During the 1932–33 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division South. Brentford won the division championship and secured promotion to the second tier of English football for the first time in the club's history. Jack Holliday set a new club goalscoring record of 39 goals in a season, which as of has yet to be broken. It is statistically Brentford's second-best season, after 1929–30.

Season summary

Brentford manager Harry Curtis made a number of signings in the 1932 off-season, but none would prove more crucial to the club's future success than the acquisition of forwards Jack Holliday, Billy Scott and half back Herbert Watson from First Division Middlesbrough for a combined £1,500 fee in May 1932. The majority of the money was raised from the sale of record goalscorer Billy Lane to Watford earlier that month. The club entered the season with one of its youngest-ever squads.

Brentford had a dream start to the Third Division South season, going undefeated and winning 12 of the opening 14 matches. A new club record of 16 consecutive undefeated Football League matches was established, with the run stretching back to wins in the final two matches of the 1931–32 season. The record stood until it was overtaken during 2013–14. The Bees topped the table after the second match of the season. After briefly dropping back to 2nd on goal difference, they quickly rose back to the summit and remained there until a 5–5 draw with Luton Town (which set a new club record for highest aggregate score in an away Football League match) on 1 February 1933 dropped the club back to 2nd. Manager Curtis signed a new three-year contract in January 1933 and forward Jack Holliday was in prolific scoring form, hitting 26 goals in his first 20 appearances of the season, including four hat-tricks. One of the hat-tricks comprised five goals in the draw with Luton Town, which made Holliday the first player to score five goals for Brentford in a Football League match.

Brentford went back to the top of the table after a 6–0 victory over Newport County on 4 February, the team's biggest victory of the season. Aside from a minor blip in mid-March through to early-April, the Bees held onto top spot and clinched the Third Division South championship after a 2–1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion on 26 April 1933, with nearest rivals Exeter City five points behind with only two matches to play. Brentford drew the remaining three matches of the season and were promoted to the Second Division for the first time in the club's history.

Jack Holliday broke Billy Lane's three-year old club record for most goals in a season with four strikes in a 7–3 mauling of Cardiff City on 1 April and he finished the season with 39 goals in all competitions. Despite his exploits, Holliday did not finish as the Third Division South's top scorer, due to Coventry City's Clarrie Bourton bettering Holliday's total of 38 by two goals. A number of Football League club records were set during the season, including fewest away defeats (4), fewest defeats (6), most away goals scored (45) and most points (62 – two points for a win). Brentford's average Football League home attendance of 13,300 was the highest in the Third Division South. 1932–33 is statistically Brentford's second-best season, with the club having acquired 2.10 points per game under the current ruling of three points for a win.

Reserve team

Brentford's reserve team finished as champions of the London Combination for the second successive season. The team won all their home matches during the season, which formed a large chunk of the reserve team club record of 43 consecutive home victories, a run which ran from November 1931 to November 1933. Ralph Allen captained the team, scored a large chunk of the goals and the final match of the season versus Aldershot Reserves was played in front of a crowd of 9,000, a club record for a reserve team fixture.

League table

Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend WinDrawLoss

Football League Third Division South No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)127 August 1932Queens Park RangersA3–224,381Holliday (2), Crompton229 August 1932Coventry CityA3–218,909Foster, Allen (2)33 September 1932Torquay UnitedH3–112,567Holliday, Foster, Scott48 September 1932Coventry CityH2–18,377Holliday (2)510 September 1932Exeter CityA2–18,184Holliday (2)617 September 1932Luton TownH1–015,409Robson724 September 1932Newport CountyA6–17,343Holliday (3), Scott (2), Robson81 October 1932Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticH1–112,963Crompton98 October 1932Swindon TownA0–06,6591015 October 1932Clapton OrientH4–214,440Holliday (3), Robson1122 October 1932Southend UnitedA1–09,453Crompton1229 October 1932Crystal PalaceH2–017,827Robson, Holliday135 November 1932GillinghamA3–112,880Holliday (3)1412 November 1932WatfordH2–114,661Robson, Scott1519 November 1932Cardiff CityA1–25,274Scott163 December 1932Norwich CityA0–314,1801717 December 1932Bristol RoversA4–215,355Burns, Scott (2), Allen1824 December 1932AldershotH2–011,972Crompton (2)1926 December 1932Northampton TownA0–114,2102027 December 1932Northampton TownH1–018,747Scott2131 December 1932Queens Park RangersH2–114,981Beecham (og), Crompton227 January 1933Torquay UnitedA1–14,882Holliday2321 January 1933Exeter CityH0–210,769241 February 1933Luton TownA5–53,044Holliday (5, 1 pen)254 February 1933Newport CountyH6–010,060Hopkins (2), Holliday (2), Walsh, Scott2611 February 1933Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticA1–16,853Crompton2718 February 1933Swindon TownH1–011,559Walsh2825 February 1933Clapton OrientA5–17,814Scott, Crompton, Holliday (2), Hopkins294 March 1933Southend UnitedH3–114,288Holliday (2), Scott3011 March 1933Crystal PalaceA1–220,261Scott3118 March 1933GillinghamH1–211,445Robson3225 March 1933WatfordA1–110,057Holliday331 April 1933Cardiff CityH7–310,831Muttitt, Holliday (4, 1 pen), Crompton (2)348 April 1933ReadingA3–116,089Muttitt, Holliday, Crompton3514 April 1933Bristol CityA2–119,326Muttitt, Scott3614 April 1933Norwich CityH2–220,693Stephens, Hopkins3717 April 1933Bristol CityH2–115,212Hopkins, Scott3822 April 1933Brighton & Hove AlbionA2–18,659Holliday, Hopkins3926 April 1933Brighton & Hove AlbionH2–112,638Muttitt, Holliday4029 April 1933Bristol RoversH0–010,355413 May 1933ReadingH1–19,511Walsh426 May 1933AldershotA1–15,145Holliday

