1985–86 season of Brentford F.C.
Brentford 1985–86 football season
During the 1985–86 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division . Inferior home form and a number of key player departures meant that the Bees could finish no higher than 10th position.
Season summary Wimbledon winger Ian Holloway was signed on loan late in the season to invigorate the attack.
After the recent Heysel Stadium disaster and the Bradford City stadium fire , the financial implications of the work needed to bring Griffin Park up to standard hampered Brentford manager Frank McLintock 's movement in the transfer market during the 1985 off-season.[ 1] The core of the previous season's Football League Trophy final team would be sold off,[ 1] with midfielder Chris Kamara and forward Keith Cassells leaving before the beginning of the season and captain Terry Hurlock would later be sold for a club-record £95,000 fee in February 1986.[ 2] Goalkeeper Trevor Swinburne and defender Paul Roberts were released and the mid-season retirement of goalscoring winger Gary Roberts also compounded the break-up of the team.[ 2] McLintock re-signed bit-part goalkeeper Richard Key and midfielder Terry Bullivant on free transfers and also brought in 20-year-old centre back Terry Evans from non-league Hillingdon , a transfer which would go on to be an important contributor the club's success in the early 1990s.[ 2]
The 1985–86 season proved to be one of consolidation in the Third Division for Brentford, with the team briefly challenging for promotion in August and for a three-month period in late 1985, but otherwise being rooted in mid-table.[ 3] There was little cheer to be had in the cup competitions,[ 3] but manager Frank McLintock was able to make some incoming mid-season transfers, bringing in midfielder Andy Sinton for a £25,000 fee and loaning wingers Steve Burke and Ian Holloway from Queens Park Rangers and Wimbledon respectively.[ 4] Forward Francis Joseph , top scorer during the 1982–83 season, returned from a long injury layoff in April 1986 and boosting the attack,[ 4] which had been led alone by Robbie Cooke .[ 5] Brentford finished the season in 10th place, with an away record superior to that of at Griffin Park.[ 6]
League table
Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend
Pre-season and friendlies
No.
Date
Opponent
Venue
Result
Attendance
Scorer(s)
1
17 August 1985
Wolverhampton Wanderers
H
2–1
5,576
Bullivant , Murray
2
24 August 1985
Bristol Rovers
A
1–0
4,140
Lynch
3
26 August 1985
Bournemouth
H
1–0
4,283
Cooke
4
31 August 1985
Wigan Athletic
A
0–4
2,871
5
7 September 1985
Plymouth Argyle
H
1–1
3,927
Lynch
6
13 September 1985
Doncaster Rovers
A
0–1
2,831
7
17 September 1985
Reading
H
1–2
6,351
Booker
8
21 September 1985
Lincoln City
A
0–3
1,856
9
28 September 1985
Rotherham United
H
1–1
3,257
Alexander
10
1 October 1985
Darlington
A
5–3
2,447
Alexander (3), Booker , Lynch
11
5 October 1985
Swansea City
H
1–0
3,508
Lynch
12
12 October 1985
Bolton Wanderers
A
2–1
4,106
Wignall , Cooke
13
19 October 1985
Newport County
A
0–0
3,646
14
22 October 1985
Walsall
A
2–1
4,318
Wignall , Hurlock
15
26 October 1985
Blackpool
A
0–4
5,448
16
2 November 1985
Cardiff City
H
3–0
3,934
Hurlock , Cooke , Lynch
17
6 November 1985
Derby County
H
3–3
4,707
Murray , Cooke , Butler
18
9 November 1985
Bristol City
A
0–0
6,598
19
23 November 1985
Chesterfield
H
1–0
3,502
Roberts
20
30 November 1985
York City
A
0–1
3,674
21
14 December 1985
Bury
H
1–0
4,038
Sinton (pen )
22
22 December 1985
Bristol Rovers
H
1–0
5,724
Cooke
23
28 December 1985
Bournemouth
A
0–0
4,006
24
4 January 1986
Cardiff City
A
0–1
3,398
25
11 January 1986
Wigan Athletic
H
1–3
4,048
Booker
26
18 January 1986
Wolverhampton Wanderers
A
4–1
3,420
Cooke (2), Sinton (2)
27
21 January 1986
Notts County
H
1–1
4,002
Evans
28
24 January 1986
Doncaster Rovers
H
1–3
3,568
Cooke
29
1 February 1986
Plymouth Argyle
A
0–2
4,873
30
4 February 1986
Walsall
H
1–3
3,015
Alexander
31
1 March 1986
Rotherham United
A
2–1
3,260
Booker , Cooke
32
8 March 1986
Swansea City
A
0–2
3,683
33
11 March 1986
Newport County
A
2–1
1,508
Lynch , Cooke
34
14 March 1986
Bolton Wanderers
H
1–1
3,284
Booker
35
18 March 1986
Gillingham
A
2–1
3,558
Booker , Cooke
36
22 March 1986
Blackpool
H
1–1
3,528
Cooke
37
29 March 1986
Notts County
A
4–0
3,857
Burke , Cooke (2), Holloway
38
31 March 1986
Gillingham
H
1–2
4,702
Cooke
39
