Unreliable History

There is a rumour that the first recorded instance of a football-like game being played was in the times of the Romans, when Julius Caesar kicked a skull over the River Brent, but it took another 1800 years before a club was properly formed in the area. Several grounds found Brentford playing on them after they were founded in 1889. They played behind a Wesleyan chapel close to their current home, in the field owned by Mr. Benn (Benns Field), Shotters Field and Boston Park (where visitors certainly found it was no tea party) before settling into Griffin Park in 1904.The early days saw the fledgling club collect a host of local honours, but it was in 1929 as a member of the 3rd Division that they first made an impact. That season they became the only team ever to win all their home fixtures. This was a marvellous achievement and may have had something to do with a misprint in the League’s list of games, that had the West London side down as Brentwood, a sleepy hollow in Essex not noted for it’s prowess at Association Football. The next few years found Brentford climbing up the divisions, before reaching the top, where they spent 12 years in the old First Division. After they were relegated, they never really recovered the glory of these heady days. Things got so bad, that during the 1960’s, financial problems produced an audacious bid from QPR to take over the Bees along with Griffin Park. The Brentford fans were stung into action and swarmed in support of the club, telling their local rivals to mind their P’s and Q’s (I won’t relate what they were told to do with their R’s).

Apart from a couple of play-off appearances, there has been precious little to cheer about, unless you include an unsuccessful visit to Wembley in the Freight Rover trophy. In other terms, there was excitement when, during a home game with Millwall, a fan trying to instil some Dunkirk spirit in the match, lobbed a hand grenade onto the field. Unfortunately, this attempt to liven up proceedings was, much like the team, a dud.

Having had success in escaping Division 3 with David Webb in charge, things started to turn sour, with the sale of the better players and a current battle to avoid a return to the bottom division. Taken over by former Crystal Palace owner Ron Noades, Brentford have got up into Division Two and established a top half position there.  His adoption of the managerial reins was also a revelation, as his buying and selling has been very astute.  He has plans to move to a bigger ground to improve the club’s image and popularity.  Living in the shadow of bigger West London clubs makes Brentford appear the poor relations, but with a little bit of luck and a little bit of money, there could be honey again for tea.  

Unfortunately for the West London side, the money has not been there during the 2000-2001 season and manager Ray Lewington is on his way to Watford, leaving them to find their way again next season.  A place in the LDV Vans Trophy could not hide the fact that they struggled for consistency throughout the campaign.  While the club moved between the second and third tiers of English football for a few years, it was only in 2011 when Matthew Benham (a professional gambler) bought the club and introduced a new ethos at Brentford, which was based on buying young players and selling high to replace them with cheaper players. 

Did it work ?  You bet !

With Managers Mark Warburton, Dean Smith and Thomas Frank successively building on the foundations laid by the club’s investor, the returns were starting to be claimed.  Only the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020 perhaps halted their rise to the top flight and the jackpot of riches that comes with it, as Brentford were looking odds-on to go up automatically, but some poor performances after the restart put them in the play-off, which they lost to Fulham.

It delayed their promotion for a year and a place in the Premier League was attained successfully via the play-offs this time, the same season they left their home of 106 years to move from Griffin Park to the new identikit GTech Community stadium.  Manager Thomas Frank, much loved by the TV pundits, developed a style with the players brought in through the club’s recruitment to keep them up and even managed a 9th place finish in 2022-2023.

 

FAMOUS PLAYERS :- Ron Greenwood, Tony Summer, Rod Stewart (apprentice), Dai Hopkins, Ken Coote, Terry Hurlock, Jack Holliday.

FAMOUS FANS : – Dean Gaffney (Actor “Robbie” in EastEnders), Sarah Cracknell (Singer – St. Etienne), Kenny Lynch (Comic Actor); Bradley Walsh (TV Quiz show “The Chase” presenter); Billy Reeves (BBC Radio London presenter; Musician – theaudience, The Helicopter of the Holy Ghost; commentator for Brentford FC website); Adam Devlin (Musician – The Bluetones); Richard Archer (Musician/Producer – Hard-Fi).

