During the 1997–98 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Second Division. Just 11 wins in 46 matches saw the club relegated to the Third Division on the final day of the season.

After defeat in the 1997 Second Division play-off Final, David Webb, Brentford manager since the beginning of the 1993–94 season, moved "upstairs" to become the club's new chief executive, having acquired a majority shareholding of the club as part of a consortium with Tony Swaisland (chairman) and John Herting (director) in August 1997. Within days of the takeover and still without a manager, the spine of the previous season's team (Carl Asaba, Barry Ashby and Paul Smith) were sold for six-figure fees, with Brian Statham sold later in the month and promising youngster Marcus Bent transfer-listed. Replacements were found in the lower divisions, non-league and in Premier League reserve teams, with Paul Barrowcliff, Derek Bryan, Leon Townley, Ricky Reina and Charlie Oatway arriving for five-figure fees. First team coach Kevin Lock took caretaker charge of the club until the appointment of Eddie May just four days before the season began, with Clive Walker installed as May's assistant.