Brentford 1926–27 football season
During the 1926–27 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division South . In Harry Curtis ' first season as manager, the club finished 11th and advanced to the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time.
Season summary [ ]
After just one top-half finish in the Third Division South since entering the Football League in 1920, Brentford appointed former Gillingham manager Harry Curtis to the position on a one-year contract in May 1926.[1] The club was still seeking a winning formula, after generally poor league placings from previous managers Fred Halliday and Archie Mitchell . The directors of the club cleared the decks and retained just 9 of the previous season's squad.[3] Curtis brought with him assistant trainer Jack Cartmell (an ex-Brentford player) and five Gillingham players – full backs Wally Barnard and Charlie Butler , half back Charlie Reddock and forwards Bill Berry and Joe Craddock .[4] Former Gillingham half back Frank Marshall later signed in January 1927. Jim Ferguson replaced the departed John Thomson in goal and defenders John Hodgson , Ted Winship , half backs Bert Bellamy , Joe Hodnett and forwards George Anderson and Stephen Dearn were also signed.[3]
A 4–0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion on the opening day put Brentford at the top of the Third Division South table, which was the first time since joining the Football League that the club had occupied the top spot in the division.[6] Defeat in the following match to Luton Town dropped the Bees back to 6th, but three successive wins in the following matches saw the club rise back to the top and they stayed there until 15 September.[6] 10 goals in the first 9 matches from Ernie Watkins was a factor in the bright start. By early December, the team's league form was affected by a fixture pile-up, caused by a run to the fifth round of the FA Cup .[6] The 8 FA Cup matches played in a single season is the most ever by the club. The run was a financial success and generated enough money for the club to build a new grandstand on the Braemar Road side of Griffin Park .
Harry Curtis would go on to become Brentford's longest-serving and most successful manager.
A goal drought suffered by forwards Ernie Watkins, Jack Lane , Stephen Dearn and the departure of Jack Allen to The Wednesday in March 1927 saw Brentford limp through the final three months of the season. The Bees finished the season in 11th place and had been rooted in mid-table since 5 February 1927.[6] Ernie Watkins top-scored with 24 goals, then the highest tally for a Brentford player since the club joined the Football League. Four consecutive home league draws between 2 and 30 April 1927 equalled the club record.[10]
A notable departure after the season was that of 38-year old cricketer Patsy Hendren , who had played intermittently as an outside forward for Brentford since 1907. During the season he had become the first Bees player since the club joined the Football League to score four goals in a match (during a 7–3 rout of Coventry City on 23 October 1926) and an 11,000 crowd turned up to see his final match against Newport County on Easter Saturday 1927. Upon his departure, Hendren's 400-plus Brentford appearances was then the club record and he was posthumously inducted into the club's Hall of Fame in May 2015.[14]
League table [ ]
9
Newport County
42
19
6
17
57
71
0.803
44
10
Bristol Rovers
42
16
9
17
78
80
0.975
41
11
Brentford
42
13
14
15
70
61
1.148
40
12
Exeter City
42
15
10
17
76
73
1.041
40
13
Charlton Athletic
42
16
8
18
60
61
0.984
40
Source:[citation needed ]
Results [ ]
Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend [ ]
[ ]
1
28 August 1926
Brighton & Hove Albion
H
4–0
12,057
Rae (pen ), Berry , Watkins (2)
2
30 August 1926
Luton Town
A
1–2
9,090
Dearn
3
4 September 1926
Northampton Town
A
3–2
10,082
Berry (2), Douglas
4
6 September 1926
Southend United
H
3–1
7,996
Watkins (2), Dearn
5
11 September 1926
Queens Park Rangers
H
4–2
17,380
Lane , Watkins (2), Douglas
6
