3–3 | Galliers 11', Leslie 37', Parsons 58' (pen.) | 2,032 |
| 31 December 1977 | Watford (H) | 1–3 | Edwards 80' | 7,324 |
| 2 January 1978 | Swansea City (A) | 0–3 | | 9,700 |
| 7 January 1978 | Brentford (H) | 1–1 | Galvin 68' | 5,411 |
| 14 January 1978 | Halifax Town (A) | 2–1 | Bryant 56', Denny 80' | 2,770 |
| 21 January 1978 | Torquay United (H) | 0–1 | | 2,300 |
| 11 February 1978 | Scunthorpe United (H) | 0–0 | | 1,603 |
| 20 February 1978 | Hartlepool United (H) | 3–0 | Connell 16', Galvin (2) 59', 82' | 1,440 |
| 24 February 1978 | Reading (H) | 1–1 | Connell 58' | 2,567 |
| 28 February 1978 | Northampton Town (A) | 3–0 | Connell (2) 23', 44', Parsons 30' | 2,643 |
| 4 March 1978 | Crewe Alexandra (A) | 0–0 | | 1,871 |
| 8 March 1978 | Aldershot (A) | 1–3 | Wooler (o.g.) 89' | 4,632 |
| 11 March 1978 | Bournemouth (H) | 3–1 | Connell 45', Cork 48', Leslie 56' | 2,834 |
| 17 March 1978 | Southend United (A) | 0–1 | | 7,120 |
| 25 March 1978 | Doncaster Rovers (A) | 2–0 | Bryant 61', Cork 75' | 2,484 |
| 27 March 1978 | Rochdale (H) | 5–1 | Cork (2) 11', 85', Leslie 45', Bryant 62', Parsons 90' | 2,737 |
| 1 April 1978 | Watford (A) | 0–2 | | 11,212 |
| 4 April 1978 | Grimsby Town (H) | 2–2 | Leslie 37', Parsons 66' (pen.) | 2,380 |
| 8 April 1978 | Huddersfield Town (H) | 2–0 | Bryant 10', Leslie 24' | 2,602 |
| 15 April 1978 | York City (A) | 1–1 | Connell 72' | 1,617 |
| 17 April 1978 | Southport (A) | 5–0 | Connell (2) 41', 43', Parsons 46', Leslie 75', Bryant 85' | 1,604 |
| 22 April 1978 | Stockport County (H) | 2–0 | Briley 57', Leslie 65' | 2,763 |
| 25 April 1978 | Newport County (A) | 1–0 | Connell 43' | 2,112 |
| 29 April 1978 | Barnsley (A) | 2–3 | Connell (2) 46', 88' | 2,479 |

### FA Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance |
| 26 November 1977 | Round 1 | Enfield (A) | 0–3 | | 2,849 |

### League Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | Result | Goalscorers | Attendance |
| 13 August 1977 | Round 1 First Leg | Gillingham (A) | 1–1 | Holmes 85' | 4,782 |
| 16 August 1977 | Round 1 Second Leg | Gillingham (H) | 3–1 | Bassett 35', Connell 68', Holmes 72' | 3,868 |
| 31 August 1977 | Round 2 | Tottenham Hotspur (A) | 0–4 | | 22,807 |