During the 1933–34 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Second Division for the first time in the club's history. A strong run in the middle of the season saw the Bees hold the second promotion place throughout March 1934, before a drop in form led the club to a 4th-place finish.

Season summary In preparation for Brentford's first-ever Second Division season and after a loss of £932 on the previous season (equivalent to £ in ), manager Harry Curtis brought in a number of younger players to replace ageing full backs Tom Adamson, Alexander Stevenson and half back captain Jimmy Bain. Curtis stuck with the same free-scoring strikeforce of the previous season, electing to add only outside left Charlie Fletcher from Clapton Orient. Despite winning just 6 of the opening 16 matches of the season, Brentford found themselves in 8th place, before a run of 8 wins in 11 matches put the club into the second promotion place on 3 February 1934. Manager Curtis had made an astute purchase in the transfer market in January, recruiting Southend United's full back Arthur Bateman as a replacement for Tom Adamson.

2nd place was held until a defeat to Bradford City on 24 March dropped Brentford back to 3rd and results in the following four matches dropped the club to 4th. A 2–0 win over Swansea Town on 14 April saw the Bees rise back to the one remaining promotion place, with just three matches to play. Defeat to Millwall in the first of those matches dropped Brentford back to 4th, but a resounding 5–0 victory over Lincoln City in the penultimate match of the season left the Bees knowing that a draw and favourable results for 2nd-place Preston North End and 3rd-place Bolton Wanderers on the final day would be enough to secure promotion to the First Division. Despite Brentford's 2–1 victory over Bury at Gigg Lane on the final day, victory for Preston North End saw the Lilywhites pip Bolton Wanderers into the second promotion place. Brentford finished 4th in the club's first season in the second tier of English football.

Just one of Brentford's 85 goals during the season came from a player who was not a forward, centre half Joe James and the tally of 8 goalscorers for the season was at that time the lowest in club history. Jack Holliday top-scored with an impressive 27 goals and Idris Hopkins flourished at the higher level, scoring 21 times. Ernest Muttitt, Billy Scott and Charlie Fletcher ably supported Holliday and Hopkins by also scoring in double-figures.

League table

Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend WinDrawLoss

Football League Second Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)126 August 1933Nottingham ForestA1–112,702Hopkins231 August 1933Bradford Park AvenueH2–013,667Holliday (2)32 September 1933West Ham UnitedH4–119,918Holliday (2), Hopkins (2)46 September 1933Bradford Park AvenueA2–511,982Hopkins, Muttitt59 September 1933Plymouth ArgyleA1–120,945Watson616 September 1933Manchester UnitedH3–417,180Fletcher, Holliday, Muttitt723 September 1933Bolton WanderersA2–39,894Fletcher, Hopkins830 September 1933Hull CityH2–214,570Fletcher, Holliday97 October 1933BurnleyH5–214,797Hopkins (2), Holliday (2), Muttitt1014 October 1933Oldham AthleticA4–19,831James, Hopkins (2), Holliday1121 October 1933FulhamA1–135,421Holliday (pen)1228 October 1933SouthamptonH2–015,611Hopkins (2)134 November 1933BlackpoolA1–314,229Muttitt1411 November 1933Bradford CityH2–112,932Muttitt, Holliday1518 November 1933Port ValeA0–111,3491625 November 1933Notts CountyH2–212,110Holliday, Scott172 December 1933Swansea TownA3–24,269Fletcher (2), Muttitt189 December 1933MillwallH3–012,017Scott (2), Holliday1916 December 1933Lincoln CityA2–06,080Holliday (2, 1 pen)2023 December 1933BuryH2–312,761Muttitt, Fletcher2125 December 1933Preston North EndH3–220,662Fletcher, Hopkins (2)2226 December 1933Preston North EndA2–324,451Scott (2)2330 December 1933Nottingham ForestH2–112,795Hopkins, Scott246 January 1934West Ham UnitedA2–324,108Muttitt, Holliday2520 January 1934Plymouth ArgyleH3–017,566Scott, Fletcher, Holliday2627 January 1934Manchester UnitedA3–116,891Muttitt (2), Fletcher273 February 1934Bolton WanderersH3–116,037Holliday (2), Scott2810 February 1934Hull CityA1–010,566Hopkins2917 February 1934BurnleyA1–311,666Holliday3024 February 1934Oldham AthleticH2–115,927Scott, Muttitt313 March 1934FulhamH1–225,184Holliday (pen)3210 March 1934SouthamptonA0–010,3493317 March 1934BlackpoolH1–016,461Hopkins3424 March 1934Bradford CityA1–212,394Hopkins3530 March 1934Grimsby TownA2–223,233Hopkins, Holliday3631 March 1934Port ValeH2–019,758Holliday, Scott372 April 1934Grimsby TownH1–226,934Holliday387 April 1934Notts CountyA2–111,657Allen, Hopkins3914 April 1934Swansea TownH2–014,848Hopkins, Muttitt4021 April 1934MillwallA0–221,6714128 April 1934Lincoln CityH5–012,184Scott, Holliday (3), Hopkins425 May 1934BuryA2–19,461Fletcher, Scott