    Club Records
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Formed 10th October 1889
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Turned Professional 1899
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Became a Limited Company 1901
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Former names
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Previous grounds 1889-1891 = Clifden Road
1891-1895 = Benn’s Field, Little Ealing
1895-1898 = Shotter’s Field
1898-1900 = Cross Road, South Ealing
1900-1904 = Boston Park
1904-2020 = Griffin Park
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Nickname “The BEES”
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Club Colours

(with thanks to the wonderful Colours of Football website for the kit images)

HOME :
AWAY :
THIRD :
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Record Football League Win 9-0  v  Wrexham    Division 3    15.10.1963
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Record Football League Defeat 0-7  v  Swansea Town    Division 3 (South)   8.11.1924
0-7  v  Walsall    Division 3 (South)   19.1.1957
0-7  v  Peterborough United    League Two   24.11.2007
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Record Cup Win 8-0  v  Uxbridge      FAC 3QR     31.10.1903
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Record Cup Defeat 1-7  v  Manchester United      FAC R3     14.1.1928
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Record Fee Paid £10,000,000 (conditional) (reported) to Peterborough United for Ivan TONEY  (1st September 2020)
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Record Fee Received £28,000,000 from Aston Villa for Ollie WATKINS  (9th September 2020)
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Record Football League Appearances 514  –  Ken COOTE (1949-1963)
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Record Appearances 559  –  Ken COOTE (1949-1963)
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Record goal-scorer in a season 38  –  Jack HOLLIDAY  Division 3 (South)  1932-1933
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Record all-time League goal-scorer  153  –  Jim TOWERS  (1954-1961)
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Record all-time goal-scorer  163  –  Jim TOWERS  (1954-1961)
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Most goals in a match 5  –  Jack HOLLIDAY  v Luton Town  Division 3 (South)    28.1.1933
5  –  Billy SCOTT  v Barnsley  Division 2    15.12.1934
5  –  Peter McKENNAN  v Bury  Division 2    18.02.1949
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Record Attendance (Griffin Park) 38,678  v  Leicester City  FAC R6  26.02.1949
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Record Attendance (G-Tech Community Stadium) 17,163  v  Liverpool  Premier League  02.01.2023
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Record total of goals in a League season 98   Division 4  1962-1963
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Record total of goals in a season 107   Division 3  1982-1983
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Record League points total 3 points for a win :  94  League One 2013-2014
2 points for a win :  62  Division 3 (South) 1932-1933 and Division 4 1962-63
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Most Capped player while at club 21  –  Henrik DALSGAARD  (Denmark)
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Youngest player Danis SALMAN – 15 years and 243 days  v  Watford  15.11.1975
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Oldest player Jimmy HODSON – 40 years and 212 days  v  Plymouth Argyle   07.05.1921
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    Stadium details

Address :  G-Tech Community Stadium, 166 Lionel Road North, Brentford, Middlesex  TW8 0RU
Capacity :  17,250
Pitch size :  105m  x 68m

Official website : www.brentfordfc.co.uk

    Honours

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Division Two Champions (Second tier) 1934-35
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Division Three Champions (Third tier) 1991-92, 1998-99
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Second Division Runners-up (Third tier) 1994-95
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League One Runners-up (Third tier) 2013-14
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Division Three (South) Champions (Third tier) 1932-33
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Division Three (South) Runners-up (Third tier) 1929-30, 1957-58
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Division Four Champions (Fourth tier) 1962-63
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Third Division Runners-up (Fourth tier) 1998-99
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League Two Runners-up (Fourth tier) 2008-09
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Freight Rover Trophy Finalists 1985
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LDV Vans Trophy Finalists 2001
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    Managers

