During the 1970–71 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Fourth Division. A forgettable league season was chiefly remembered for a run to the fifth round of the FA Cup, the furthest the Bees had progressed in the competition since 1948–49.
A failure to win any of the opening 9 matches of the season in all competitions set a new post-war club record.[4] The loan signing of former Busby BabeAlex Dawson from Brighton & Hove Albion in September 1970 helped improve matters, with the forward scoring 7 goals in 11 appearances and inspiring a five-match winning streak in October and November.[5] Frustratingly, a £7,000 deal to buy him fell through and he left the club after his loan expired.[6] While the team slowly pulled itself away from the relegation zone and finished comfortably in mid-table, the FA Cup gradually became the main focus of the season.[7]
Third Division clubs GillinghamWalsall were beaten in the second round, but the third round draw failed to produce a money-spininng tie and instead an away trip to fellow Fourth Division club Workington.[7] A John Docherty goal was enough to see off Workington and the fourth round draw produced another away tie, this time to Second Division club Cardiff City.[5] Over 23,000 watched Brentford run out 2–0 winners at Ninian Park, courtesy of goals from Jackie Graham and John Docherty.[5] Brentford also faced Second Division opponents in the fifth round, Hull City.[8] Victory would have made Brentford the second Fourth Division club to reach the last-eight of the FA Cup.[8] Brentford took the lead through Bobby Ross at Boothferry Park, but two late goals from the Tigers ended the Bees' run.[8]
Significantly for the long-term future of Brentford, the FA Cup run generated £8,000, which helped boost the profit on the season to £20,000 and enabled the final instalment of the club's 1967 £104,000 loan (equivalent to £1,563,900 in 2024) to be paid off.[1] A 6–4 victory over York City on 9 November 1970 equalled the club record for highest aggregate score in a Football League match.[9]
^ a b c d eWhite, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 391. ISBN0951526200.
^ a b c d e f g h iCroxford, Lane & Waterman 2011, p. 28-31.
^ a b"Brentford results for the 1970–1971 season". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 17 March 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
^ a b c"Moment in Time: Hull City". Brentford FC. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
^"Brentford scoring and sequence records". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
^ a bCroxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2011). The Big Brentford Book of the Seventies. Sunbury, Middlesex: Legends Publishing. ISBN978-1906796709.
^Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Yore Publications. ISBN978-0955294914.
^Croxford, Lane & Waterman 2011, p. 259-260.
^ a bCroxford, Lane & Waterman 2011, p. 358.
^Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 74.
^Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 46.
^"Chic Brodie". 20 September 2017. Retrieved 4 February 2017.