1988–89 Brentford F.C. season
# 1988–89 Brentford F.C. season

During the 1988–89 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division. The gruelling 63-match season is best remembered for the Bees' run to the sixth round of the FA Cup. Brentford narrowly failed to qualify for the play-offs, but the club's final placing of 7th was its highest in the league pyramid since the 1964–65 season.

## Season summary

After a disappointing end to what was a positive first full season in charge, Brentford manager Steve Perryman identified that his principle starting XI would be complete with a creative winger and a reliable goalscoring forward. Perryman broke the Bees' incoming transfer record by spending £77,500 on Sheffield United forward Richard Cadette in July 1988. Perryman brought experienced winger Neil Smillie back to Griffin Park, 11 years after Smillie had initially played for the Bees on loan. Also arriving at Griffin Park was goalkeeper Tony Parks from Tottenham Hotspur for a £60,000 fee and replaced Gary Phillips, who joined Reading for £25,000. On the eve of the season, right back Roger Joseph, who had been named in the 1987–88 Third Division PFA Team of the Year, joined Wimbledon for a new club record outgoing transfer fee of £150,000.

Brentford enjoyed one of the most exciting seasons in years, producing some notable results in both the Third Division and the cup competitions. The Bees trod water in mid-table for most of the season, before a run of eight wins and two draws from a 10-match spell in March and April 1989 raised the club to 7th position, one place outside the play-off zone, despite the club record £350,000 sale of influential midfielder Andy Sinton to Queens Park Rangers. Two consecutive defeats in early May left Brentford in 9th place, still with a chance of a play-off finish going into the final two matches of the season, but a 1–1 draw with Swansea City at Griffin Park in the penultimate match of the season ended any mathematical chances. Despite drawing the final match of the season, defeats for former play-off-contending rivals Chester City and Notts County raised Brentford to a credible 7th-place finish.

In the cup competitions, Brentford advanced to the second round of the League Cup and the Southern Area semi-finals of the Football League Trophy. Notably the Bees faced local rivals Fulham in both competitions and in the Third Division, winning two, drawing two and losing one of the five matches between the sides during the season. In the FA Cup, Brentford advanced to the sixth round for the first time since the 1948–49 season. Non-league club Halesowen Town were dispatched in the first round, but it took replays to see off Peterborough United and Walsall in the second and third rounds respectively. The Bees faced high-flying Second Division club Manchester City in the fourth round at a sold-out Griffin Park and emerged 3–1 victors thanks to a Gary Blissett brace and one goal from Keith Jones. Brentford also drew promotion-chasing Second Division opposition in the fifth round – Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park. 3,000 travelling supporters watched Brentford hold Rovers at 0–0 until the 80th minute, when Gary Blissett scored the first of the only two goals of the match to put the Bees into the hat for the sixth round. Brentford were drawn against First Division giants Liverpool at Anfield, for a match which would be one of the club's biggest occasions of the postwar era. Steve McMahon opened the scoring after 15 minutes and the Bees held firm until midway through the second half, when three Liverpool goals in a 16-minute spell saw the match finish with an unflattering 4–0 scoreline.

Central defender Terry Evans missed just one match during the season and finished with 62 appearances, the club record for a player in a single season.

## League table

| Pos | Team v t e | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 5 | Bristol Rovers | 46 | 19 | 17 | 10 | 67 | 51 | +16 | 74 | Participated in play-offs |
| 6 | Preston North End | 46 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 79 | 60 | +19 | 72 | Participated in play-offs |
| 7 | Brentford | 46 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 66 | 61 | +5 | 68 | |
| 8 | Chester City | 46 | 19 | 11 | 16 | 64 | 61 | +3 | 68 | |
| 9 | Notts County | 46 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 64 | 54 | +10 | 67 | |

## Results

    Brentford's goal tally listed first.

