1977–78 Wimbledon F.C. season

Wimbledon
1977–78 season
ChairmanRon Noades
ManagerAllen Batsford (until 2 January 1978)
Dario Gradi (from 5 January 1978)
StadiumPlough Lane
Fourth Division13th
FA CupFirst round
League CupSecond round
Top goalscorerLeague:
All: Roger Connell (15)

During the 1977–78 English football season, Wimbledon F.C. competed in the Football League Fourth Division, following promotion from the Southern Football League the previous season. It was Wimbledon's first ever season in the Football League.

Season summary

Wimbledon enjoyed a satisfactory season upon their Football League debut, finishing 13th in the Fourth Division. Manager Allen Batsford had resigned in January, to be replaced by Dario Gradi.

Kit

Adidas became Wimbledon's kit sponsors. The kit remained white but also featured Adidas' trademark "three stripes" in blue from collar to cuffs on the shirt and on the sides of the shorts.[1]

Squad

No. Pos Nat Player Total Division Four FA Cup League Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
MF England ENG Glenn Aitken 13 1 11+0 1 1+0 0 1+0 0
DF England ENG Dave Bassett 39 1 35+0 0 1+0 0 3+0 1
DF England ENG Brian Bithell 6 0 6+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
DF England ENG David Bradley 7 0 7+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
MF England ENG Les Briley 14 1 13+1 1 0+0 0 0+0 0
DF England ENG Jeff Bryant 47 7 43+0 7 1+0 0 3+0 0
FW England ENG Roger Connell 33 15 28+2 14 0+0 0 3+0 1
FW England ENG Alan Cork 17 4 17+0 4 0+0 0 0+0 0
MF England ENG Francis Cowley 2 0 2+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
MF England ENG Geoff Davies 26 1 23+0 1 0+1 0 2+0 0
MF England ENG Paul Denny 27 1 23+3 1 1+0 0 0+0 0
DF England ENG Dave Donaldson 42 0 38+0 0 1+0 0 3+0 0
DF England ENG Terry Eames 19 0 17+1 0 1+0 0 0+0 0
DF England ENG Billy Edwards 24 2 21+0 2 0+0 0 3+0 0
MF England ENG Steve Galliers 31 1 22+5 1 0+1 0 3+0 0
DF England ENG Dave Galvin 41 5 40+0 5 1+0 0 0+0 0
GK England ENG Ray Goddard 18 0 18+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
GK England ENG Dickie Guy 16 0 13+0 0 1+0 0 2+0 0
FW England ENG Billy Holmes 18 7 15+0 5 0+0 0 3+0 2
FW England ENG John Leslie 45 13 40+1 13 1+0 0 2+1 0
MF England ENG Steve Parsons 24 5 24+0 5 0+0 0 0+0 0
DF England ENG Willie Smith 4 0 2+0 0 0+0 0 2+0 0
FW England ENG Phil Summerill 25 4 22+2 4 1+0 0 0+0 0
GK England ENG Richard Teale 16 0 15+0 0 0+0 0 1+0 0
DF England ENG Kevin Tilley 16 0 11+2 0 0+0 0 3+0 0

Staff

Chairman Ron Noades
Manager Allen Batsford
(until 2 January 1978)
Dario Gradi
(from 5 January 1978)

