During the 1964–65 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division. Despite topping the table between September and October 1964, the worst away record in the division and a change of managers in January 1965 derailed the club's promotion charge.

Quick Facts Chairman, Manager ...

Brentford

1964–65 season
Chairman	Jack Dunnett
Manager	Malky MacDonald (until 16 January 1965) Tommy Cavanagh (from 17 January 1965)
Stadium	Griffin Park
Third Division	5th
FA Cup	Third round
League Cup	First round
Top goalscorer	League: Cobb (15) All: Cobb (18)
Highest home attendance	30,448
Lowest home attendance	5,380
Average home league attendance	10,740
Home colours
← 1963–64 1965–66 →

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After a disappointing first season back in the Third Division, Brentford chairman Jack Dunnett allowed manager Malky MacDonald significant funds for new signings.^[1] £18,000 was spent on inside forward Jimmy Bloomfield (who returned to Griffin Park after a decade away) and Newport County's journeyman forward Joe Bonson.^[1] The team began the season in good form, winning six and drawing one of the first 9 matches to sit atop the Third Division table.^[2] The early season goalscoring form of Joe Bonson meant that Billy McAdams, previously a regular scorer for the team, became surplus to requirements and was sold to local rivals Queens Park Rangers for £5,000.^[1] While the club established itself in the promotion places, £29,000 was spent on forwards Billy Cobb and Ian Lawther in October and November 1964.^[1] As a sign of chairman Dunnett's aim to secure promotion at all costs, a massive £40,000 bid for Torino's Gerry Hitchens was tabled, but was unsuccessful.^[1]

Despite a solid home record and regular goals from front players Cobb, Bonson, Lazarus, Lawther and Fielding,^[3] a number of away defeats dropped the Bees back into 4th place by January 1965.^[2] The FA Cup was exited after a third round replay defeat at the hands of First Division Burnley and a matter of days later, manager Malky MacDonald revealed that he would leave Brentford at the end of the season to return to Kilmarnock.^[1] MacDonald intended to see out the remainder of his contract, which expired at the end of the season, but he was immediately placed on gardening leave by chairman Jack Dunnett.^[1] Trainer Tommy Cavanagh took over as interim manager.^[1] Cavanagh won four and drew two of his first 10 matches, but a 2–0 away defeat to Scunthorpe United on 26 March emphasised the team's poor away record and effectively ended any chances of promotion.^[2] Despite the blow, the team reacted positively, winning five and drawing two of the remaining eight matches of the season to secure a 5th-place finish.^[2]

Brentford's home record of 18 wins, 4 draws and 1 defeat was the best in the Third Division and promotion may have been attained had the team not lost five consecutive away matches in mid-season.^[1][4] Just one league win away from home equalled the club record.^[5] By 19 December 1964, Joe Bonson, Mark Lazarus and Billy Cobb had each reached 10 or more goals for the season, which was the second instance of three Brentford players reaching double-figures before Christmas Day.^[6]

The Brentford reserve team had a successful season and won the London Challenge Cup after a 2–1 victory over Chelsea, courtesy of goals from George Summers and Micky Block.^[7] In goal was Gerry Cakebread,^[7] who had dropped into the reserves for his final season at Griffin Park.^[8] Cakebread finished his Brentford career with 374 first team appearances, the most by any goalkeeper for the club.^[8]

Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1964–65 season.

More information Pos., Name ...

Pos.	Name	Nat.	Date of birth (age)	Signed from	Signed in	Notes
Goalkeepers
GK	Chic Brodie		(1937-02-22)22 February 1937 (aged 27)	Northampton Town	1963
GK	Gordon Phillips		(1946-11-17)17 November 1946 (aged 17)	Hayes	1963
Defenders
DF	Alan Hawley		(1946-06-07)7 June 1946 (aged 18)	Youth	1962
DF	Allan Jones		(1940-01-06)6 January 1940 (aged 24)	Liverpool	1963
DF	George Thomson		(1936-10-19)19 October 1936 (aged 27)	Everton	1963
Midfielders
HB	Peter Gelson		(1941-10-18)18 October 1941 (aged 22)	Youth	1961
HB	Tommy Higginson		(1937-01-06)6 January 1937 (aged 27)	Kilmarnock	1959
HB	Hamish MacKenzie		(1945-03-11)11 March 1945 (aged 19)	Dunfermline Athletic	1964
HB	Hugh McLaughlin		(1943-09-02)2 September 1943 (aged 20)	St Roch's	1961
HB	Mel Scott (c)		(1939-09-26)26 September 1939 (aged 24)	Chelsea	1963
HB	Willie Smith		(1943-12-06)6 December 1943 (aged 20)	Celtic	1963
Forwards
FW	Micky Block		(1940-01-28)28 January 1940 (aged 24)	Chelsea	1962
FW	Jimmy Bloomfield		(1934-02-15)15 February 1934 (aged 30)	Birmingham City	1964
FW	Joe Bonson		(1936-06-09)9 June 1936 (aged 28)	Newport County	1964
FW	Billy Cobb		(1940-09-29)29 September 1940 (aged 23)	Plymouth Argyle	1964
FW	John Dick		(1930-03-19)19 March 1930 (aged 34)	West Ham United	1962
FW	John Fielding		(1939-09-02)2 September 1939 (aged 24)	Southport	1963
FW	Ian Lawther		(1939-10-20)20 October 1939 (aged 24)	Scunthorpe United	1964
FW	Mark Lazarus		(1938-12-05)5 December 1938 (aged 25)	Queens Park Rangers	1964
FW	Dai Ward		(1934-07-13)13 July 1934 (aged 30)	Watford	1963
Players who left the club mid-season
FW	Billy McAdams		(1934-01-20)20 January 1934 (aged 30)	Leeds United	1962	Transferred to Queens Park Rangers
FW	George Summers		(1941-07-30)30 July 1941 (aged 23)	Shawfield	1959	Transferred to Port Elizabeth City

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• Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford,^[3] Timeless Bees^[9]

• Evening Standard Player of the Month: Jimmy Bloomfield (October 1964)^[1]