1977–78 Wimbledon F.C. season

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Wimbledon
1977–78 season
Chairman Ron Noades
Manager Allen Batsford (until 2 January 1978)
Dario Gradi (from 5 January 1978)
Stadium Plough Lane
Fourth Division 13th
FA Cup First round
League Cup Second round
Top goalscorerLeague:
All: Roger Connell (15)
  1976–77
1978–79  

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.

Contents

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.PosNatPlayerTotal Division Four FA Cup League Cup
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Glenn Aitken 13111+011+001+00
DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Dave Bassett 39135+001+003+01
DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Brian Bithell 606+000+000+00
DF Flag of England.svg  ENG David Bradley 707+000+000+00
MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Les Briley 14113+110+000+00
DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Jeff Bryant 47743+071+003+00
FW Flag of England.svg  ENG Roger Connell 331528+2140+003+01
FW Flag of England.svg  ENG Alan Cork 17417+040+000+00
MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Francis Cowley 202+000+000+00
MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Geoff Davies 26123+010+102+00
MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Paul Denny 27123+311+000+00
DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Dave Donaldson 42038+001+003+00
DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Terry Eames 19017+101+000+00
DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Billy Edwards 24221+020+003+00
MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Steve Galliers 31122+510+103+00
DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Dave Galvin 41540+051+000+00
GK Flag of England.svg  ENG Ray Goddard 18018+000+000+00
GK Flag of England.svg  ENG Dickie Guy 16013+001+002+00
FW Flag of England.svg  ENG Billy Holmes 18715+050+003+02
FW Flag of England.svg  ENG John Leslie 451340+1131+002+10
MF Flag of England.svg  ENG Steve Parsons 24524+050+000+00
DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Willie Smith 402+000+002+00
FW Flag of England.svg  ENG Phil Summerill 25422+241+000+00
GK Flag of England.svg  ENG Richard Teale 16015+000+001+00
DF Flag of England.svg  ENG Kevin Tilley 16011+200+003+00

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
DateOpponentsResultGoalscorersAttendance
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)0–22,700
13 September 1977 Aldershot (H)1–2 Edwards 50'4,446
17 September 1977 Scunthorpe United (A)0–32,618
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)0–02,634
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)0–02,406
17 December 1977 Huddersfield Town (H)0–33,544
26 December 1977 Rochdale (A)0–31,283
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)0–39,700
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)0–12,300
11 February 1978 Scunthorpe United (H)0–01,603
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)0–01,871
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)0–17,120
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)0–211,212
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

DateRoundOpponentsResultGoalscorersAttendance
26 November 1977Round 1 Enfield (A)0–32,849

League Cup

DateRoundOpponentsResultGoalscorersAttendance
13 August 1977Round 1 First Leg Gillingham (A)1–1 Holmes 85'4,782
16 August 1977Round 1 Second Leg Gillingham (H)3–1 Bassett 35', Connell 68', Holmes 72'3,868
31 August 1977Round 2 Tottenham Hotspur (A)0–422,807

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References

  1. Historical Wimbledon F.C. kits on HFK