BRENTFORD 1998-99 DIVISION THREE CHAMPIONS
RON NOADES decided at 60 that he was going to take the plunge into football management after more than 30 years’ involvement in London football.
Noades, who made millions as a property developer, first entered football ownership with Southall in 1973, then Wimbledon, Milton Keynes City and Crystal Palace.
He had held FA coaching badges since 1978 and 20 years later had a two-game spell in charge of Palace after seeing a succession of managers leave the club.
After banking £22.8m from the sale of the Eagles to Mark Goldberg, he still wanted to be involved in the game and Brentford, just relegated to Division Three, were up for sale.
Instead of employing a manager, he thought he would do it himself. The first player he signed after buying the Bees, Danny Boxall, remembers the season fondly.
“I still had another year left at Palace, who were struggling, but it looked like I was going to get a run in the first-team there.
“But then Ron (Noades) bought Brentford, and Ray Lewington, who went with him, said that they wanted me and would guarantee me first-team football every week.
“They said they didn’t expect me to be there for very long, so it was a step down to take two forward. I was paid well for that division, so financially it made sense as well.
“Ron was very blunt and spoke honestly; he didn’t hold back on anything. But in terms of tactics, he didn’t get involved, and he left it to Ray Lewington, who was the key man in it all.
“Ron would dangle a carrot every now and again. If we had a big game he would stand up and say ‘if you win today, I’ll double your win bonus’ and then walk out,” he said.
Noades’ man-management style worked a treat as the Bees took the title by four points from Cambridge United, who they beat 1-0 on the last day of the season.
But Boxall recalls a 2-1 defeat at Swansea in the middle of February, which proved to be the turning point in their fortunes.
“We didn’t start fantastically. It was a bit up and down, and it was after that game at Swansea that Ray Lewington decided he was going to play all of the lads he brought in.
“From that moment, we went on a run and did brilliantly and didn’t lose any of our last 16 games. We only had to draw at Cambridge to be champions.
“We won 1-0 with a Lloyd Owusu goal. We were relatively comfortable, but he has never let us forget it. Ron then took us all back to his house for a party.
“I remember him pulling me aside and opening a cupboard. I wasn’t sure what he was going to show me, and it was his wine cellar and said ‘there you go’.
“He gave me access to his champagne and wine. I remember me and Martin Rowlands played a game of two-touch with a football in his front room,” he laughs. 1. Darren Powell: Centre-half, who managed Hampton & Richmond Borough. Is now an academy coach at his former club Crystal Palace.
2. Jamie Bates: Defender and member of two Championship-winning sides at Griffin Park. He became a courier driver for a printing company in London.
3. Lloyd Owusu: The Ghanaian international striker was a Football League Trophy runner-up with the Bees. He is now based in Sydney, where he is a schoolteacher.
4. Jason Pearcey: The keeper won promotion with Mansfield in 1992 and is now academy goalkeeping coach at Derby County and runs a goalkeeping school.
5. Kevin Dearden: Keeper, who was voted Brentford’s Player of the Year in 1994. Became goalkeeper coach at Leyton Orient and is now at Luton Town.
6. Robert Taylor: The striker helped Manchester City win promotion to the Premiership before going into Non-League management and is now an agent.
7. Leon Townley: The defender is now based in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, and has worked in the recruitment industry.
8. Andy Scott: The striker managed Brentford, Aldershot and Rotherham United. He has also been head of recruitment for the Bees, Watford and now Swansea. 9. Brian Sparrow: Enjoyed a long career in coaching as well as working in property and as a football consultant until his death earlier this month aged 57.
10. Terry Bullivant: After managing Barnet and Reading, he is the chief scout at Championship side Millwall.
11. Darren Freeman: The striker won promotions with Gillingham, Fulham and Brighton. He managed Lewes and now works for German football management agency SportsTotal.
12. David McGhee: The striker returned to live in Looe, Cornwall, where he has coached at Looe Town and Lanreath.
13. Danny Cullip: Defender, who won promotion from Division Three, coaches for Brighton’s community scheme and at Worthing College.
14. Charlie Oatway: Midfielder, who won a Division Three title with Brighton, has worked at several clubs under Gus Poyet and then coached at Eastbourne Borough. 15. Derek Bryan: The striker had a series of knee injuries that eventually ended his career. He lives and works in the Acton area in London. 16. Robert Quinn: The Republic of Ireland B international played in a play-off final for Crystal Palace where he is now the under-16 head coach.
17. Niall Thompson: The Canadian international striker has coached at the Vancouver Whitecaps and has been a customer recovery specialist at an insurance corporation in British Columbia.
18. Gerry Delahunt: Served several clubs as physio before working for the Qatar Royal Family in the Middle East and opened a private practice in Wigan.
19. Ray Lewington: The former Fulham manager has enjoyed a long career in coaching and management. He is currently Crystal Palace’s assistant manager.
20. Paul Watson: The full-back helped Brighton to Division Two and Three titles. He became a physio and is now Sheffield United’s head physiotherapist.
21. Danny Boxall: The Republic of Ireland under-21 right-back has business interests that include contract cleaning and work in construction.
22. Ijah Anderson: Left-back, who spent eight years with the Bees, has worked as a wall tiler and teaching assistant. He is now working as a life coach.
23. Kevin Rapley: Striker, who came through the ranks with the Bees. Became a driving instructor after dropping into Non-League football.
24. John Griffin: Chief scout, who followed Noades from Crystal Palace, is back at Selhurst Park after working for Wycombe Wanderers. 25. Ron Noades: The successful businessman died after a battle with lung cancer in December 2013 aged 76.
26. Dean Clark: The midfielder, who enjoyed a successful career in Non-League football, is still local and works for BAA.
27. Warren Aspinall: Striker who works for Sainsbury’s in their distribution centre in Basingstoke. Also scouts for Brighton and works as a summariser for BBC Radio Sussex.
28. Ryan Denys: The locally-born midfielder went into youth coaching and is now a PE teacher at the Edward Wilson Primary School in west London.
29. Kevin Dennis: The former Arsenal left-winger, who had a conviction for murder overturned, is still believed to be living in London.