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |
| - | - | - |

### Pre-season

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 23 July 1988 | Barreirense | N | 1–2 | n/a | Sinton |
| 25 July 1988 | Estoril | N | 0–1 | n/a | |
| 27 July 1988 | Montijo | N | 4–3 | n/a | Pyle (2), Cockram, Obi |
| 29 July 1988 | Estrela da Amadora | N | 1–0 | n/a | Cadette |
| 13 August 1988 | Orient | A | 4–1 | n/a | Birch (2), Sinton (pen), Jones |
| 15 August 1988 | Maidenhead United | A | 3–0 | 612 | Cadette (2), Feeley |
| 19 August 1988 | Bournemouth | H | 1–0 | 1,117 | Blissett |

### Football League Third Division

| No. | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 27 August 1988 | Huddersfield Town | H | 1–0 | 5,016 | Cockram |
| 2 | 3 September 1988 | Northampton Town | A | 0–1 | 4,488 | |
| 3 | 10 September 1988 | Wigan Athletic | H | 1–1 | 4,081 | Blissett |
| 4 | 17 September 1988 | Swansea City | A | 1–1 | 5,015 | Millen |
| 5 | 21 September 1988 | Bristol Rovers | A | 2–1 | 3,836 | Cadette (2) |
| 6 | 24 September 1988 | Sheffield United | H | 1–4 | 6,577 | Sinton (pen) |
| 7 | 1 October 1988 | Gillingham | H | 1–0 | 4,839 | Sinton (pen) |
| 8 | 5 October 1988 | Chester City | A | 2–3 | 1,999 | Blissett, Cadette |
| 9 | 9 October 1988 | Southend United | H | 4–0 | 5,016 | Evans, Sinton (2), Cockram |
| 10 | 15 October 1988 | Bury | A | 1–3 | 2,359 | Cockram |
| 11 | 22 October 1988 | Preston North End | H | 0–2 | 5,584 | |
| 12 | 25 October 1988 | Chesterfield | A | 2–2 | 1,876 | Cadette (2) |
| 13 | 29 October 1988 | Port Vale | H | 2–1 | 5,212 | Jones, Holdsworth |
| 14 | 5 November 1988 | Reading | A | 2–2 | 7,974 | Sinton (2, 1 pen) |
| 15 | 8 November 1988 | Notts County | H | 2–1 | 4,013 | Cadette (2) |
| 16 | 21 November 1988 | Mansfield Town | A | 0–1 | 3,196 | |
| 17 | 25 November 1988 | Cardiff City | A | 0–1 | 3,405 | |
| 18 | 3 December 1988 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 3–0 | 4,628 | Cadette (2), Evans |
| 19 | 18 December 1988 | Aldershot | A | 0–0 | 4,012 | |
| 20 | 26 December 1988 | Blackpool | H | 1–0 | 6,021 | Sinton |
| 21 | 31 December 1988 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 2–2 | 8,020 | Godfrey, Jones |
| 22 | 2 January 1989 | Fulham | A | 3–3 | 8,120 | Sinton, Godfrey, Cadette |
| 23 | 14 January 1989 | Northampton Town | H | 2–0 | 6,043 | Cadette, Stanislaus |