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)1R26 November 1932ReadingA2–318,000Scott, Holliday

Sources: Statto, 11v11, 100 Years of Brentford

Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1932–33 season. Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepersGKTom BakerSouthport1932DefendersDFTom AdamsonBury1929DFJack French1903 (aged 28–29)Southend United1932DFWilliam HodgeRangers1927DFAlexander StevensonArmadale1927MidfieldersHBJimmy Bain (c)Manchester Central1928HBJackie Burns Queens Park Rangers1931AmateurHBJoe JamesBattersea Church1929HBDuncan McKenzieAlbion Rovers1932HBTeddy WareChatham Town1928HBHerbert WatsonMiddlesbrough1932ForwardsFWRalph AllenFulham1930FWArthur CromptonSouthend United1932FWJackie FosterBristol City1929FWJack HollidayMiddlesbrough1932FWIdris HopkinsCrystal Palace1932FWErnest MuttittMiddlesbrough1932FWGeorge RobsonWest Ham United1931FWBilly ScottMiddlesbrough1932FWBert StephensEaling Association1931FWCharlie WalshArsenal1933FWAlf WheelerMossley1932Players who left the club mid-seasonFWBill BerryGillingham1926Transferred to Crystal Palace Sources: 100 Years of Brentford, Timeless Bees, Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939

Coaching staff NameRole Harry CurtisManager Bob KaneTrainer Jack CartmellAssistant trainer Fred KeatchSecretary

Statistics

Appearances and goals

PosNatNameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKTom Baker42010430DFTom Adamson27010280DFJack French500050DFWilliam Hodge25000250DFAlexander Stevenson27010280HBJimmy Bain37010380HBJackie Burns37110371HBJoe James500050HBDuncan McKenzie200020HBTeddy Ware11010120HBHerbert Watson34000340FWRalph Allen830083FWBill Berry10—10FWArthur Crompton3111103211FWJackie Foster21210222FWJack Holliday3438113539FWIdris Hopkins21600216FWErnest Muttitt14400144FWGeorge Robson24610256FWBilly Scott4114114215FWBert Stephens410041FWCharlie Walsh103—103FWAlf Wheeler100010 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford

Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL3FACTotalFWJack Holliday38139FWBilly Scott14115FWArthur Crompton11011FWIdris Hopkins606FWGeorge Robson606FWErnest Muttitt404FWRalph Allen303FWCharlie Walsh303FWJackie Foster202HBJackie Burns101FWBert Stephens101Opponents101Total90292 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford

Amateur international caps Pos.NatPlayerCapsGoalsRefFWJackie Burns31

Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Harry Curtis27 August 19326 May 1933 |

Summary Games played 43 (42 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup)Games won 26 (26 Third Division South, 0 FA Cup)Games drawn 10 (10 Third Division South, 0 FA Cup)Games lost 7 (6 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup)Goals scored 92 (90 Third Division South, 2 FA Cup)Goals conceded 52 (49 Third Division South, 3 FA Cup)Clean sheets 9 (9 Third Division South, 0 FA Cup)Biggest league win 6–0 versus Newport County, 4 February 1933Worst league defeat 3–0 versus Norwich City, 3 December 1932Most appearances 43, Tom Baker (42 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup)Top scorer (league) 38, Jack HollidayTop scorer (all competitions) 39, Jack Holliday

Transfers & loans Cricketers are not included in this list. Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.May 1932FW Jack Holliday Middlesbroughn/aMay 1932HB Herbert Watson Middlesbroughn/aMay 1932FW Billy Scott Middlesbroughn/a1 August 1932HB Duncan McKenzie Albion Rovers£350August 1932DF Jack French Southend UnitedFreeOctober 1932FW Ernest Muttitt Middlesbroughn/aNovember 1932FW Idris Hopkins Crystal Palace£2001932GK Tom Baker SouthportFree 1932 DF Robert Fulton Glasgow Perthshire n/a1932FW Fred Pope Partick Thistlen/a1932FW Alf Wheeler MossleyFreeJanuary 1933FW Charlie Walsh Arsenaln/aPlayers transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.11 August 1932FW Norman Thomson Swindon Townn/aMay 1932FW Billy Lane Watford£1,500November 1932FW Bill Berry Crystal PalacePart-exchangePlayers releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.May 1933FW Arthur Crompton Crystal Palace1933May 1933FW Jackie Foster BarrowJuly 1933May 1933FW Herbert Lawson Luton Town1933May 1933HB Robert Morris Norwich City1933May 1933FW Alf Wheeler Northampton Town1933

References