15 September 1926
Southend United
A
1–3
6,512
Dearn
7
18 September 1926
Millwall
H
0–0
14,125
8
25 September 1926
Bristol Rovers
A
3–1
8,311
Lane , Watkins (2)
9
2 October 1926
Swindon Town
H
2–2
15,404
Watkins (2)
10
9 October 1926
Exeter City
A
1–3
7,152
Lane
11
16 October 1926
Crystal Palace
A
3–4
14,860
Berry (2), Lane
12
23 October 1926
Coventry City
H
7–3
9,099
Hendren (4, 2 pens ), Watkins , Dearn (2)
13
30 October 1926
Charlton Athletic
A
1–1
8,058
Rae
14
6 November 1926
Bristol City
H
3–0
11,457
Anderson (2), Dearn
15
20 November 1926
Plymouth Argyle
H
0–0
8,481
16
4 December 1926
Aberdare Athletic
H
1–4
9,485
Baynham (og )
17
18 December 1926
Watford
H
3–0
9,631
Watkins , Dearn , Douglas
18
25 December 1926
Norwich City
A
1–2
10,743
Hendren
19
27 December 1926
Norwich City
H
3–0
17,002
Allen , Watkins , Douglas
20
1 January 1927
Luton Town
H
2–2
9,116
Lane , Dearn
21
15 January 1927
Brighton & Hove Albion
A
1–1
9,517
Hendren
22
22 January 1927
Northampton Town
H
1–1
4,775
Allen
23
5 February 1927
Millwall
A
0–3
19,178
24
12 February 1927
Bristol Rovers
H
0–2
6,630
25
26 February 1927
Exeter City
H
6–1
6,986
Watkins (2), Lane (2), Craddock , Douglas
26
5 March 1927
Crystal Palace
H
3–0
8,205
Watkins , Allen , Lane
27
9 March 1927
Swindon Town
A
2–4
4,659
Craddock , Hendren
28
12 March 1927
Coventry City
A
1–3
11,910
Watkins
29
16 March 1927
Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic
A
1–3
3,195
Watkins
30
19 March 1927
Charlton Athletic
H
2–0
6,755
Donnelly (pen ), Craddock
31
26 March 1927
Bristol City
A
0–1
14,062
32
30 March 1927
Gillingham
A
2–1
2,947
Watkins , Lawson
33
2 April 1927
Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic
H
0–0
6,766
34
9 April 1927
Plymouth Argyle
A
1–2
9,556
Craddock
35
15 April 1927
Merthyr Town
H
1–1
9,031
Lane
36
16 April 1927
Newport County
H
1–1
7,801
Watkins
37
19 April 1927
Merthyr Town
A
0–1
3,910
38
23 April 1927
Aberdare Athletic
A
1–3
1,227
Craddock
39
25 April 1927
Newport County
A
0–0
1,721
40
30 April 1927
Gillingham
H
0–0
5,793
41
5 May 1927
Queens Park Rangers
A
1–1
11,355
Lawson
42
7 May 1927
Watford
A
0–0
4,999
FA Cup [ ]
1R
27 November 1926
Clapton
A
1–1
4,412
Anderson
1R (replay)
1 December 1926
Clapton
H
7–3
5,936
Lane (2), Watkins (3), Hendren (2)
2R
11 December 1926
Gillingham
A
1–1
10,076
Hendren
2R (replay)
15 December 1926
Gillingham
H
1–0
6,695
Dearn
3R
10 January 1927
Oldham Athletic
A
4–2
10,670
Allen (3), Watkins
4R
29 January 1927
West Ham United
A
1–1
35,000
Lane
4R (replay)
2 February 1927
West Ham United
H
2–0
20,799
Lane , Allen
5R
19 February 1927
Reading
A
0–1
33,042
Playing squad [ ]
Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1926–27 season.
Pos.
Name
Nat.
Date of birth (age)
Signed from
Signed in
Notes
Goalkeepers
GK
Arthur Collins
(1902-09-16 ) 16 September 1902 (aged 23)
Derby County
1926
GK
Jim Ferguson
(1896-08-30 ) 30 August 1896 (aged 29)
St Roch's
1926
Defenders
DF
Charlie Butler
(1897-10-10 ) 10 October 1897 (aged 28)
Gillingham
1926
DF
James Donnelly
(1893-12-18 ) 18 December 1893 (aged 32)
Southend United
1925
DF
John Hodgson
(1900-09-28 ) 28 September 1900 (aged 25)
Sunderland
1926
DF
Ted Winship
1900 (aged 25–26)
Kidderminster Harriers
1926
Midfielders
HB
Jack Beacham
(1902-08-15 ) 15 August 1902 (aged 24)
Weymouth
1925
HB
Bert Bellamy
(1896-04-07 ) 7 April 1896 (aged 30)
Swansea Town
1926
HB
Archie Clark
(1902-04-04 ) 4 April 1902 (aged 24)
Aylesford Paper Mills
1927
HB
Joe Hodnett
(1896-07-18 ) 18 July 1896 (aged 30)
Merthyr Town
1926
HB
Frank Marshall
1904 (aged 21–22)
Gillingham
1927
HB
Alan Noble
(1900-06-19 ) 19 June 1900 (aged 26)
Leeds United
1925
HB
Harry Rae
(1895-10-22 ) 22 October 1895 (aged 30)
Clyde
1925
HB
Charlie Reddock
1902 (aged 23–24)
Gillingham
1926
Forwards
FW
George Anderson
(1904-10-24 ) 24 October 1904 (aged 21)
Airdrieonians
1926
FW
Bill Berry
(1904-08-18 ) 18 August 1904 (aged 22)
Gillingham
1926
FW
Joe Craddock
(1902-08-03 ) 3 August 1902 (aged 24)
Gillingham
1926
FW
Stephen Dearn
March 1901 (aged 25)
Portsmouth
1926
FW
Alfred Douglas