| 24 | 21 January 1989 | Wigan Athletic | A | 1–1 | 2,514 | Sinton |
| 25 | 4 February 1989 | Gillingham | A | 0–0 | 4,002 | |
| 26 | 11 February 1989 | Chester City | H | 0–1 | 5,748 | |
| 27 | 25 February 1989 | Bury | H | 2–2 | 6,077 | Godfrey, Blissett |
| 28 | 28 February 1989 | Chesterfield | H | 1–0 | 4,192 | Cadette |
| 29 | 4 March 1989 | Preston North End | A | 3–5 | 8,191 | Ratcliffe, Bates, Godfrey |
| 30 | 11 March 1989 | Reading | H | 3–2 | 6,866 | Millen, Evans, Sinton (pen) |
| 31 | 13 March 1989 | Port Vale | A | 2–3 | 5,577 | Godfrey, Millen |
| 32 | 24 March 1989 | Fulham | H | 0–1 | 10,851 | |
| 33 | 27 March 1989 | Blackpool | A | 3–0 | 3,305 | Godfrey, Cockram (2, 1 pen) |
| 34 | 1 April 1989 | Aldershot | H | 2–1 | 5,200 | Jones, Sealy |
| 35 | 4 April 1989 | Bristol City | H | 3–0 | 4,627 | Sealy (2), Cockram (pen) |
| 36 | 8 April 1989 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 0–2 | 14,356 | |
| 37 | 11 April 1989 | Bristol City | A | 1–0 | 4,339 | Evans |
| 38 | 15 April 1989 | Bristol Rovers | H | 2–1 | 7,558 | Blissett, Smillie |
| 39 | 18 April 1989 | Southend United | A | 1–1 | 4,194 | Smillie |
| 40 | 22 April 1989 | Sheffield United | A | 2–2 | 12,613 | Sealy, Godfrey |
| 41 | 25 April 1989 | Huddersfield Town | A | 2–1 | 3,538 | Godfrey, Blissett |
| 42 | 29 April 1989 | Mansfield Town | H | 1–0 | 5,231 | Cockram |
| 43 | 1 May 1989 | Notts County | A | 0–3 | 4,989 | |
| 44 | 6 May 1989 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 2–4 | 4,627 | Ansah (2) |
| 45 | 9 May 1989 | Swansea City | H | 1–1 | 4,415 | Blissett |
| 46 | 13 May 1989 | Cardiff City | H | 1–1 | 4,865 | Evans |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1R | 19 November 1988 | Halesowen Town | H | 2–0 | 4,514 | Evans, Sinton |
| 2R | 10 December 1988 | Peterborough United | A | 0–0 | 5,609 | |
| 2R (replay) | 14 December 1988 | Peterborough United | H | 3–2 | 5,605 | Cadette, Cockram, Smillie |
| 3R | 7 January 1989 | Walsall | A | 1–1 | 5,375 | Jones |
| 3R (replay) | 10 January 1989 | Walsall | H | 1–0 | 8,163 | Cockram |
| 4R | 28 January 1989 | Manchester City | H | 3–1 | 12,100 | Blissett (2), Jones |
| 5R | 18 February 1989 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 2–0 | 15,280 | Blissett (2) |
| 6R | 18 March 1989 | Liverpool | A | 0–4 | 42,376 | |

