During the 2008–09 English football season, Brentford competed in Football League Two. The club finished the season as champions to win promotion to Football League One.
Season summary
The 2008–09 season would be Brentford's second consecutive campaign in League Two, after relegation to the fourth tier for the first time in 9 years at the end of the 2006–07 season.[1] Manager Andy Scott (beginning his first full season in the job) brought in eight new players on permanent deals and four loanees.[2] The pick of the signings were new forward Charlie MacDonald for an undisclosed fee from Southend United, central midfielder Marcus Bean from Blackpool on a free transfer and the re-signing on loan of goalkeeper Ben Hamer and central defender Alan Bennett from Reading until the end of the season.[2]
The season began with consecutive defeats in the league and League Cup to Bury and Swansea City respectively,[3] before an unbeaten run of 12 league matches put Brentford in the automatic promotion places,[4] with midfielder Glenn Poole continuing his good form from the previous season by scoring seven goals during the run.[5] Two defeats in a row dropped the Bees to 9th in early November, before another unbeaten run put the club back in the automatic promotion places by 20 December.[4] Brentford moved into second position after a 2–0 victory over Bournemouth on Boxing Day and consistently good results kept the club on the tail of leaders Wycombe Wanderers through January and early February 2009.[4][6] A 1–1 draw with Accrington Stanley on 10 February moved the Bees moved into top spot and consistently good results,[7] aided by the goalscoring of January loan acquisition Jordan Rhodes,[8] kept the club at the summit into mid-March.[4] Brentford and Wycombe Wanderers faced off at Griffin Park on 14 March in front of a season-high crowd of 10,642 and the match yielded a 3–3 draw,[4] with Aston Villa loanee Sam Williams drilling home late in proceedings to salvage a point for the Bees.[9] Three days later, Brentford suffered a first defeat for six weeks after a home defeat to Chesterfield, but remained top of the table.[4]
Despite season-ending injuries to Jordan Rhodes, Nathan Elder, top scorer Charlie MacDonald and captain Kevin O'Connor,[10][11][12][13] manager Andy Scott strengthened the squad with a new frontline of loanees Billy Clarke and Damian Spencer, plus the return of central defender Darren Powell,[14] who played alongside Scott in Brentford's previous fourth-tier championship triumph a decade earlier.[15] Three draws in a row in late March and early April kept Brentford top,[4] before a first win for over a month was achieved versus Bournemouth on 13 April, despite Darren Powell being sent off for fighting with teammate Karleigh Osborne.[16] Despite missing the chance to seal promotion after a comprehensive defeat to play-off challengers Dagenham & Redbridge on 21 April,[17] promotion and the League Two title were sealed with a 3–1 away win over Darlington in the penultimate match of the season.[18] Captain Kevin O'Connor and stand-in skipper Alan Bennett held the League Two championship trophy aloft after a 2–0 win over Luton Town at Griffin Park on the final day.[19]
League table
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Source: Statto
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
* Darlington deducted 10 points;[20] Bournemouth deducted 17 points;[21] Rotherham United deducted 17 points;[22] Luton Town deducted 30 points[23]
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.
Results
- Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend
No. |
Date |
Opponent |
Venue |
Result |
Attendance |
Scorer(s) |
1 |
9 August 2008 |
Bury |
A |
0–1 |
2,819 |
|
2 |
16 August 2008 |
Grimsby Town |
H |
4–0 |
4,009 |
MacDonald, Elder, Poole |
3 |
23 August 2008 |
Barnet |
A |
1–0 |
2,815 |
Poole (pen) |
4 |
30 August 2008 |
Rotherham United |
H |
0–0 |
4,381 |
|
5 |
6 September 2008 |
Dagenham & Redbridge |
H |
2–1 |
4,519 |
Elder, MacDonald |
6 |
13 September 2008 |
Wycombe Wanderers |
A |
0–0 |
5,799 |
|
7 |
20 September 2008 |
Lincoln City |
H |
1–1 |
4,557 |
Elder |
8 |
27 September 2008 |
Chesterfield |
A |
1–0 |
3,188 |
Bean |
9 |
4 October 2008 |
Macclesfield Town |
H |
1–0 |
4,773 |
MacDonald |
10 |
13 October 2008 |
Notts County |
A |
1–1 |
6,012 |
Poole |
11 |
18 October 2008 |
Aldershot Town |
A |
1–1 |
5,023 |
Poole |
12 |
21 October 2008 |
Morecambe |
H |
3–1 |
3,733 |
MacDonald, Poole, Elder |
13 |
25 October 2008 |
Shrewsbury Town |
H |
1–1 |
5,362 |
MacDonald |
14 |
28 October 2008 |
