1938–39 season of Brentford F.C.
Brentford 1938–39 football season
Brentford1938–39 season |
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Chairman | Louis P. Simon |
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Manager | Harry Curtis |
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Stadium | Griffin Park |
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First Division | 18th |
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FA Cup | Third round |
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Top goalscorer | League: Cheetham (8) All: Cheetham (8) |
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Highest home attendance | 38,535 |
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Lowest home attendance | 12,761 |
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Average home league attendance | 23,117 |
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During the 1938–39 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League First Division. A six-match unbeaten run in February and March 1939 pulled the club clear of a near-certain relegation.
Season summary
After successive top-six finishes in Brentford's first three seasons in the First Division and with the club making a record £7,348 profit on the previous season (equivalent to £592,600 in 2024),[1][2] manager Harry Curtis again elected to not make any significant off-season signings, stating "negotiations took place in an effort to get certain players of great repute, but the deals did not come off. During this close season the position still seems to be the same, the clubs being unwilling to part with players, irrespective of the price offered".[4] Enquiries for Manchester City's Peter Doherty, Blackpool's Danny Blair, Everton's Joe Mercer, Hull City's David Parker and Scots Jimmy Carabine and Andy Black were all rebuffed.[4]
Long-serving Scottish international wing half Duncan McKenzie was sold to Middlesbrough in May 1938 for a £6,000 fee. After youngsters Les Smith and Gerry McAloon were promoted into the first team during the previous two seasons, Curtis would again dip into the reserve and junior ranks and give debuts to left back Doug Anderson and forwards Len Townsend and George Wilkins during the season. Brentford finished pre-season with a 2–1 Football League Jubilee Fund victory over neighbours Chelsea.[7]
Brentford started the First Division season with two wins and a draw – the second victory being played in front of a club record 38,535 home crowd versus London rivals Arsenal.[8][9] Just one point from the following seven matches dropped the Bees to the bottom of the First Division.[8] Scottish international forward David McCulloch's previous prolific goalscoring form had deserted him and reliable forwards Bobby Reid and Billy Scott also found goalscoring chances hard to come by. Having scored just twice in 9 appearances, McCulloch departed Griffin Park to join Derby County for a £9,500 fee on 22 October 1938. Brentford's form picked up slightly after McCulloch's departure, losing just three of the following 12 matches,[8] but two other regular starters departed in the midst of the run – forward George Eastham to Blackpool for £5,000 and long-serving captain Arthur Bateman was forced to retire. Manager Curtis signed Irish international full back Bill Gorman to partner George Poyser in defence and promoted young forwards Len Townsend and George Wilkins to the first team. In December 1938, he added former Fulham reserve team manager Joe Edelston to the coaching staff.[13]
Brentford's bad form continued through to February 1939 and again the team was hit by the loss of a key players, with Scottish international forward Bobby Reid moving to Sheffield United and Gerry McAloon departing for Wolverhampton Wanderers the following month. Manager Curtis brought in two new forwards, Tommy Cheetham from local rivals Queens Park Rangers and Les Boulter from Charlton Athletic for £5,000 each. Cheetham scored on his second appearance to begin a run of five wins and a draw, which took the Bees up to 13th position and effectively saved the club's top-flight status.[8] Brentford lost seven of the remaining 10 matches and finished in 18th place.[8]
