1977–78 Brentford F.C. season
Brentford F.C. 1977–78 season
Brentford, managed by Bill Dodgin Jr. and chaired by Dan Tana, played at Griffin Park in the Fourth Division. They finished 4th and were promoted to the Third Division. In the cups, they reached the Second Round of the FA Cup and the First Round of the League Cup.
Key players and scoring
- Steve Phillips was the star, scoring 32 league goals (36 in all competitions) and finishing as the top scorer in English league football.
- Andrew McCulloch scored 22 league goals; Gordon Sweetzer 14.
- The Phillips–McCulloch partnership contributed 58 goals, around 63% of Brentford’s league total.
Season story
- The club rebuilt the squad after John Docherty. Keeper Len Bond joined for £8,000, with Barry Lloyd and Willie Graham coming in midfield.
- Brentford started the season strongly, moving top after a 4–1 win over Wimbledon on 22 August 1977. After 10 games, Phillips, Sweetzer and McCulloch were delivering the goals.
- Injuries and suspensions around Christmas slowed them, but a January signing (Barry Tucker) helped stabilize the team.
- A 4–0 win over Rochdale on 6 March revived promotion hopes. Two days later, Sweetzer was sold to Cambridge United for £30,000. Dodgin moved Phillips to a roaming forward role, and he scored 16 goals in the final 15 matches, clinching promotion with two games to spare.
Attendance
- Highest home attendance: 14,496
- Lowest home attendance: 5,492
- Average home league attendance: 8,578
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 17:23 (CET).