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Brentford
1926–27 season
ChairmanW. Flewitt
Manager Harry Curtis
Stadium Griffin Park
Third Division South 11th
FA Cup Fifth round
Top goalscorerLeague: Watkins (20)
All: Watkins (24)
Highest home attendance20,799
Lowest home attendance4,775
Average home league attendance9,713
←  1925–26
1927–28 →

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

Brentford's 1926–27 team photograph.

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. [2] 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. [5] 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. [7] 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. [8] 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. [2]

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. [7] [9] 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. [7] 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, [11] who had played intermittently as an outside forward for Brentford since 1907. [12] 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. [7] [11] 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. [13] [14]

League table

Main article: 1926–27 Football League Third Division South

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
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

Win Draw Loss

Football League Third Division South

No. Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorer(s)
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

Main article: 1926–27 FA Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorer(s)
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 England (1902-09-16)16 September 1902 (aged 23) Derby County 1926
GK Jim Ferguson Scotland (1896-08-30)30 August 1896 (aged 29) St Roch's 1926
Defenders
DF Charlie Butler England (1897-10-10)10 October 1897 (aged 28) Gillingham 1926
DF James Donnelly Republic of Ireland (1893-12-18)18 December 1893 (aged 32) Southend United 1925
DF John Hodgson England (1900-09-28)28 September 1900 (aged 25) Sunderland 1926
DF Ted Winship England 1900 (aged 25–26) Kidderminster Harriers 1926
Midfielders
HB Jack Beacham England (1902-08-15)15 August 1902 (aged 24) Weymouth 1925
HB Bert Bellamy England (1896-04-07)7 April 1896 (aged 30) Swansea Town 1926
HB Archie Clark England (1902-04-04)4 April 1902 (aged 24) Aylesford Paper Mills 1927
HB Joe Hodnett England (1896-07-18)18 July 1896 (aged 30) Merthyr Town 1926
HB Frank Marshall Scotland 1904 (aged 21–22) Gillingham 1927
HB Alan Noble England (1900-06-19)19 June 1900 (aged 26) Leeds United 1925
HB Harry Rae Scotland (1895-10-22)22 October 1895 (aged 30) Clyde 1925
HB Charlie Reddock Scotland 1902 (aged 23–24) Gillingham 1926
Forwards
FW George Anderson Scotland (1904-10-24)24 October 1904 (aged 21) Airdrieonians 1926
FW Bill Berry England (1904-08-18)18 August 1904 (aged 22) Gillingham 1926
FW Joe Craddock England (1902-08-03)3 August 1902 (aged 24) Gillingham 1926
FW Stephen Dearn England March 1901 (aged 25) Portsmouth 1926
FW Alfred Douglas England (1899-03-26)26 March 1899 (aged 27) Washington Colliery 1925
FW Patsy Hendren England (1889-02-05)5 February 1889 (aged 37) Queens Park Rangers 1911 Played when his cricket commitments allowed
FW Jack Lane ( c) England (1898-05-29)29 May 1898 (aged 28) Chesterfield 1925
FW Herbert Lawson England (1905-04-12)12 April 1905 (aged 21) Arsenal 1927
FW Ernie Watkins England (1898-04-03)3 April 1898 (aged 28) Southend United 1926
Players who left the club mid-season
FW Jack Allen England (1903-01-31)31 January 1903 (aged 23) Leeds United 1924 Transferred to The Wednesday
  • Sources: 100 Years of Brentford, [7] Timeless Bees, [15] Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939 [16]

Coaching staff

Name Role
England Harry Curtis Manager
England Tom Ratcliff Trainer
England Jack Cartmell Assistant trainer

Statistics

Appearances and goals

Brentford's highest appearance-makers in each position during the Football League season.
Pos Nat Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK England Arthur Collins 4 0 0 0 4 0
GK Scotland Jim Ferguson 38 0 8 0 46 0
DF England Charlie Butler 27 0 8 0 35 0
DF Republic of Ireland James Donnelly 39 1 5 0 44 1
DF England John Hodgson 4 0 0 0 4 0
DF England Ted Winship 11 0 3 0 14 0
HB England Jack Beacham 14 0 6 0 20 0
HB England Bert Bellamy 33 0 6 0 39 0
HB England Archie Clark 1 0 — 1 0
HB England Joe Hodnett 9 0 0 0 9 0
HB Scotland Frank Marshall 21 0 — 21 0
HB England Alan Noble 10 0 2 0 12 0
HB Scotland Harry Rae 30 2 8 0 38 2
HB Scotland Charlie Reddock 6 0 0 0 6 0
FW England Jack Allen 7 3 4 4 11 7
FW Scotland George Anderson 8 2 1 1 9 3
FW England Bill Berry 22 5 2 0 24 5
FW England Joe Craddock 12 5 0 0 12 5
FW England Stephen Dearn 30 8 6 1 36 9
FW England Alfred Douglas 26 5 6 0 32 5
FW England Patsy Hendren 21 7 8 3 29 10
FW England Jack Lane 41 9 8 4 49 13
FW England Herbert Lawson 13 2 — 13 2
FW England Ernie Watkins 35 20 7 4 42 24
  • Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
  • Source: 100 Years of Brentford [7]