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendance3R13 January 1934Hull CityA0–118,000

Sources: Statto, 11v11, 100 Years of Brentford

Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1933–34 season. Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepersGKTom BakerSouthport1932GKJack CloughMansfield Town1933DefendersDFTom AdamsonBury1929DFJack AstleySouthport1933DFArthur BatemanSouthend United1934DFWilliam HodgeRangers1927DFAlexander StevensonArmadale1927MidfieldersHBJimmy BainManchester Central1928HBJackie Burns Queens Park Rangers1931AmateurHBJoe JamesBattersea Church1929HBJoe McClureEverton1933HBDuncan McKenzieAlbion Rovers1932HBCecil SmithBrentford Market1931HBHerbert Watson (c)Middlesbrough1932ForwardsFWRalph AllenFulham1930FWCharlie FletcherClapton Orient1933FWJack HollidayMiddlesbrough1932FWIdris HopkinsCrystal Palace1932FWErnest MuttittMiddlesbrough1932FWGeorge RobsonWest Ham United1931FWBilly ScottMiddlesbrough1932Players who left the club mid-seasonHBWilliam SmithSheffield Wednesday1933Transferred 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 Baker22000220GKJack Clough20010210DFTom Adamson800080DFJack Astley40010410DFArthur Bateman180—180DFWilliam Hodge15010160DFAlexander Stevenson300030HBJimmy Bain800080HBJackie Burns35010360HBJoe James34110351HBJoe McClure100010HBDuncan McKenzie11010120HBCecil Smith100010HBWilliam Smith100010HBHerbert Watson35010360FWRalph Allen110011FWCharlie Fletcher4210104310FWJack Holliday4127104227FWIdris Hopkins4221104321FWErnest Muttitt3912104012FWGeorge Robson400040FWBilly Scott4112104212 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford

Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL2FACTotalFWJack Holliday27027FWIdris Hopkins21021FWErnest Muttitt12012FWBilly Scott12012FWCharlie Fletcher10010FWRalph Allen101HBJoe James101Total85085 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 Curtis26 August 19335 May 1933 |

Summary Games played 43 (42 Second Division, 1 FA Cup)Games won 22 (22 Second Division, 0 FA Cup)Games drawn 7 (7 Second Division, 0 FA Cup)Games lost 14 (13 Second Division, 1 FA Cup)Goals scored 85 (85 Second Division, 0 FA Cup)Goals conceded 61 (60 Second Division, 1 FA Cup)Clean sheets 11 (11 Second Division, 0 FA Cup)Biggest league win 5–0 versus Lincoln City, 28 April 1934Worst league defeat 5–2 versus Bradford Park Avenue, 6 September 1933Most appearances 43, Charlie Fletcher, Idris Hopkins (42 Second Division, 1 FA Cup)Top scorer (league) 27, Jack HollidayTop scorer (all competitions) 27, Jack Holliday

Transfers & loans Cricketers are not included in this list. Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.June 1933DF Jack Astley SouthportFreeJune 1933GK Jack Clough Mansfield Town£100June 1933HB Joe McClure EvertonFree17 August 1933FW Charlie Fletcher Clapton OrientPart-exchange1933FWMaurice Batchelor GillinghamAmateur1933FW Peter Clarke Edinburgh UniversityAmateur1933FWR. E. Gibbons Tunbridge Wells Rangersn/a1933FW George Goddard Queens Park Rangersn/a1933FW Bob Mortimer Northampton Townn/a1933FW William Smith Sheffield WednesdayFreeJanuary 1934DF Arthur Bateman Southend Unitedn/aMarch 1934DF Walter Metcalf Sunderlandn/aApril 1934HB James Raven FolkestoneAmateurPlayers transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.17 August 1933HB Teddy Ware Clapton OrientPart-exchange27 October 1933FW William Smith Crystal Palacen/a1933FW George Goddard Wolverhampton Wanderersn/aPlayers releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.September 1933FWMaurice Batchelor Hounslow TownAmateurMay 1934DF Tom Adamson Stockport County1934May 1934HB Jimmy BainRetiredMay 1934GK Tom Baker Northampton Town1934May 1934GK Jack Clough Rotherham UnitedMay 1934May 1934DF Jack French Tunbridge Wells Rangersn/aMay 1934HB Joe McClure Exeter City1934May 1934FW Bob Mortimer Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic1934May 1934FW Alexander Stevenson Southend United1934

References