Chester City |
A |
0–3 |
1,301 |
|
15 |
1 November 2008 |
Rochdale |
H |
1–2 |
4,291 |
Bowditch |
16 |
15 November 2008 |
Port Vale |
H |
3–0 |
6,058 |
Osborne, Bean, MacDonald |
17 |
22 November 2008 |
Darlington |
H |
1–1 |
4,837 |
Osborne |
18 |
25 November 2008 |
Luton Town |
A |
1–0 |
5,248 |
Elder |
19 |
13 December 2008 |
Bradford City |
H |
2–1 |
4,339 |
Osborne, Elder |
20 |
20 December 2008 |
Gillingham |
A |
1–1 |
5,521 |
MacDonald |
21 |
26 December 2008 |
Bournemouth |
H |
2–0 |
6,450 |
Bean (2) |
22 |
28 December 2008 |
Exeter City |
A |
2–0 |
6,791 |
MacDonald (pen), Wood |
23 |
10 January 2009 |
Lincoln City |
A |
2–2 |
3,932 |
Bean, Bowditch |
24 |
17 January 2009 |
Notts County |
H |
1–1 |
5,465 |
Phillips |
25 |
24 January 2009 |
Macclesfield Town |
A |
0–2 |
1,942 |
|
26 |
27 January 2009 |
Aldershot Town |
H |
3–0 |
5,111 |
Bean, MacDonald (pen), Rhodes |
27 |
31 January 2009 |
Shrewsbury Town |
A |
3–1 |
5,674 |
Rhodes (3) |
28 |
3 February 2009 |
Morecambe |
A |
0–2 |
1,253 |
|
29 |
7 February 2009 |
Chester City |
H |
3–0 |
4,719 |
MacDonald (3, 1 pen) |
30 |
10 February 2009 |
Accrington Stanley |
A |
1–1 |
1,111 |
Rhodes |
31 |
14 February 2009 |
Port Vale |
H |
2–0 |
4,702 |
Osborne, MacDonald |
32 |
21 February 2009 |
Rochdale |
A |
2–1 |
3,412 |
Rhodes, MacDonald |
33 |
28 February 2009 |
Bury |
H |
1–0 |
6,597 |
Bean |
34 |
3 March 2009 |
Grimsby Town |
A |
1–0 |
3,001 |
MacDonald |
35 |
7 March 2009 |
Rotherham United |
A |
0–0 |
3,406 |
|
36 |
10 March 2009 |
Barnet |
H |
1–0 |
4,742 |
Bean |
37 |
14 March 2009 |
Wycombe Wanderers |
H |
3–3 |
10,642 |
Rhodes, Hunt, Williams |
38 |
17 March 2009 |
Chesterfield |
A |
0–1 |
4,541 |
|
39 |
28 March 2009 |
Gillingham |
H |
1–1 |
7,908 |
Hunt |
40 |
4 April 2009 |
Bradford City |
A |
1–1 |
12,832 |
Clarke |
41 |
11 April 2009 |
Exeter City |
H |
1–1 |
8,234 |
Clarke |
42 |
13 April 2009 |
Bournemouth |
A |
1–0 |
8,168 |
Clarke[nb 1] |
43 |
18 April 2009 |
Accrington Stanley |
H |
3–0 |
7,135 |
Williams, Dickson, Clarke (pen) |
44 |
21 April 2009 |
Dagenham & Redbridge |
A |
1–3 |
3,537 |
Spencer |
45 |
25 April 2009 |
Darlington |
A |
3–1 |
3,868 |
Bennett, Clarke (2) |
46 |
2 May 2009 |
Luton Town |
H |
2–0 |
10,223 |
Osborne, Newton |
FA Cup
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Round |
Date |
Opponent |
Venue |
Result |
Attendance |
R1 |
12 August 2008 |
Swansea City |
A |
0–2 |
5,366 |
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Playing squad
- Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 2008–09 season.
Coaching staff
Statistics
Appearances and goals
- Substitute appearances in brackets.
- Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
- Source: Soccerbase
Goalscorers
- Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
- Source: Soccerbase
Management
Name |
Nat |
From |
To |
Record All Comps |
Record League |
P |
W |
D |
L |
W % |
P |
W |
D |
L |
W % |
Andy Scott |
 |
9 August 2008 |
2 May 2009 |
51 |
24 |
18 |
9 |
47.06 |
46 |
23 |
16 |
7 |
50.00 |
Summary
Games played |
51 (46 League Two, 2 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 2 Football League Trophy) |
Games won |
24 (23 League Two, 1 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 0 Football League Trophy) |
Games drawn |
18 (16 League Two, 0 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 2 Football League Trophy) |
Games lost |
9 (7 League Two, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 0 Football League Trophy) |
Goals scored |
73 (65 League Two, 4 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 4 Football League Trophy) |
Goals conceded |
45 (36 League Two, 3 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 4 Football League Trophy) |
Clean sheets |
19 (19 League Two, 0 FA Cup, 0 League Cup, 0 Football League Trophy) |
Biggest league win |
4–0 versus Grimsby Town, 16 August 2008 |
Worst league defeat |
2–0 versus Chester City, 28 October 2008 |
Most appearances |
48, Marcus Bean (44 League Two, 2 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy) |
Top scorer (league) |
16, Charlie MacDonald |
Top scorer (all competitions) |
18, Charlie MacDonald |
Transfers & loans
Awards
Notes
- ↑ Media outlets misreported the goal as being scored by Darren Powell.
References
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General |
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Grounds |
|
Affiliated clubs |
|
Players |
|
Rivalries |
|
Matches |
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Related articles |
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