After narrowly saving Brentford from relegation to the Fourth Division at the end of the previous season, interim manager Fred Callaghan was given the job on a full-time basis, with Ron Harris appointed as his assistant.

[1] Callaghan conducted a clear-out of the squad, releasing captain Jackie Graham and bit-part players Doug Allder, Allan Glover, Billy Holmes and Trevor Porter.

[1] Aside from Ron Harris (who would continue his playing career), Callaghan brought in five new players, with £20,000 laid out on midfielders David Crown, Terry Hurlock and Barry Silkman.

[2] £55,000 was generated from the sales of forwards Steve Phillips and Lee Holmes,[2] but Callaghan was presented with a problem when Len Bond, Barry Tucker, John Fraser and Dave Carlton, mainstays of the team for the previous two years, refused to sign new contracts.

[1] Forwards Gary Johnson and Lee Frost arrived from Chelsea in December 1980 for a £30,000 fee, while squad members Willie Graham, Iori Jenkins and Dean Smith were released in February 1981.