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Will LEWIS August 1900 – May 1903
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Dick MOLYNEUX August 1903 – March 1904
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Will LEWIS March 1904 – April 1904
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Dick MOLYNEUX April 1904 – January 1906
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Bob CRONE (caretaker) January 1906 – February 1906
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W G BROWN February 1906 – January 1908
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George PARSONAGE (caretaker) January 1908 – May 1908
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Fred HALLIDAY 24 June 1908 – 13 November 1912
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Ephraim RHODES 14 November 1912 – August 1915
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Fred HALLIDAY August 1915 – August 1921
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Archie MITCHELL August 1921 – 2 December 1924
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Fred HALLIDAY 3 December 1924 – May 1926
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Harry CURTIS May 1926 – February 1949
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Jackie GIBBONS February 1949 – August 1952
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Jimmy BAIN August 1952 – January 1953
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Tommy LAWTON January 1953 – September 1953
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Fred MONK September 1953 – October 1953
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Bill DODGIN Snr October 1953- May 1957
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Malky MACDONALD May 1957 – January 1965
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Tommy CAVANAGH January 1965 – 18 April 1966
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Ian BLACK (caretaker) 18 April 1966 – 2 May 1966
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Billy GRAY 2 May 1966 – March 1967
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Jimmy SIRREL March 1967 – 10 November 1969
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Ron FENTON (caretaker) 10 November 1969 – December 1969
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Frank BLUNSTONE December 1969 – 16 August 1973
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Mike EVERITT 16 August 1973 – 15 January 1975
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Jess WILLARD (caretaker) 15 January 1975 – 20 January 1975
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John DOCHERTY 20 January 1975 – 7 September 1976
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Eddie LYONS (caretaker) 7 September 1976 – 16 September 1976
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Bill DODGIN Jnr 16 September 1976 – March 1980
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Fred CALLAGHAN March 1980 – 2 February 1984
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Frank BLUNSTONE (caretaker) 2 February 1984 – 9 February 1984
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Frank McLINTOCK 9 February 1984 – 24 January 1987
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Steve PERRYMAN 25 January 1987 – 15 August 1990
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Phil HOLDER 24 August 1990 – 11 May 1993
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David WEBB 17 May 1993 – 4 August 1997
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Kevin LOCK (caretaker) 5 August 1997 – 12 August 1997
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Eddie MAY 12 August 1997- 5 November 1997
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Micky ADAMS 5 November 1997 – 1 July 1998
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Ron NOADES 1 July 1998 – 20 November 2000
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Ray LEWINGTON 20 November 2000 – 7 May 2001
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Steve COPPELL 8 May 2001 – 5 June 2002
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Wally DOWNES 28 June 2002 – 14 March 2004
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Garry THOMPSON (caretaker) 14 March 2004 – 18 March 2004
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Martin ALLEN 18 March 2004 – 31 May 2006
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Leroy ROSENIOR 14 June 2006 – 18 November 2006
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Scott FITZGERALD 18 November 2006 – 10 April 2007
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Barry QUIN (caretaker) 10 April 2007 – 7 May 2007
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Terry BUTCHER 7 May 2007 – 11 December 2007
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Andy SCOTT 11 December 2007 – 3 February 2011
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Nicky FORSTER 3 February 2011 – 7 May 2011
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Uwe ROSLER 10 June 2011 – 7 December 2013
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Alan KERNAGHAN (caretaker) 7 December 2013 – 9 December 2013
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Mark WARBURTON 10 December 2013 – 31 May 2015
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Marinus DIJKHUIZEN 1 June 2015 – 27 September 2015
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Lee CARSLEY 28 September 2015 – 30 November 2015
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Dean SMITH 30 November 2015 – 10 October 2018
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Thomas FRANK 16 October 2018 –
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    League Record

The Football League structure has historically been as follows …

1888-1892 1892-1920 1920-1921 1921-1958 1958-1992 1992-2004 2004 to date
First tier Football League Division One Division One Division One Division One Premiership Premier League
Second tier Division Two Division Two Division Two Division Two Division One Championship
Third tier Division Three Division Three
(North) and (South)
Division Three Division Two  League One
Fourth tier Division Four Division Three League Two

 

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Elected to Division Three  (Tier 3) 1920
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Division Three  (Tier 3) 1920-1933
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Division Two  (Tier 2) 1933-1935
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Division One  (Tier 1) 1935-1947
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Division Two  (Tier 2) 1947-1954
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Division Three  (Tier 3) 1954-1962
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Division Four  (Tier 4) 1962-1963
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Division Three  (Tier 3) 1963-1966
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Division Four  (Tier 4) 1966-1972
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Division Three  (Tier 3) 1972-1973
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Division Four  (Tier 4) 1973-1978
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Division Three  (Tier 3) 1978-1992
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Division One  (Tier 2) 1992-1993
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Division Two  (Tier 3) 1993-1998
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Division Three  (Tier 4) 1998-1999
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Division Two  (Tier 3) 1999-2004
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League One  (Tier 3) 2004-2007
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League Two  (Tier 4) 2007-2009
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League One  (Tier 3) 2009-2014
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The Championship  (Tier 2) 2014-2021
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Premier League  (Tier 1) 2021-
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