### Football League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| R1 (1st leg) | 30 August 1988 | Fulham | A | 2–2 | 5,489 | Sinton, Stanislaus |
| R1 (2nd leg) | 6 September 1988 | Fulham | H | 1–0 (won 3–2 on aggregate) | 7,707 | Blissett |
| R2 (1st leg) | 27 September 1988 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 1–3 | 4,606 | Blissett |
| R2 (2nd leg) | 12 October 1988 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 4–3 (lost 5–6 on aggregate) | 3,844 | Cadette (2), Sinton, Jones |

### Football League Trophy

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| SPR (match 1) | 22 November 1988 | Fulham | A | 2–0 | 2,376 | Blissett, Cadette |
| SPR (match 2) | 29 November 1988 | Gillingham | H | 2–0 | 3,713 | Blissett, Cockram |
| SR1 | 17 January 1989 | Notts County | H | 2–0 | 3,194 | Godfrey, Cadette |
| SQF | 21 February 1989 | Chesterfield | A | 1–0 | 4,207 | Cadette |
| SSF | 21 March 1989 | Torquay United | H | 0–1 | 5,802 | |

* Sources: 100 Years of Brentford, The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties, Statto

## Playing squad

    Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1988–89 season.

| Pos. | Name | Date of birth (age) | Signed from | Signed in | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Goalkeepers |||||||
| GK | Tony Parks | (1963-01-26)26 January 1963 (aged 25) | Tottenham Hotspur | 1988 | |
| GK | Jeremy Roberts | (1966-11-24)24 November 1966 (aged 21) | Darlington | 1988 | |
| Defenders |||||||
| DF | Jamie Bates | (1968-02-24)24 February 1968 (aged 20) | Youth | 1986 | |
| DF | John Buttigieg | (1963-10-05)5 October 1963 (aged 24) | Sliema Wanderers | 1988 | |
| DF | Jason Cousins | (1970-10-04)4 October 1970 (aged 17) | Youth | 1989 | |
| DF | Terry Evans | (1965-04-12)12 April 1965 (aged 23) | Hillingdon | 1985 | |
| DF | Andy Feeley | (1961-09-30)30 September 1961 (aged 26) | Leicester City | 1987 | |
| DF | Marcus Gayle | (1970-09-27)27 September 1970 (aged 17) | Youth | 1988 | |
| DF | Colin Lee | (1956-06-12)12 June 1956 (aged 32) | Chelsea | 1987 | Youth Development Officer |
| DF | Keith Millen | (1966-09-26)26 September 1966 (aged 21) | Youth | 1985 | |
| DF | Graham Pearce | (1959-07-08)8 July 1959 (aged 29) | Farnborough Town | 1988 | |
| DF | Roger Stanislaus | (1968-11-02)2 November 1968 (aged 19) | Arsenal | 1987 | |
| Midfielders |||||||
| MF | Allan Cockram | (1963-10-08)8 October 1963 (aged 24) | St Albans City | 1988 | |
| MF | Andy Driscoll | (1971-10-21)21 October 1971 (aged 16) | Youth | 1989 | |
| MF | Kevin Godfrey | (1960-02-24)24 February 1960 (aged 28) | Leyton Orient | 1988 | |
| MF | Keith Jones (c) | (1965-10-14)14 October 1965 (aged 22) | Chelsea | 1987 | |
| MF | Steve Perryman | (1951-12-21)21 December 1951 (aged 36) | Oxford United | 1986 | Manager |
| MF | Simon Ratcliffe | (1967-02-08)8 February 1967 (aged 21) | Norwich City | 1989 | |
| MF | Neil Smillie | (1958-07-19)19 July 1958 (aged 30) | Reading | 1988 | |
| Forwards |||||||
| FW | Andy Ansah | (1969-03-19)19 March 1969 (aged 19) | Dorking | 1989 | |
| FW | Gary Blissett | (1964-05-29)29 May 1964 (aged 24) | Crewe Alexandra | 1987 | |
| FW | Richard Cadette | (1965-03-21)21 March 1965 (aged 23) | Sheffield United | 1988 | |
| FW | Jon Purdie | (1967-02-22)22 February 1967 (aged 21) | Oxford United | 1989 | Loaned from Oxford United before transferring permanently |
| FW | Tony Sealy | (1959-05-07)7 May 1959 (aged 29) | Unattached | 1989 | |
| Players who left the club mid-season |||||||
| GK | John Smeulders | (1957-03-28)28 March 1957 (aged 31) | Bournemouth | 1988 | Returned to Bournemouth after loan |
| MF | Bob Booker | (1958-01-25)25 January 1958 (aged 30) | Bedmond Sports & Social | 1978 | Transferred to Sheffield United |
| MF | Andy Sinton | (1966-03-19)19 March 1966 (aged 22) | Cambridge United | 1985 | Transferred to Queens Park Rangers |
| FW | Paul Birch | (1968-12-03)3 December 1968 (aged 19) | Portsmouth | 1987 | Retired |
| FW | Dean Holdsworth | (1968-11-08)8 November 1968 (aged 19) | Watford | 1988 | Returned to Watford after loan |

* Sources: The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties, Timeless Bees

## Coaching staff

| Name | Role |
| - | - |
| Steve Perryman | Manager |
| Phil Holder | Assistant manager |
| Roy Clare | Physiotherapist |

## Statistics

### Appearances and goals

    Substitute appearances in brackets.

