1914–15 Brentford F.C. season

Brentford
1914–15 season
Chairman H. Jason-Saunders
Manager Dusty Rhodes
Stadium Griffin Park
Southern League Division Two 7th
FA Cup Fifth qualifying round
Top goalscorer League: White (7)
All: White (7)
Highest home attendance 5,000
Lowest home attendance 400

During the 1914–15 English football season, Brentford competed in the Southern League Division Two. The season began one month after Britain entered the First World War, unsettling the squad as players left to undertake military or munitions duties. The Bees finished in mid-table in what would be the club's last season of competitive football until 1919–20.

Season summary

Brentford's players were due to report back for pre-season training during the week beginning 3 August 1914, but those preparations were disrupted by Britain's declaration of war on Germany on 4 August.[1] Just two players had been signed, forwards Jack Curtis and Stephen Stonley.[1] As the season got underway, Brentford lost just two of the first 10 Southern League Division Two matches, but by that point it had become obvious that the war would not be over by Christmas as predicted.[1] Beginning in mid-October 1914, the squad was decimated by departures to serve in the army (Kent, Sloley, Hendren, Amos), work in munitions at the Royal Arsenal (McGovern, Johnson, Stonley) or on transfers (J. Curtis, Spratt).[1][2] Reserves, guest players, free transfers and local amateurs were brought in to plug gaps in the squad, with full back Fred Price, half backs Mick O'Brien, Charles Allwright and forwards M. Donaghy, W. Chalk, F. Arnold and C. Hibbert making up for the departures of the professionals in the second half of the season.[3] Amateur W. Chalk would become something of a minor success, scoring six goals in 9 appearances.[3]

Notably, a 10–0 win over Abertillery on 28 November 1914 set a new club record victory, but the result was declared void two days later when Abertillery resigned from the Southern League.[1] Earlier wins over Leyton and Mardy were also chalked off when those clubs also left the league.[3] Brentford won just three of the final 15 matches of the season, the one bright spot being the emergence of inside right Henry White.[3] Low attendances meant the Bees finished a mid-table season £7,000 in debt and 1914–15 would became the final season of competitive football until 1919–20, after the war ended in November 1918.[1]

One-time England amateur international George Littler (who appeared for Brentford Reserves in the Southern Alliance during the 1913–14 season),[3][4] became the first former Brentford player to die in the First World War, on 11 May 1915.[2] He had been serving as a sergeant in the King's Royal Rifle Corps when he died of wounds suffered in the Battle of Aubers Ridge.[5]

League table

PosClubPWDLGFGAAve1Pts2
1Stoke24174362154.1338
2Stalybridge Celtic24173447222.1737
3Merthyr Town24155446202.3035
4Swansea Town24161748212.2933
5Coventry City24132956331.7028
6Ton Pentre24116742430.9828
7Brentford2487935450.7823
8Llanelly241011339321.2221
9Barry24651330350.8617
10Newport County24731427420.6417
11Pontypridd24561331580.5316
12Mid Rhondda24361517490.3512
13Ebbw Vale24312023880.267

1: The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976–77 season.

2: The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.

Leyton, Mardy and Abertillery Town resigned from the league mid-season and their records were expunged

Results

Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Southern League Division Two

No. DateOpponentVenueResultScorer(s)
1 5 September 1914Coventry CityH3–1Sloley, Stonley (2, 1 pen)
2 12 September 1914Barry A1–0White
3 14 September 1914Mid RhonddaA0–0
4 26 September 1914Ton PentreA0–0
5 13 October 1914Stalybridge CelticA1–5J. Curtis
6 31 October 1914Ebbw Vale H3–0Sloley (3)
7 7 November 1914LlanellyA0–3
8 14 November 1914Newport County H1–0Stonley (pen)
9 12 December 1914Swansea Town H2–0Johnson, Hendren
10 25 December 1914Stoke H2–2Stonley, Sloley
11 26 December 1914StokeA0–3
12 2 January 1915Coventry City A2–3Stonley, White
13 9 January 1915PontypriddA0–1
14 16 January 1915BarryH0–0
15 30 January 1915Ton PentreH3–3Hibbert, White, F. Price
16 13 February 1915Stalybridge CelticH1–3Chalk
17 6 March 1915Ebbw ValeA4–1Arnold (2), White, Chalk
18 13 March 1915LlanellyH2–2Martin (og), Chalk
19 20 March 1915Newport CountyA0–5
20 27 March 1915Mid RhonddaH3–1White, Chalk (2)
21 2 April 1915Merthyr TownH1–1O'Brien
22 3 April 1915Swansea TownA0–8
23 5 April 1915Merthyr TownA0–3
24 10 April 1915Pontypridd H6–0O'Brien (2), Chalk, White (2), Barclay