5 April 1986
Derby County
A
1–1
11,026
Holloway
40
13 April 1986
Bristol City
H
1–2
3,701
Millen
41
16 April 1986
Reading
A
1–3
6,855
Murray
42
19 April 1986
Chesterfield
A
3–1
2,344
Cooke , Butler , Booker
43
22 April 1986
Lincoln City
H
0–1
3,011
44
26 April 1986
York City
H
3–3
2,864
Hood (og ), R. Joseph , F. Joseph
45
3 May 1986
Bury
A
0–0
2,953
46
5 May 1986
Darlington
H
2–1
2,824
Millen , Cooke
FA Cup
Round
Date
Opponent
Venue
Result
Attendance
Scorer(s)
1R
16 November 1985
Bristol Rovers
H
1–3
4,716
Evans
Round
Date
Opponent
Venue
Result
Attendance
Scorer
SR1 (match 1)
15 January 1986
Derby County
H
0–0
2,531
SR1 (match 2)
29 January 1986
Gillingham
A
1–1
1,464
Murray
Sources: 100 Years of Brentford,[ 5] The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties,[ 7] Statto
Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1985–86 season.
Sources: The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties,[ 8] Timeless Bees[ 9]
Coaching staff
Statistics
Appearances and goals Substitute appearances in brackets.
Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
Source: The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties[ 10]
Goalscorers
Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
Source: The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties[ 10]
Management
Name
Nat
From
To
Record All Comps
Record League
P
W
D
L
W %
P
W
D
L
W %
Frank McLintock
17 August 1985
5 May 1986
53
19
16
18
0 35.85
46
18
12
16
0 39.13
Summary
Games played
53 (46 Third Division , 1 FA Cup , 4 League Cup , 2 Football League Trophy )
Games won
19 (18 Third Division, 0 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 0 Football League Trophy)
Games drawn
16 (12 Third Division, 0 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 2 Football League Trophy)
Games lost
18 (16 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 0 Football League Trophy)
Goals scored
65 (58 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, 5 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy)
Goals conceded
70 (61 Third Division, 3 FA Cup, 5 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy)
Clean sheets
14 (12 Third Division, 0 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy)
Biggest league win
4–0 versus Notts County , 29 March 1986
Worst league defeat
4–0 on two occasions
Most appearances
52, Jamie Murray (45 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, 4 League Cup, 2 Football League Trophy)
Top scorer (league)
17, Robbie Cooke
Top scorer (all competitions)
18, Robbie Cooke
Transfers & loans
Awards
References
^ a b Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 150.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 168-173.
^ a b "Brentford results for the 1985–1986 season" . Statto.com . Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2017 .
^ a b White, p. 328-331.
^ a b White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford . Brentford FC. p. 398. ISBN 0951526200 .
^ "Brentford League Table 1985-1986" . Statto.com . Archived from the original on 25 February 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2017 .
^ Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 152-164, 399.
^ Croxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2011). The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties . Sunbury, Middlesex: Legends Publishing. ISBN 978-1906796716 .
^ Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006 . Yore Publications. ISBN 978-0955294914 .
^ a b Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 427.
^ Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 390.
^ a b Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 383.
National teams
League competitions
Levels 1–4 Level 5 Levels 6–7 Levels 8–9
Isthmian League (Two North , Two South )
Combined Counties League (level 8 only )
Eastern Counties League (level 8 only )
Essex Senior League (level 8 only )
Hellenic League (Premier , One )
Kent League (level 8 only )
London Spartan League (Premier , Senior )
Midland Football Combination (level 8 only )
North West Counties League (One , Two )
Northern Counties East League (Premier , One )
Northern League (One , Two )
South Midlands League (Premier , One )
Sussex County League (One , Two )
United Counties League (Premier , One )
West Midlands (Regional) League (level 8 only )
Western League (Premier , One )
Cup competitions
FA cups Football League cups