During the 1969–70 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Fourth Division. Despite staying in the promotion places throughout much of the campaign, three-late season defeats cost the Bees promotion to the Third Division.

There was the perception around Griffin Park during the 1969 off-season that after the financial austerity of the previous two-and-a-half years, the extreme cost-cutting measures enacted by former chairman Ron Blindell had reduced Brentford's target to merely staying in business, rather than challenging for promotion to the Third Division. Former director Walter Wheatley's loans to the club had taken its debts down to a manageable proportion, but after being installed as chairman (Blindell had died in January 1969), Wheatley carried on the austerity into the 1969–70 season. Manager Jimmy Sirrel once again had his hands tied in the transfer market, releasing experienced campaigners Dennis Hunt, Pat Terry and Ron Foster and bringing in three attackers, two on free transfers (Bill Brown and Micky Cook) and one on trial (Roger Frude).

From the point of view of manpower, Brentford began the season in the worst possible way, with just 14 fit players. Despite the early-season transfer of the versatile John Richardson to rivals Fulham for £10,000, Brentford had an excellent start to the season, with goals from Allan Mansley, Bobby Ross and Micky Cook helping the club stabilise its position in the promotion places. The number of fit players had dropped to 13 by October 1969, with the lack of a recognised centre forward being the problem. On 10 November, manager Jimmy Sirrel dropped the bombshell that he would be leaving the club to take up the manager's position at Notts County. Forward Ron Fenton took over as caretaker manager and though the Bees exited the FA Cup in the first round, quickly ending any chances of a money-spinning cup run, Fenton managed to keep the club in and around the promotion places before Frank Blunstone was installed as manager just prior to Christmas 1969.

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