Despite the poor finish, the season ended on a high note, when on 24 May 1939, 21-year-old forward Les Smith became the second Brentford player to win a full England cap, which came in a 2–0 friendly win over Romania in Bucharest.[17]
League table
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
Results
- Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend
No. | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) |
1 | 27 August 1938 | Huddersfield Town | H | 2–1 | 26,638 | Brown, McCulloch |
2 | 3 September 1938 | Everton | A | 1–2 | 35,989 | Reid |
3 | 8 September 1938 | Arsenal | H | 1–0 | 38,535 | McAloon |
4 | 10 September 1938 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 0–1 | 28,027 | |
5 | 17 September 1938 | Aston Villa | A | 0–5 | 49,092 | |
6 | 19 September 1938 | Blackpool | A | 1–4 | 21,970 | Scott |
7 | 24 September 1938 | Sunderland | H | 2–3 | 26,128 | Eastham, McCulloch |
8 | 1 October 1938 | Grimsby Town | A | 0–0 | 12,106 | |
9 | 8 October 1938 | Derby County | H | 1–3 | 23,539 | Scott |
10 | 15 October 1938 | Stoke City | A | 2–3 | 23,588 | Holliday (pen), Hopkins |
11 | 22 October 1938 | Chelsea | H | 1–0 | 31,425 | Reid |
12 | 29 October 1938 | Charlton Athletic | A | 1–1 | 32,191 | Scott |
13 | 5 November 1938 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 2–2 | 24,594 | Atkinson (og), Scott |
14 | 12 November 1938 | Leeds United | A | 2–3 | 22,555 | Edelston, Brown |
15 | 19 November 1938 | Liverpool | H | 2–1 | 20,977 | Holliday (2) |
16 | 26 November 1938 | Leicester City | A | 1–1 | 16,634 | Scott |
17 | 3 December 1938 | Middlesbrough | H | 2–1 | 21,746 | Holliday, Sneddon |
18 | 10 December 1938 | Birmingham | A | 1–5 | 23,333 | Holliday |
19 | 17 December 1938 | Manchester United | H | 2–5 | 14,919 | Gibbons, Vose (og) |
20 | 24 December 1938 | Huddersfield Town | A | 2–1 | 11,483 | Smith, Townsend |
21 | 27 December 1938 | Portsmouth | A | 2–2 | 31,732 | Townsend, McAloon |
22 | 31 December 1938 | Everton | H | 2–0 | 27,861 | Townsend (2) |
23 | 14 January 1939 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 2–5 | 23,944 | Edelston (2) |
24 | 28 January 1939 | Sunderland | A | 1–1 | 19,591 | Sneddon (pen) |
25 | 4 February 1939 | Grimsby Town | H | 1–2 | 17,380 | Scott |
26 | 8 February 1939 | Aston Villa | H | 2–4 | 21,162 | Edelston, Reid (pen) |
27 | 11 February 1939 | Derby County | A | 2–1 | 19,707 | Hopkins, Cheetham |
28 | 18 February 1939 | Stoke City | H | 1–0 | 26,237 | Cheetham |
29 | 22 February 1939 | Portsmouth | H | 2–0 | 14,290 | McAloon, Scott |
30 | 25 February 1939 | Chelsea | A | 3–1 | 33,511 | Cheetham (2), Smith |
31 | 4 March 1939 | Charlton Athletic | H | 1–0 | 24,440 | Hopkins |
32 | 11 March 1939 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 1–1 | 15,161 | Boulter |
33 | 18 March 1939 | Leeds United | H | 0–1 | 21,480 | |
34 | 25 March 1939 | Liverpool | A | 0–1 | 18,113 | |
35 | 1 April 1939 | Leicester City | H | 2–0 | 17,238 | Smith, Hopkins |
36 | 7 April 1939 | Preston North End | H | 3–1 | 30,780 | Cheetham (2), Edelston |
37 | 8 April 1939 | Middlesbrough | A | 1–3 | 18,191 | Cheetham |
38 | 10 April 1939 | Preston North End | A | 0–2 | 22,350 | |
39 | 15 April 1939 | Birmingham | H | 0–1 | 15,298 | |
40 | 22 April 1939 | Manchester United | A | 0–3 | 15,353 | |
41 | 29 April 1939 | Blackpool | H | 1–1 | 12,761 | Cheetham |
42 | 6 May 1939 | Arsenal | A | 0–2 | 30,928 | |
FA Cup
Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance |
3R | 7 January 1939 | Newcastle United | H | 0–2 | 27,551 |
- Sources: Statto, 11v11, 100 Years of Brentford
Playing squad
- Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1938–39 season.
- Sources: 100 Years of Brentford, Timeless Bees,[18] Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939[19]
Coaching staff
Name | Role |
Harry Curtis | Manager |
Jimmy Bain | Assistant Manager |
Bob Kane | Trainer |
Jack Cartmell | Assistant Trainer |
Joe Edelston | Assistant Trainer |
Statistics
Appearances and goals
Brentford's highest appearance-makers in each position during the Football League season.
- Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
- Source: 100 Years of Brentford
Goalscorers
- Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
- Source: 100 Years of Brentford
International caps
Full
Amateur
Management
Name | Nat | From | To | Record All Comps | Record League |
P | W | D | L | W % | P | W | D | L | W % |
Harry Curtis | | 27 August 1938 | 6 May 1939 | 43 | 14 | 8 | 21 | 032.56 | 42 | 14 | 8 | 20 | 033.33 |
Summary
Games played | 43 (42 First Division, 1 FA Cup) |
Games won | 14 (14 First Division, 0 FA Cup) |
Games drawn | 8 (8 First Division, 0 FA Cup) |
Games lost | 21 (20 First Division, 1 FA Cup) |
Goals scored | 53 (53 First Division, 0 FA Cup) |
Goals conceded | 76 (74 First Division, 2 FA Cup) |
Clean sheets | 8 (8 First Division, 0 FA Cup) |
Biggest league win | 2–0 on three occasions; 3–1 versus Preston North End, 7 April 1939 |
Worst league defeat | 5–0 versus Aston Villa, 17 September 1938 |
Most appearances | 43, Joe Crozier (42 First Division, 1 FA Cup) |
Top scorer (league) | 8, Tommy Cheetham |
Top scorer (all competitions) | 8, Tommy Cheetham |
Transfers & loans
- Cricketers are not included in this list.
References
- ^ Brentford F.C. at the Football Club History Database
- ^ ""Bees'" Record Profit". The Brentford & Chiswick Times. 1 July 1938.
- ^ a b "Star Players For Brentford? Fruitless Offers Made For Doherty And Blair. Harry Curtis's Disclosures. Shortage Of First-Class Players: What The Club Is Willing To Pay". The Brentford & Chiswick Times. 15 July 1938.
- ^ "Brentford v Chelsea – 20/08/1938". Stamford-Bridge.com The History of Chelsea FC. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
- ^ a b c d e "Brentford results for the 1938–1939 season". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 10 September 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
- ^ Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopedia. Harefield, Middlesex: Yore Publications. p. 15. ISBN 1 874427 57 7.
- ^ Moore, Tom (25 May 2017). "In pictures: Brentford FC in the 1920s and 1930s". getwestlondon. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
- ^ a b "Les Smith". 11v11.com. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
- ^ Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Yore Publications. ISBN 978-0955294914.
- ^ Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. ISBN 190589161X.
- ^ "Bill Gorman". 11v11.com. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
- ^ "Leslie Boulter". 11v11.com. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
- ^ "Dai Hopkins". 11v11.com. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
- ^ a b "England Matches – The Amateurs 1906–1939". www.englandfootballonline.com. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
- ^ Argus (20 May 1938). ""Bees'" Fixtures. List Of Games For Next Season. Two New Players". The Brentford & Chiswick Times.
- ^ a b "Bob Allen". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
- ^ Ray Ferris at WorldFootball.net
- ^ "Fred Rowell". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
- ^ ""Bees'" Capture. A. H. Gibbons Signed On Amateur Forms. Playing To-Morrow. When He Nearly Turned Professional". The Brentford & Chiswick Times. 19 August 1938.
- ^ "Bill Gorman". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
- ^ Argus (1938). "Bees" Reveal Their Finds." New Young Goalkeeper Impresses With Sound Display. A Bright Outlook. Anderson Shines: Briddon Waiting His Chance: Strong Reserve Strength". The Brentford & Chiswick Times.
- ^ Souvenir of the Football League Jubilee. 1938. p. 3.
- ^ "Cyril Brown". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
- ^ White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 162–165. ISBN 0951526200.
- ^ "Fred Mansfield". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
- ^ a b c d e Litster, John. Record of Pre-War Scottish League Players. Norwich: PM Publications.
- ^ a b "New Stars Were On Show. But Two "Unknowns" Stole Trial Match Limelight. Brentford Well Equipped. New Players Impress: Brilliance Of Young Kay And Waddell: Team For To-Morrow". The Brentford & Chiswick Times. 18 August 1939.
- ^ "Maurice Edelston". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
- ^ "Ray Ferris". NIFG. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
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