(1899-03-26 ) 26 March 1899 (aged 27)
Washington Colliery
1925
FW
Patsy Hendren
(1889-02-05 ) 5 February 1889 (aged 37)
Queens Park Rangers
1911
Played when his cricket commitments allowed
FW
Jack Lane (c )
(1898-05-29 ) 29 May 1898 (aged 28)
Chesterfield
1925
FW
Herbert Lawson
(1905-04-12 ) 12 April 1905 (aged 21)
Arsenal
1927
FW
Ernie Watkins
(1898-04-03 ) 3 April 1898 (aged 28)
Southend United
1926
Players who left the club mid-season
FW
Jack Allen
(1903-01-31 ) 31 January 1903 (aged 23)
Leeds United
1924
Transferred to The Wednesday
Sources: 100 Years of Brentford, Timeless Bees,[15] Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939[16]
Coaching staff [ ]
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
Management [ ]
Name
Nat
From
To
Record All Comps
Record League
P
W
D
L
W %
P
W
D
L
W %
Harry Curtis
28 August 1926
7 May 1927
50
17
17
16
0 34.00
42
13
14
15
0 30.95
Summary [ ]
Games played
50 (42 Third Division South , 8 FA Cup )
Games won
17 (13 Third Division South, 4 FA Cup)
Games drawn
17 (14 Third Division South, 3 FA Cup)
Games lost
16 (15 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup)
Goals scored
87 (70 Third Division South, 17 FA Cup)
Goals conceded
70 (61 Third Division South, 9 FA Cup)
Clean sheets
14 (12 Third Division South, 2 FA Cup)
Biggest league win
6–1 versus Exeter City , 26 February 1927
Worst league defeat
3–0 versus Millwall , 5 February 1927; 4–1 versus Aberdare Athletic , 4 December 1926
Most appearances
48, Jim Ferguson (38 Third Division South, 8 FA Cup)
Top scorer (league)
20, Ernie Watkins
Top scorer (all competitions)
24, Ernie Watkins
Transfers & loans [ ]
Cricketers are not included in this list.
References [ ]
^ Chapman, Mark. "Remembering The Guvnor: Harry Curtis" . www.brentfordfc.co.uk . Retrieved 22 May 2016 .
^ Jump up to: a b White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford . Brentford FC. pp. 121–123. ISBN 0951526200 .
^ Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopedia . Harefield, Middlesex: Yore Publications. p. 100. ISBN 1 874427 57 7 .
^ Jump up to: a b c d Ltd, Statto Organisation. "Brentford results for the 1926-1927 season - Statto.com" . Statto.com . Archived from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2016 .
^ Ltd, Statto Organisation. "Brentford scoring and sequence records - Statto.com" . Statto.com . Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2016 .
^ Wickham, Chris. "Kevin O'Connor and Marcus Gayle join others in being added to Brentford FC Hall of Fame" . www.brentfordfc.co.uk . Retrieved 14 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 .
^ Jump up to: a b "Watford Football Club archive 1881–2016: Players – Battocchio to Bolton" (PDF) . Retrieved 9 May 2018 .
^ "Barnard Wally Image 1 Clapton 1922" . Vintage Footballers . Retrieved 7 July 2019 .
^ Jump up to: a b c d "More New Players for Brentford. NUMBER SIGNED NOW TOTALS NINETEEN. GOALKEEPER AND BACKS STILL WANTED". Chiswick Times . 11 June 1926.
^ "Winship in Brentford Hospital. Recovering from Serious Illness". County of Middlesex Independent . 6 July 1929.
^ "Brentford secured the signature of C. J. Butler, the Gillingham left back, in time to turn out at Bristol on Saturday". The Athletic News . 27 September 1926.
^ "Birch Jimmy Image 1 Queens Park Rangers 1923" . Vintage Footballers . Retrieved 23 December 2018 .
^ "Brentford have signed as a professional A. Clarke, centre half back, from Aylesford (Kent) Paper Mills F.C.". The Athletic News . 21 March 1927.
^ Jump up to: a b Dorey, F.W. (1926). Brentford Football Club Season 1926–27 Official Handbook . p. 9.
^ "Hodnett Joe Image 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1923" . Vintage Footballers . Retrieved 7 July 2019 .
^ "Noble Alan Image 1 Leeds United 1922" . Vintage Footballers . Retrieved 7 July 2019 .
^ "BRENTFORD'S BRIGHT PROSPECTS. A BIG BID FOR PROMOTION IN THE COMING SEASON. FULL LIST OF PLAYERS. ILLNESS OF MARSHALL: COMPETITION FOR FORWARD POSITIONS". The Brentford & Chiswick Times . 12 August 1927.
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