Despite losing and drawing the first two league matches of the season, three consecutive wins put Brentford in 2nd position by 2 September 1972.[2] 10 days later, forwardJohn O'Mara, the previous season's Gallagher's Divisional Footballer Of The Year, was sold to Third Division rivals Blackburn Rovers for a club-record £50,000 fee.[1] Given that Chelsea had recently paid Southend United £100,000 for 25-goal forward Bill Garner, it was felt amongst the Brentford supporters that O'Mara had been sold cheaply.[1] The loss of O'Mara's goals and the departure of captainBobby Ross shortly afterwards contributed a great deal to Brentford's relegation at the end of the season, given that the two players had scored over half of Brentford's goals during the previous campaign.[1]
By early October 1972, Brentford were in the bottom-six of the Third Division, but a profit of nearly £80,000 from the first eight league matches of the season and the £50,000 from the sale of John O'Mara allowed manager Frank Blunstone to pay £10,000 for Carlisle United forward Stan Webb.[1] By mid-December, Blunstone had just 12 fit players available and despite spending over a further £25,000 on attackers Roger Cross, Barry Salvage and Andy Woon, Brentford's slide towards relegation continued through the early months of 1973.[1] The mid-season signings failed to help arrest the slump and Brentford were relegated after taking just two points from the final six matches of the season.[2] Aside from the lack of goals (winger John Docherty top-scored with 8), Brentford lost 15 consecutive away league matches during the season, a new club record.[3]
^ a b"Brentford results for the 1972-1973 season". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 20 March 2016. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
^"Brentford scoring and sequence records". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
^ a b cWhite, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 392. ISBN0951526200.
^Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 58-69.
^Croxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 301-302.
^Croxford, 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.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m nCroxford, Lane & Waterman, p. 70-74.