1994–95 Brentford F.C. season


During the 1994–95 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Second Division. After a runners-up finish in the league, club's season ended after defeat in the 1995 play-off semi-finals.

Season summary

Brentford entered the 1994–95 Second Division season with the nucleus of a new squad, built since the breakup of the team which was relegated from the First Division at the end of the 1992–93 season. Forward Nicky Forster was manager David Webb's only significant summer signing, a £200,000 buy from Third Division Gillingham.
Eight wins and four defeats from the opening 12 games saw the Bees placed 4th in the league, before four defeats in the next five matches dropped the club into mid-table. First and second round exits from the three cup competitions lightened the fixture load by early December and Brentford set off on a 14-match unbeaten run, winning 10 matches and racking up notable 7–0 and 6–0 victories over Plymouth Argyle and Cambridge United respectively. The victory over Cambridge United in late January 1995 returned the Bees to the top of the table for the first time since the opening day of the season, when five goals were put past Plymouth Argyle. Twin strikers Nicky Forster and Robert Taylor were in imperious form, scoring over half the team's goals and forming a partnership that came to be known as the 'FT Index'. The pair would ensure Brentford finished the 1994–95 season as the only club in the top four divisions with two players scoring 20 league goals or more.
The unbeaten run came to an end with defeat to Shrewsbury Town on 25 February, but another 11-match unbeaten sequence kept Brentford in top spot going into late April. Brentford's good form ran in tandem with that of Birmingham City's and the Blues topped the table for the first time in eight weeks on 19 April, with the Bees returning to the summit three days later after a 2–0 victory over Cardiff City. The two clubs faced off in a "winner takes all" match at St Andrew's on 26 April, with just first place in the Second Division offering automatic promotion, due to a restructuring of the English league system. A 2–0 defeat for Brentford in front of 25,81, plus a home defeat to Bournemouth and a draw away with Bristol Rovers led to the team to a runners-up finish and a place in the play-offs. The Bees met fifth-placed Huddersfield Town in the play-off semi-finals and were knocked out on penalties after a 2–2 draw on aggregate, with captain Jamie Bates seeing his decisive spot kick saved.
A number of club records were set or equalled during the season:

Results

Legend

Pre-season

Football League Second Division

Football League Second Division play-offs

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer
SF 14 May 1995Huddersfield TownA1–114,160Forster
SF 17 May 1995Huddersfield TownH1–1, 11,161Grainger

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer
R112 November 1994Cambridge UnitedA2–23,353Annon, Taylor
R1 22 November 1994Cambridge UnitedH1–24,096Grainger

League Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer
R1 16 August 1994Colchester UnitedA2–02,521Stephenson, Taylor
R2 23 August 1994Colchester UnitedH2–0 2,315Parris, Smith
R2 20 September 1994Tranmere RoversA0–13,754
R2 27 September 1994Tranmere RoversH0–0 4,076

Football League Trophy

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer
SR1 19 October 1994Brighton & Hove AlbionA1–01,104Forster
SR1 8 November 1994GillinghamH3–11,795Annon, Asaba, Ansah
SR23 December 1994Oxford UnitedH1–22,410Grainger

Statistics

Appearances and goals

Summary

Transfers & loans

Kit

In February 1995, it was announced that Brentford had cancelled its sponsorship deal with KLM. As a result, the Hummel International home shirt was replaced by an unbranded replica, which was devoid of sponsorship.
Home kit only until March 1995

Awards