League Two 14th League Cup First round | FA Cup First round | |
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Manager Terry Butcher(until 11 December 2007)Andy Scott(from 11 December 2007) | ||
During the 2007–08 English football season, Brentford competed in Football League Two. With a second-successive relegation looking a possibility, manager Terry Butcher was replaced by his assistant Andy Scott in December 2007 and the club finished the season comfortably in mid-table.
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Season summary
In April 2007, with two matches of the 2006–07 season still to play, Terry Butcher was announced as the new Brentford manager. He officially took charge on 7 May of a club newly-relegated to League Two and two days later he installed former Bees player Andy Scott as his assistant, citing the need "to appoint someone who has knowledge of the lower divisions". Aside from a number of released players, the previous season's top scorer Jo Kuffour and regular left back Andy Frampton departed the club, with Butcher and Scott bringing in goalkeeper Simon Brown, defenders John Mackie and Craig Pead, midfielders Gary Smith and Glenn Poole and forwards Alan Connell and Lee Thorpe on free transfers, in addition to five loanees to cover for lack of numbers in the squad. Despite Brentford supporter Matthew Benham spending £3,000,000 in January 2007 to take over the club's loans from previous chairman Ron Noades' company Altonwood, the management team would be forced to work to a tight budget during the 2007–08 season.
Two wins from the opening four matches of the season put Brentford into the play-off places, though it would prove to be a false dawn. Five defeats from six matches in September and October dropped the Bees down to 17th and five consecutive defeats in November without scoring a goal led Butcher to leave Griffin Park by mutual consent on 11 December. Andy Scott took over as caretaker manager and immediately galvanised the team, with 8 wins from his first 12 matches lifting Brentford from 19th to 11th. Scott was given the job on a permanent basis on 4 January 2008 and reshuffled the squad that month, releasing seven players and signing left back Ryan Dickson and striker Nathan Elder on permanent deals. Scott would loan eight players between January and the end of the season, to cover for injuries to Kevin O'Connor, Simon Brown, Matthew Heywood, John Mousinho and for loanees who had returned to their clubs. Brentford stalled in the final 10 weeks of the season, losing 10 of the last 15 matches to finish in 14th place.
League table
Source: Statto
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
* Rotherham United deducted 10 points for administration entrance.
(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.