Transfers

In

Out

Matches

Football League Division Four

Key
Results
Date Opponents Result Goalscorers Attendance
20 August 1977 Halifax Town (H) 3–3 Bryant 61', Leslie 70', Connell 86' 4,616
22 August 1977 Brentford (A) 1–4 Bryant 10' 11,001
27 August 1977 Torquay United (A) 1–1 Connell 90' 4,162
3 September 1977 Southport (H) 2–2 Connell 25', Harrison (o.g.) 59' 3,603
10 September 1977 Hartlepool United (A) 0–2 2,700
13 September 1977 Aldershot (H) 1–2 Edwards 50' 4,446
17 September 1977 Scunthorpe United (A) 0–3 2,618
24 September 1977 Northampton Town (H) 2–0 Holmes 35', Summerill 38' 3,326
27 September 1977 Newport County (H) 3–0 Galvin 19', Davies 32', Holmes 60' 3,941
1 October 1977 Reading (A) 2–2 Summerill 35', Holmes 75' 4,369
4 October 1977 Grimsby Town (A) 1–3 Summerill 55' 4,048
8 October 1977 Crewe Alexandra (H) 0–0 2,634
15 October 1977 Bournemouth (A) 2–1 Holmes 21', Leslie 72' 4,272
22 October 1977 Southend United (H) 1–3 Galvin 13' 4,448
29 October 1977 Darlington (A) 1–3 Holmes 44' (pen.) 2,710
5 November 1977 Swansea City (H) 1–1 Summerill 73' 2,701
7 November 1977 Darlington (H) 1–1 Aitken 39' 2,028
19 November 1977 York City (H) 2–1 Leslie (2) 44', 50' 2,056
2 December 1977 Stockport County (A) 2–2 Leslie (2) 64', 77' 5,008
10 December 1977 Barnsley (H) 0–0 2,406
17 December 1977 Huddersfield Town (H) 0–3 3,544
26 December 1977 Rochdale (A) 0–3 1,283
28 December 1977 Doncaster Rovers (H) 3–3 Galliers 11', Leslie 37', Parsons 58' (pen.) 2,032
31 December 1977 Watford (H) 1–3 Edwards 80' 7,324
2 January 1978 Swansea City (A) 0–3 9,700
7 January 1978 Brentford (H) 1–1 Galvin 68' 5,411
14 January 1978 Halifax Town (A) 2–1 Bryant 56', Denny 80' 2,770
21 January 1978 Torquay United (H) 0–1 2,300
11 February 1978 Scunthorpe United (H) 0–0 1,603
20 February 1978 Hartlepool United (H) 3–0 Connell 16', Galvin (2) 59', 82' 1,440
24 February 1978 Reading (H) 1–1 Connell 58' 2,567
28 February 1978 Northampton Town (A) 3–0 Connell (2) 23', 44', Parsons 30' 2,643
4 March 1978 Crewe Alexandra (A) 0–0 1,871
8 March 1978 Aldershot (A) 1–3 Wooler (o.g.) 89' 4,632
11 March 1978 Bournemouth (H) 3–1 Connell 45', Cork 48', Leslie 56' 2,834
17 March 1978 Southend United (A) 0–1 7,120
25 March 1978 Doncaster Rovers (A) 2–0 Bryant 61', Cork 75' 2,484
27 March 1978 Rochdale (H) 5–1 Cork (2) 11', 85', Leslie 45', Bryant 62', Parsons 90' 2,737
1 April 1978 Watford (A) 0–2 11,212
4 April 1978 Grimsby Town (H) 2–2 Leslie 37', Parsons 66' (pen.) 2,380
8 April 1978 Huddersfield Town (H) 2–0 Bryant 10', Leslie 24' 2,602
15 April 1978 York City (A) 1–1 Connell 72' 1,617
17 April 1978 Southport (A) 5–0 Connell (2) 41', 43', Parsons 46', Leslie 75', Bryant 85' 1,604
22 April 1978 Stockport County (H) 2–0 Briley 57', Leslie 65' 2,763
25 April 1978 Newport County (A) 1–0 Connell 43' 2,112
29 April 1978 Barnsley (A) 2–3 Connell (2) 46', 88' 2,479

FA Cup

Date Round Opponents Result Goalscorers Attendance
26 November 1977 Round 1 Enfield (A) 0–3 2,849

League Cup

Date Round Opponents Result Goalscorers Attendance
13 August 1977 Round 1 First Leg Gillingham (A) 1–1 Holmes 85' 4,782
16 August 1977 Round 1 Second Leg Gillingham (H) 3–1 Bassett 35', Connell 68', Holmes 72' 3,868
31 August 1977 Round 2 Tottenham Hotspur (A) 0–4 22,807

References