| Pos | Nat | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | FL Trophy | FL Trophy | Total | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Pos | Nat | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| GK | | Tony Parks | 33 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 45 | 0 |
| GK | | Jeremy Roberts | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| DF | | Jamie Bates | 31 (5) | 1 | 1 (1) | 0 | 2 (1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 36 (7) | 1 |
| DF | | John Buttigieg | 12 (6) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 12 (7) | 0 |
| DF | | Terry Evans | 45 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 62 | 6 |
| DF | | Andy Feeley | 30 (3) | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2 (1) | 0 | 5 | 0 | 45 (4) | 0 |
| DF | | Marcus Gayle | 0 (3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (3) | 0 |
| DF | | Colin Lee | 1 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 1 (2) | 0 |
| DF | | Keith Millen | 36 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 53 | 3 |
| DF | | Graham Pearce | 11 (7) | 0 | 2 (1) | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 14 (8) | 0 |
| DF | | Roger Stanislaus | 42 (1) | 1 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 55 (1) | 2 |
| MF | | Bob Booker | 5 (3) | 0 | — | — | 1 (1) | 0 | — | — | 6 (4) | 0 |
| MF | | Allan Cockram | 31 (6) | 7 | 6 (1) | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 (1) | 1 | 43 (8) | 10 |
| MF | | Andy Driscoll | 0 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 |
| MF | | Kevin Godfrey | 24 (5) | 8 | 5 (2) | 0 | — | — | 4 (1) | 1 | 33 (8) | 9 |
| MF | | Keith Jones | 40 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 56 | 6 |
| MF | | Steve Perryman | 2 (3) | 0 | 0 (2) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 (6) | 0 |
| MF | | Simon Ratcliffe | 7 (2) | 1 | 1 (1) | 0 | — | — | 1 (1) | 0 | 9 (4) | 1 |
| MF | | Andy Sinton | 31 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 47 | 13 |
| MF | | Neil Smillie | 25 (3) | 2 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 37 (3) | 3 |
| FW | | Andy Ansah | 3 (4) | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 (4) | 2 |
| FW | | Paul Birch | 0 (2) | 0 | — | — | 0 (1) | 0 | — | — | 0 (3) | 0 |
| FW | | Gary Blissett | 35 (1) | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 49 (1) | 15 |
| FW | | Richard Cadette | 31 (1) | 12 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 48 (1) | 17 |
| FW | | Jon Purdie | 5 (1) | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 (1) | 0 |
| FW | | Tony Sealy | 11 (1) | 4 | 0 (1) | 0 | — | — | 0 (1) | 0 | 11 (3) | 4 |
| Players loaned in during the season |||||||||||||
| GK | | John Smeulders | 8 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 0 |
| FW | | Dean Holdsworth | 2 (5) | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 (5) | 1 |

* Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
* Source: The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties

### Goalscorers

| Pos. | Nat | Player | FL3 | FAC | FLC | FLT | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| FW | | Richard Cadette | 12 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 17 |
| FW | | Gary Blissett | 6 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 15 |
| MF | | Andy Sinton | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 13 |
| MF | | Allan Cockram | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| MF | | Kevin Godfrey | 8 | 0 | — | 1 | 9 |
| DF | | Terry Evans | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| MF | | Keith Jones | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| FW | | Tony Sealy | 4 | 0 | — | 0 | 4 |
| DF | | Keith Millen | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| MF | | Neil Smillie | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| FW | | Andy Ansah | 2 | — | — | — | 2 |
| DF | | Roger Stanislaus | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| FW | | Dean Holdsworth | 1 | — | — | — | 1 |
| MF | | Simon Ratcliffe | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 1 |
| DF | | Jamie Bates | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | Total | Total | 66 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 93 |

* Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
* Source: The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties

### Management

| Name | Nat | From | To | Record All Comps | Record All Comps | Record All Comps | Record All Comps | Record All Comps | Record League | Record League | Record League | Record League | Record League |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Name | Nat | From | To | P | W | D | L | W % | P | W | D | L | W % |
| Steve Perryman | | 27 August 1988 | 13 May 1989 | 63 | 29 | 17 | 17 | 046.03 | 46 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 039.13 |