FA Cup

Main article: 1914–15 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResult Scorer
QR4 21 November 1914 Nunhead A 1–0 Stonley
QR5 5 December 1914 Boscombe A 0–0
QR5 (replay)9 December 1914Boscombe H0–1

Playing squad

Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1914–15 season.
Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in Notes
Goalkeepers
GK Ted Price England 13 June 1883 (aged 31) Croydon Common 1912
Defenders
DF Fred Price England n/a Shepherds Bush 1914
DF Dusty Rhodes (c) England 16 August 1882 (aged 32) Sunderland 1908 Manager
DF Bertie Rosier England 21 March 1893 (aged 21) Southall 1913
Midfielders
HB Charles Allwright England 11 June 1888 (aged 26) Kingston-on-Thames 1915
HB Alf Amos England 9 February 1893 (aged 21) Old Kingstonians 1913
HB Alec Barclay England 1 November 1885 (aged 28) Ilford 1910 Amateur
HB Bobby Jackson England n/a Portsmouth 1913
HB Joe Johnson England 1884 (aged 29–30) Clapton Orient 1913
HB Tom McGovern Scotland n/a Halifax Town 1913
HB Mick O'Brien Ireland 10 August 1893 (aged 21) Celtic 1915
Forwards
FW Herbert Allwright England 4 March 1892 (aged 23) Unattached 1915
FW F. Arnold England n/a n/a 1915
FW W. Chalk England n/a Old Kingstonians 1915 Amateur
FW Jack Chapman England 29 April 1895 (aged 19) Southall 1913 Amateur
FW George Curtis England 22 October 1888 (aged 25) Kingston-on-Thames 1914
FW M. Donaghy England n/a Luton Town 1915
FW Patsy Hendren England 5 February 1889 (aged 25) Queens Park Rangers 1911 Played when his cricket commitments allowed
FW Charles Hibbert England 1894 (aged 19–20) Uxbridge 1914 Amateur
FW Tommy Kent England September 1888 (aged 25–26) Slough Town 1913 Amateur
FW Jack Land England 31 March 1883 (aged 31) Hounslow 1910
FW Richard Sloley England 20 August 1891 (aged 23) Cambridge University 1914 Amateur
FW Stephen Stonley England 29 September 1889 (aged 24) Woolwich Arsenal 1914
FW C. Symes England n/a South Tooting 1912
FW Henry White England 8 August 1895 (aged 19) Whamcliffe Athletic 1913 Amateur
Players who left the club mid-season
DF Walter Spratt England 14 April 1889 (aged 25) Rotherham Town 1911 Transferred to Manchester United
FW Jack Curtis England 13 December 1888 (aged 25) Fulham 1914 Transferred to Stockport County
Guest players
GK W. Hughes England n/a Leyton 1915 Amateur, guest from Leyton
HB Harry Crane England 25 September 1890 (aged 23) Woking 1915 Amateur, guest from Woking
FW Charles Beedell England 17 May 1880 (aged 34) Tufnell Park 1915 Amateur, guest from Tufnell Park
FW Norman Carson England 20 January 1889 (aged 25) Shepherd's Bush 1915 Amateur, guest from Shepherd's Bush
FW R. Fraser England n/a Chelsea 1914 Guest from Chelsea
FW P. Matthews England n/a Uxbridge 1914 Amateur, guest from Uxbridge
FW Cecil Salisbury England 4 September 1886 (aged 28) Woking 1915 Amateur, guest from Woking
FW James Sangster England 22 May 1891 (aged 23) Southall 1914 Amateur, guest from Southall

Coaching staff

Name Role
England Dusty Rhodes Manager
England Fred Halliday Secretary
England Tommy Spicer Trainer
England Michael Whitham Trainer

Statistics

Appearances and goals

Pos Nat Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK EnglandTed Price 22030250
DF England Fred Price 10 1 10 1
DF EnglandDusty Rhodes 2202 0240
DF EnglandBertie Rosier 100 010
DF England Walter Spratt 15 0 3 0 18 0
HB England Charles Allwright 5 0 5 0
HB EnglandAlf Amos 23030260
HB EnglandAlec Barclay 12130151
HB England Bobby Jackson 1 0 0 0 1 0
HB EnglandJoe Johnson 11120131
HB England Jack Land 1 0 0 0 1 0
HB ScotlandTom McGovern 1503 0180
HB IrelandMick O'Brien 9393
FW England Herbert Allwright 2 0 2 0
FW England F. Arnold 7 2 7 2
FW EnglandW. Chalk 9696
FW England Jack Chapman 2 0 0 0 2 0
FW England Jack Curtis 14 1 2 0 16 1
FW England M. Donaghy 7 0 7 0
FW EnglandPatsy Hendren 1311 0141
FW England Charles Hibbert 11 1 11 1
FW England Tommy Kent 4 0 1 0 5 0
FW EnglandRichard Sloley 351 045
FW EnglandStephen Stonley 1443 1175
FW England C. Symes 1 0 2 0 3 0
FW EnglandHenry White 16700167
Players guested during the season
GK EnglandW. Hughes 2020
HB EnglandHarry Crane 1010
FW England Charles Beedell 1 0 1 0
FW EnglandNorman Carson 2020
FW England George Curtis 1 0 1 0
FW EnglandR. Fraser 3030
FW England P. Matthews 3 0 3 0
FW England Cecil Salisbury 1 0 1 0
FW England James Sangster 2 0 2 0