Goalscorers

Pos. Nat Player FL3 FAC Total
FW England Ernie Watkins 20 4 24
FW England Jack Lane 9 4 13
FW England Patsy Hendren 7 3 10
FW England Stephen Dearn 8 1 9
FW England Jack Allen 3 4 7
FW England Bill Berry 5 0 5
FW England Joe Craddock 5 0 5
FW England Alfred Douglas 5 0 5
FW Scotland George Anderson 2 1 3
FW England Herbert Lawson 2 0 2
HB Scotland Harry Rae 2 0 2
DF Republic of Ireland James Donnelly 1 0 1
Opponent 1 0 1
Total 70 17 87
  • Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
  • Source: 100 Years of Brentford [7]

Management

Name Nat From To Record All Comps Record League
P W D L W % P W D L W %
Harry Curtis England 28 August 1926 7 May 1927 50 17 17 16 034.00 42 13 14 15 030.95

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.
Players transferred in
Date Pos. Name Previous Club Fee Ref.
May 1926 HB England Bert Bellamy Wales Swansea Town Free [17]
May 1926 GK England Arthur Collins England Derby County Free [18]
June 1926 DF England Wally Barnard England Gillingham Free [19]
June 1926 FW England Bill Berry England Gillingham Free [20]
June 1926 GK Scotland Jim Ferguson Scotland St Roch's Free [20]
June 1926 DF England John Hodgson England Sunderland Free [20]
June 1926 HB Scotland Charlie Reddock England Gillingham Free [20]
August 1926 DF England Ted Winship England Kidderminster Harriers Free [21]
September 1926 DF England Charlie Butler England Gillingham Free [22]
1926 FW Scotland George Anderson Scotland Airdrieonians Free [23]
1926 FW England James Birch England Queens Park Rangers Free [24]
1926 FW England Joe Craddock England Gillingham Free [25]
1926 FW England Stephen Dearn England Portsmouth Free [26]
1926 HB England Joe Hodnett Wales Merthyr Town Free [27]
January 1927 HB Scotland Frank Marshall England Gillingham £500 [5]
March 1927 HB England Archie Clark England Aylesford Paper Mills Free [28]
March 1927 FW England Herbert Lawson England Arsenal Free [29]
Players transferred out
Date Pos. Name Subsequent club Fee Ref.
August 1926 FW England Bert Young Wales Bangor City n/a [30]
8 March 1927 FW England Jack Allen England The Wednesday £750 [31]
Players released
Date Pos. Name Subsequent club Join date Ref.
September 1926 FW Scotland Bill Finlayson United States Springfield Babes 1926 [32]
May 1927 DF England Wally Barnard Retired [33]
May 1927 HB England Bert Bellamy England Wellingborough Town May 1927 [17]
May 1927 GK England Arthur Collins England Scarborough August 1927 [18]
May 1927 HB England Jimmy Elliott Retired [34]
May 1927 DF England John Hodgson England Hartlepools United 1927 [27]
May 1927 HB England Joe Hodnett England Gillingham August 1927 [35]
May 1927 HB England Alan Noble England Millwall May 1927 [36]
May 1927 DF England Jack Price England Torquay United 28 June 1927 [37]
May 1927 DF England Percival Whitton Retired [33]
May 1927 FW England Bert Young Wales Newport County 1927 [38]

References

  1. ^ Chapman, Mark. "Remembering The Guvnor: Harry Curtis". www.brentfordfc.co.uk. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  2. ^ a b Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 175-176.
  3. ^ a b White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 121–123. ISBN  0951526200.
  4. ^ Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopedia. Harefield, Middlesex: Yore Publications. p. 100. ISBN  1 874427 57 7.
  5. ^ a b Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 100-101.
  6. ^ a b c d "Brentford results for the 1926–1927 season". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h White 1989, p. 369.
  8. ^ Haynes 1998, p. 49.
  9. ^ Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 9.
  10. ^ "Brentford scoring and sequence records". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  11. ^ a b Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 74-75.
  12. ^ Joyce 2012, p. 135.
  13. ^ Haynes 1998, p. 38.
  14. ^ 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.
  15. ^ Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Yore Publications. ISBN  978-0955294914.
  16. ^ Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. ISBN  190589161X.
  17. ^ a b "Players – Battocchio to Bolton" (PDF). Watford Football Club archive 1881–2016. p. 18. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  18. ^ a b Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 39.
  19. ^ "Barnard Wally Clapton 1922". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  20. ^ a b c d "More New Players For Brentford. Number Signed Now Totals Nineteen. Goalkeeper And Backs Still Wanted". Chiswick Times. 11 June 1926.
  21. ^ "Winship in Brentford Hospital. Recovering from Serious Illness". County of Middlesex Independent. 6 July 1929.
  22. ^ "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.
  23. ^ Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 11.
  24. ^ "Birch Jimmy Queens Park Rangers 1923". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  25. ^ Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 42.
  26. ^ Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 47.
  27. ^ a b Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 77.
  28. ^ "Brentford have signed as a professional A. Clarke, centre half back, from Aylesford (Kent) Paper Mills F.C.". The Athletic News. 21 March 1927.
  29. ^ Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 95.
  30. ^ "V, W, X, Y and Z". The Bristol Rovers History Group. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  31. ^ "A and B". The Bristol Rovers History Group. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  32. ^ Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 56.
  33. ^ a b Dorey, F.W. (1926). Brentford Football Club Season 1926–27 Official Handbook. p. 9.
  34. ^ Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 53.
  35. ^ "Hodnett Joe Wolverhampton Wanderers 1923". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  36. ^ "Noble Alan Leeds United 1922". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  37. ^ Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 127-128.
  38. ^ "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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