### Summary

| Games played | 63 (46 Third Division, 8 FA Cup, 4 League Cup, 5 Football League Trophy) |
| - | - |
| Games won | 29 (18 Third Division, 5 FA Cup, 2 League Cup, 4 Football League Trophy) |
| Games drawn | 17 (14 Third Division, 2 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 0 Football League Trophy) |
| Games lost | 17 (14 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 1 Football League Trophy) |
| Goals scored | 93 (66 Third Division, 12 FA Cup, 8 League Cup, 7 Football League Trophy) |
| Goals conceded | 84 (61 Third Division, 8 FA Cup, 8 League Cup, 7 Football League Trophy) |
| Clean sheets | 22 (13 Third Division, 4 FA Cup, 1 League Cup, 4 Football League Trophy) |
| Biggest league win | 4–0 versus Southend United, 9 October 1988 |
| Worst league defeat | 3–0 versus Notts County, 1 May 1989; 4–1 versus Sheffield United, 24 September 1988; 5–3 versus Preston North End, 4 March 1989 |
| Most appearances | 62, Terry Evans (45 Third Division, 8 FA Cup, 4 League Cup, 5 Football League Trophy) |
| Top scorer (league) | 12, Richard Cadette |
| Top scorer (all competitions) | 17, Richard Cadette |

## Transfers & loans

Players transferred in :

| Date | Pos. | Name | Previous Club | Fee | Ref. |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| July 1988 | FW | Richard Cadette | Sheffield United | £77,500 | |
| August 1988 | GK | Tony Parks | Tottenham Hotspur | £60,000 | |
| August 1988 | MF | Neil Smillie | Reading | Free | |
| September 1988 | GK | Jeremy Roberts | Darlington | Non-contract | |
| October 1988 | MF | Kevin Godfrey | Leyton Orient | Non-contract | |
| October 1988 | FW | Graham Pearce | Farnborough Town | Non-contract | |
| 2 November 1988 | DF | John Buttigieg | Sliema Wanderers | £40,000 | |
| 1988 | GK | Ashley Bayes | n/a | n/a | |
| 1988 | FW | Kelly Haag | n/a | n/a | |
| 1988 | MF | Khotso Moabi | n/a | n/a | |
| January 1989 | MF | Simon Ratcliffe | Norwich City | £100,000 | |
| March 1989 | FW | Andy Ansah | Dorking | n/a | |
| March 1989 | FW | Tony Sealy | Unattached | Free | |
| April 1989 | FW | Jon Purdie | Oxford United | n/a | |
| Players loaned in ||||||
| Date from | Pos. | Name | From | Date to | Ref. |
| October 1988 | FW | Dean Holdsworth | Watford | November 1988 | |
| October 1988 | GK | John Smeulders | Bournemouth | November 1988 | |
| March 1989 | MF | Jon Purdie | Oxford United | April 1989 | |
| Players transferred out ||||||
| Date | Pos. | Name | Subsequent club | Fee | Ref. |
| August 1988 | DF | Roger Joseph | Wimbledon | £150,000 | |
| August 1988 | GK | Gary Phillips | Reading | £25,000 | |
| November 1988 | MF | Bob Booker | Sheffield United | Free | |
| March 1989 | MF | Andy Sinton | Queens Park Rangers | £350,000 | |
| Players released ||||||
| Date | Pos. | Name | Subsequent club | Join date | Ref. |
| August 1988 | MF | Wayne Turner | Barnet | 1988 | |
| October 1988 | FW | Paul Birch | Retired | | |
| 1988 | MF | Robbie Carroll | Fareham Town | 1988 | |
| 1988 | GK | Tony Oliver | Weymouth | 1988 | |
| May 1989 | DF | Andy Feeley | Bury | July 1989 | |
| May 1989 | DF | Colin Lee | Retired | | |
| May 1989 | FW | Graham Pearce | Maidstone United | 1989 | |
| May 1989 | FW | Jon Purdie | Shrewsbury Town | June 1989 | |
| May 1989 | GK | Jeremy Roberts | Maidenhead United | 1989 | |
| May 1989 | FW | Tony Sealy | Swindon Town | 1989 | |

## Kit

Supplier: Hobot Sponsor(s): KLM

| Home | Away |
| - | - |

Source: Brentford F.C.

## Awards

* Supporters' Player of the Year: Terry Evans
* Players' Player of the Year: Terry Evans
* Football League Third Division Manager of the Month: Steve Perryman (February 1989)
* Evening Standard Player of the Month: Terry Evans (January 1989), Gary Blissett (February 1989)