Goalscorers

Pos. Nat Player SL2 FAC Total
FW England Henry White 7 0 7
FW England W. Chalk 6 6
FW England Richard Sloley 5 0 5
FW England Stephen Stonley 4 1 5
HB Ireland Mick O'Brien3 3
FW England F. Arnold 2 2
FW England C. Hibbert 1 1
DF England Fred Price 1 1
HB England Alec Barclay 1 0 1
FW England Jack Curtis 1 0 1
FW England Patsy Hendren 1 0 1
HB England Joe Johnson 1 0 1
Opponents 1 0 1
Total35136

Management

Name Nat From To Record All Comps Record League
PWDLW %PWDLW %
Dusty Rhodes England 5 September 1914 10 April 1915 27 9 8 10 33.33|24 8 7 9 33.33

Summary

Games played 27 (24 Southern League Division One, 3 FA Cup)
Games won 9 (8 Southern League Division One, 1 FA Cup)
Games drawn 8 (7 Southern League Division One, 1 FA Cup)
Games lost 10 (9 Southern League Division One, 1 FA Cup)
Goals scored 36 (35 Southern League Division One, 1 FA Cup)
Goals conceded 46 (45 Southern League Division One, 1 FA Cup)
Clean sheets 9 (8 Southern League Division One, 1 FA Cup)
Biggest league win 6–0 versus Pontypridd, 10 April 1915
Worst league defeat 8–0 versus Swansea Town, 3 April 1915
Most appearances 26, Alf Amos (23 Southern League Division One, 3 FA Cup)
Top scorer (league) 7, Henry White
Top scorer (all competitions) 7, Henry White

Transfers & loans

Players transferred in
Date Pos. Name Previous Club Fee Ref.
June 1914 FW England Jack Curtis England Fulham n/a [2]
June 1914 FW England Stephen Stonley England Woolwich Arsenal n/a [2]
1914 FW England George Curtis England Kingston-on-Thames n/a [3]
1914 FW England Tommy Kent England Slough Town Amateur [2]
December 1914 FW England Charles Hibbert England Uxbridge Amateur [3]
December 1914 HB Ireland Mick O'Brien Scotland Celtic n/a [8]
December 1914 DF England Fred Price England Shepherd's Bush n/a [3]
February 1915 FW England Charles Allwright England Kingston-on-Thames n/a [3]
February 1915 FW England W. Chalk England Old Kingstonians Amateur [3]
March 1915 FW England Herbert Allwright Unattached n/a [3]
March 1915 FW England F. Arnold n/a n/a [3]
March 1915 FW England M. Donaghy England Luton Town n/a [3]
Players transferred out
Date Pos. Name Subsequent club Fee Ref.
January 1915 FW England Jack Curtis England Stockport County n/a [2]
February 1915 DF England Walter Spratt England Manchester United £175 [2]
Guest players in
Date from Pos. Name Previous Club Date to Ref.
12 September 1914 FW England P. Matthews England Uxbridge 13 October 1914 [3]
7 November 1914 FW England R. Fraser England Chelsea 2 January 1915 [3]
5 December 1914 FW England James Sangster England Southall 9 December 1914 [3]
9 January 1915FWEngland Charles BeedellEngland Tufnell Park9 January 1915[3]
16 January 1915 HB England Harry Crane England Woking 16 January 1915 [3]
16 January 1915 FW England Cecil Salisbury England Woking 16 January 1915 [3]
30 January 1915 FW England Norman Carson England Shepherd's Bush 13 February 1915 [3]
6 March 1915 GK England W. Hughes England Leyton 13 March 1915 [3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 White 1989, p. 104-106.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Bees Review: Brentford Official Matchday Programme vs Hull City 03/11/15. Milton Keynes: Regal Sports Press. 2015. pp. 61–67.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 363. ISBN 0951526200.
  4. "England Matches - The Amateurs 1906-1939". www.englandfootballonline.com. Retrieved 2016-11-15.
  5. Manchester, Reading Room. "Casualty Details". www.cwgc.org. Retrieved 2016-11-15.
  6. Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920-2006. Yore Publications. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  7. Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. ISBN 190589161X.
  8. "Mick O'Brien". nifootball.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-10-29.
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