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. 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. 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. 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.
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. 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. 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. 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.
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. 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.
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.
League table
Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend WinDrawLoss
Football League Third Division South No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)128 August 1926Brighton & Hove AlbionH4–012,057Rae (pen), Berry, Watkins (2)230 August 1926Luton TownA1–29,090Dearn34 September 1926Northampton TownA3–210,082Berry (2), Douglas46 September 1926Southend UnitedH3–17,996Watkins (2), Dearn511 September 1926Queens Park RangersH4–217,380Lane, Watkins (2), Douglas615 September 1926Southend UnitedA1–36,512Dearn718 September 1926MillwallH0–014,125825 September 1926Bristol RoversA3–18,311Lane, Watkins (2)92 October 1926Swindon TownH2–215,404Watkins (2)109 October 1926Exeter CityA1–37,152Lane1116 October 1926Crystal PalaceA3–414,860Berry (2), Lane1223 October 1926Coventry CityH7–39,099Hendren (4, 2 pens), Watkins, Dearn (2)1330 October 1926Charlton AthleticA1–18,058Rae146 November 1926Bristol CityH3–011,457Anderson (2), Dearn1520 November 1926Plymouth ArgyleH0–08,481164 December 1926Aberdare AthleticH1–49,485Baynham (og)1718 December 1926WatfordH3–09,631Watkins, Dearn, Douglas1825 December 1926Norwich CityA1–210,743Hendren1927 December 1926Norwich CityH3–017,002Allen, Watkins, Douglas201 January 1927Luton TownH2–29,116Lane, Dearn2115 January 1927Brighton & Hove AlbionA1–19,517Hendren2222 January 1927Northampton TownH1–14,775Allen235 February 1927MillwallA0–319,1782412 February 1927Bristol RoversH0–26,6302526 February 1927Exeter CityH6–16,986Watkins (2), Lane (2), Craddock, Douglas265 March 1927Crystal PalaceH3–08,205Watkins, Allen, Lane279 March 1927Swindon TownA2–44,659Craddock, Hendren2812 March 1927Coventry CityA1–311,910Watkins2916 March 1927Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticA1–33,195Watkins3019 March 1927Charlton AthleticH2–06,755Donnelly (pen), Craddock3126 March 1927Bristol CityA0–114,0623230 March 1927GillinghamA2–12,947Watkins, Lawson332 April 1927Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticH0–06,766349 April 1927Plymouth ArgyleA1–29,556Craddock3515 April 1927Merthyr TownH1–19,031Lane3616 April 1927Newport CountyH1–17,801Watkins3719 April 1927Merthyr TownA0–13,9103823 April 1927Aberdare AthleticA1–31,227Craddock3925 April 1927Newport CountyA0–01,7214030 April 1927GillinghamH0–05,793415 May 1927Queens Park RangersA1–111,355Lawson427 May 1927WatfordA0–04,999
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)1R27 November 1926ClaptonA1–14,412Anderson1R (replay)1 December 1926ClaptonH7–35,936Lane (2), Watkins (3), Hendren (2)2R11 December 1926GillinghamA1–110,076Hendren2R (replay)15 December 1926GillinghamH1–06,695Dearn3R10 January 1927Oldham AthleticA4–210,670Allen (3), Watkins4R29 January 1927West Ham UnitedA1–135,000Lane4R (replay)2 February 1927West Ham UnitedH2–020,799Lane, Allen5R19 February 1927ReadingA0–133,042
Sources: Statto, 11v11, 100 Years of Brentford
