Gordon Sweetzer

A forward, Sweetzer began his career in the youth system at Queens Park Rangers, before transferring to Fourth Division club Brentford in July 1975.[3] After signing a professional contract in September 1975, he was named as the substitute for a league fixture versus Huddersfield Town late in the month.[3] Aged 18, Sweetzer made his professional debut when he replaced Dave Simmons during the match and scored the first senior goal of his career with a late header in the 2–1 defeat.[4][5] He went on to establish himself in the team and finished the 1975–76 season with 31 appearances and seven goals.[6]

Sweetzer began the 1976–77 season with niggling injuries,[3] but after returning to fitness he showed prolific form, scoring 23 goals in 28 appearances to pull the Bees away from what would have been an almost-certain re-election scenario.[6][7] He was voted the club's Supporters' Player of the Year.[8] During the 1977–78 season, Sweetzer was part of a prolific forward line that also included Steve Phillips and Andrew McCulloch and despite being affected by injuries, he scored 14 goals in 20 appearances.[6][9] With promotion to the Third Division almost assured, he was transferred out of the club in April 1978.[3] In just shy of three seasons at Griffin Park, Sweetzer scored 44 goals in 79 appearances.[6]

Sweetzer transferred to high-flying Third Division club Cambridge United for a £30,000 fee in April 1978, a move which reunited him with manager John Docherty, who had signed him at Brentford.[3] Sweetzer celebrated promotion to the Second Division with the club at the end of the 1977–78 season, but the remainder of his spell would be plagued by injuries and he left the club in 1980.[3] He returned to his native Canada to play for North American Soccer League club Toronto Blizzard in 1980 and 1981, before closing out his career in 1982 with a short comeback at Brentford and a spell with North American Soccer League club Edmonton Drillers.[3][10]