During the
1974–75 English football season,
Brentford competed in the
Football League Fourth Division. After a poor first half of the season, manager
Mike Everitt was sacked and replaced by
John Docherty, who produced a strong run of results to finish the campaign in 8th place.
Season summary
Off the back of
Brentford's lowest finish in the
Football League since the
1925–26 season, only three players were signed –
defender Keith Lawrence on a permanent deal from
Chelsea
Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to:
Places Australia
* Chelsea, Victoria
Canada
* Chelsea, Nova Scotia
* Chelsea, Quebec
United Kingdom
* Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames
** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...
,
goalkeeper
In many team sports which involve scoring goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie or keeper) is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by blocking or intercepting o ...
Steve Sherwood on a season-long
loan
In finance, a loan is the lending of money by one or more individuals, organizations, or other entities to other individuals, organizations, etc. The recipient (i.e., the borrower) incurs a debt and is usually liable to pay interest on that ...
from Chelsea and
Wimbledon midfield
Midfield is the part of a sports field that lies approximately in the center. In American football, association football (soccer) and field hockey, it is the area in and around the center circle, as well as the players who occupy that region. In ...
trialist
Graham Smith.
Two long-serving players were released,
winger John Docherty and
full back Alan Hawley.
[White, p. 295-297.] New chairman Les Davey announced that the club would move to a new stadium in West
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
and that there was talk of a £1,000,000 takeover bid by local firm Brentford Nylons, but nothing came of either plan.
Brentford began the season poorly and after eight league matches were just two points above the
Fourth Division re-election
The incumbent is the current holder of an office or position, usually in relation to an election. In an election for president, the incumbent is the person holding or acting in the office of president before the election, whether seeking re-ele ...
zone,
though one early season highlight was a
League Cup
In several sports, most prominently association football, a league cup or secondary cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league. The first national association football tournament t ...
second round tie versus
First Division giants
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...
at
Anfield
Anfield is a football stadium in Anfield, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, which has a seating capacity of 53,394, making it the seventh largest football stadium in England. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 189 ...
, where
Roger Cross
Roger Cross (born October 19, 1969) is a Jamaican-born Canadian actor who has made numerous appearances in several films and television series, mostly on productions shot in Canada. He is known for his work as CTU Agent Curtis Manning in the ...
scored the opener in a 2–1 defeat.
The Liverpool match was also notable for it being the final appearance made by
centre half
In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield position whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring.
Centre-backs are usually positioned in pairs, with one full-back on either ...
Peter Gelson
Peter William John Gelson (18 October 1941 – 26 April 2021) was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League for Brentford as a centre back and wing half. A cult hero amongst the club's supporters, he is third on the ...
,
then the club's second-highest appearance-maker, who had his contract cancelled and departed the club shortly afterwards.
Under recently appointed chairman
Dan Tana, manager
Mike Everitt was given a
vote of confidence
A motion of no confidence, also variously called a vote of no confidence, no-confidence motion, motion of confidence, or vote of confidence, is a statement or vote about whether a person in a position of responsibility like in government or mana ...
in November 1974 and strengthened the team by signing
forward Willie Brown on loan from
Newport County (and later permanently for £4,000) and midfielder
Terry Johnson from
Southend United
Southend United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England. As of the 2022–23 season, the team competes in the National League, the fifth tier of English football. Southend are known as ...
for £15,000.
The signings had the desired effect and Brentford rose into mid-table after winning four and drawing one of a seven-match spell from late November through to mid-January 1975,
but on 16 January, manager Mike Everitt was sacked.
Trainer
Jess Willard
Jess Myron Willard (December 29, 1881 – December 15, 1968) was an American world heavyweight boxing champion billed as the Pottawatomie Giant who knocked out Jack Johnson in April 1915 for the heavyweight title. Willard was known for size rat ...
took over as caretaker manager for the following match, before the appointment of former player John Docherty on 20 January.
Docherty turned Brentford's season around, losing just four of the remaining 19 matches of the season to finish in 8th place.
Four wins, two draws and just one defeat in April won Docherty the Football League Manager of the Month award.
League table
Results
:''Brentford's goal tally listed first.''
Legend
Pre-season and friendlies
Football League Fourth Division
FA Cup
Football League Cup
*
Sources: 100 Years of Brentford,
Statto
/small>
Playing squad
:''Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1974–75 season.''
*
Sources: The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies, Timeless Bees
Coaching staff
Mike Everitt (17 August 1974 – 16 January 1975)
Jess Willard (16 – 20 January 1975)
John Docherty (20 January – 26 April 1975)
Statistics
Appearances and goals
:''Substitute appearances in brackets.''
*
Players listed in ''italics'' left the club mid-season.
*
Source: 100 Years of Brentford
Goalscorers
*
Players listed in ''italics'' left the club mid-season.
*
Source: 100 Years of Brentford
Management
Summary
Transfers & loans
Awards
*
Supporters' Player of the Year:
Steve Sherwood[Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 295.]
* Players' Player of the Year:
Jackie Graham
John Joseph Graham (born 16 July 1946) is a Scottish former professional football player and manager who played as a central midfielder and inside left. He is best remembered for the decade he spent in the Football League with Brentford, for w ...
* Football League Manager of the Month:
John Docherty (April 1975)
Notes
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:1974-75 Brentford F.C. season
Brentford F.C. seasons
Brentford