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 NotesGoalkeepersGKArthur CollinsDerby County1926GKJim FergusonSt Roch's1926DefendersDFCharlie ButlerGillingham1926DFJames Donnelly Southend United1925DFJohn HodgsonSunderland1926DFTed Winship1900 (aged 25–26)Kidderminster Harriers1926MidfieldersHBJack BeachamWeymouth1925HBBert BellamySwansea Town1926HBArchie ClarkAylesford Paper Mills1927HBJoe HodnettMerthyr Town1926HBFrank Marshall1904 (aged 21–22)Gillingham1927HBAlan NobleLeeds United1925HBHarry RaeClyde1925HBCharlie Reddock1902 (aged 23–24)Gillingham1926ForwardsFWGeorge AndersonAirdrieonians1926FWBill BerryGillingham1926FWJoe CraddockGillingham1926FWStephen Dearn March 1901 (aged 25)Portsmouth1926FWAlfred DouglasWashington Colliery1925FWPatsy HendrenQueens Park Rangers1911Played when his cricket commitments allowedFWJack Lane (c) Chesterfield1925 FWHerbert LawsonArsenal1927FWErnie WatkinsSouthend United1926Players who left the club mid-seasonFWJack AllenLeeds United1924Transferred to The Wednesday Sources: 100 Years of Brentford, Timeless Bees, Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939
Coaching staff NameRole Harry CurtisManager Tom RatcliffTrainer Jack CartmellAssistant trainer
Statistics
Appearances and goals
PosNatNameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKArthur Collins400040GKJim Ferguson38080460DFCharlie Butler27080350DFJames Donnelly39150441DFJohn Hodgson400040DFTed Winship11030140HBJack Beacham14060200HBBert Bellamy33060390HBArchie Clark10—10HBJoe Hodnett900090HBFrank Marshall210—210HBAlan Noble10020120HBHarry Rae30280382HBCharlie Reddock600060FWJack Allen7344117FWGeorge Anderson821193FWBill Berry22520245FWJoe Craddock12500125FWStephen Dearn30861369FWAlfred Douglas26560325FWPatsy Hendren217832910FWJack Lane419844913FWHerbert Lawson132—132FWErnie Watkins3520744224 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford
Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL3FACTotalFWErnie Watkins20424FWJack Lane9413FWPatsy Hendren7310FWStephen Dearn819FWJack Allen347FWBill Berry505FWJoe Craddock505FWAlfred Douglas505FWGeorge Anderson213FWHerbert Lawson202HBHarry Rae202DFJames Donnelly101Opponent101Total701787 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford
Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Harry Curtis28 August 19267 May 1927 |
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 1927Worst league defeat 3–0 versus Millwall, 5 February 1927; 4–1 versus Aberdare Athletic, 4 December 1926Most appearances 48, Jim Ferguson (38 Third Division South, 8 FA Cup)Top scorer (league) 20, Ernie WatkinsTop scorer (all competitions) 24, Ernie Watkins
Transfers & loans Cricketers are not included in this list. Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.May 1926HB Bert Bellamy Swansea TownFreeMay 1926GK Arthur Collins Derby CountyFreeJune 1926DF Wally Barnard GillinghamFreeJune 1926FW Bill Berry GillinghamFreeJune 1926GK Jim Ferguson St Roch'sFreeJune 1926DF John Hodgson SunderlandFreeJune 1926HB Charlie Reddock GillinghamFreeAugust 1926DF Ted Winship Kidderminster HarriersFreeSeptember 1926DF Charlie Butler GillinghamFree1926FW George Anderson AirdrieoniansFree1926FW James Birch Queens Park RangersFree1926FW Joe Craddock GillinghamFree1926FW Stephen Dearn PortsmouthFree1926HB Joe Hodnett Merthyr TownFreeJanuary 1927HB Frank Marshall Gillingham£500March 1927HB Archie Clark Aylesford Paper MillsFreeMarch 1927FW Herbert Lawson ArsenalFreePlayers transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.August 1926FW Bert Young Bangor Cityn/a8 March 1927FW Jack Allen The Wednesday£750Players releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.September 1926FW Bill Finlayson Springfield Babes1926May 1927DF Wally BarnardRetiredMay 1927HB Bert Bellamy Wellingborough TownMay 1927May 1927GK Arthur Collins ScarboroughAugust 1927May 1927HB Jimmy ElliottRetiredMay 1927DF John Hodgson Hartlepools United1927May 1927HB Joe Hodnett GillinghamAugust 1927May 1927HB Alan Noble MillwallMay 1927May 1927DF Jack Price Torquay United28 June 1927May 1927DF Percival WhittonRetiredMay 1927FW Bert Young Newport County1927
References