was appointed
Brentford manager in March 2004 and preserved the club's
Second Division status. Cash-strapped Brentford began the 2003–04 season with a threadbare squad, depleted through injuries and propped up with youngsters, with
manager Wally Downes admitting that the club's "immediate goal is keeping ourselves afloat for a period that shows the bank we can manage ourselves". Five defeats in the opening six games left the club second-from-bottom, before the integration of
loanees Ben May,
Tommy Wright and
Joel Kitamirike yielded an improvement in form in September 2003, going unbeaten and winning three of five matches. In October, amidst speculation that former Brentford manager
Steve Perryman would return to the club as
director of football, manager Wally Downes was assured that his role would not be affected. Perryman eventually turned the offer down. Wally Downes was sacked after a 2–0 home defeat to
Stockport County on 13 March 2004, which was Brentford's fifth consecutive defeat. with a 1–1 draw securing the first point won for a month. Allen released a number of players, installed his own backroom team and immediately galvanised the squad, The match versus Bournemouth at
Griffin Park remained scoreless until seven minutes from time, when substitute
Alex Rhodes "coolly slotted" past Cherries' goalkeeper
Neil Moss for a 1–0 win that completed Brentford's escape from relegation. ==League table==