During the 1911–12 English football season, Brentford competed in the Southern League First Division. A forgettable season saw the club finish in mid-table and advance to the first round proper of the FA Cup.

Season summary

Brentford secretary-manager Fred Halliday strengthened his squad in preparation for the 1911–12 Southern League First Division season, bringing in left back Walter Spratt, outside right Billy Brawn, inside forward Patsy Hendren and centre forward Thomas Graham. He would later sign forwards Fred Rouse and Willis Rippon in a bid to improve the team's goalscoring, with Rippon going on to finish the season as top-scorer with 20 goals. Full back Steve Buxton was sold to Oldham Athletic on the eve of the season for a £425 fee, in a bid to settle some of the club's debts. The sale of Geordie Reid to Clyde for a club record £500 fee in September 1911 helped pay off further debts.

Brentford finished the season in 14th place and advanced to the first round proper of the FA Cup, taking Crystal Palace to a replay before going out of the competition. The 9–0 league defeat to Coventry City on 27 December 1911 is the heaviest in club history.

League table

Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend WinDrawLoss

Southern League First Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)12 September 1911ReadingA0–07,00026 September 1911Brighton & Hove AlbionA2–0n/aSibbald (2)39 September 1911WatfordH4–27,344Reid (3), Graham416 September 1911New BromptonA1–25,000Sibbald523 September 1911Exeter CityH3–17,400Hendren (2), Sibbald630 September 1911Luton TownH0–15,70077 October 1911Queens Park RangersA0–414,000814 October 1911MillwallH3–37,000Graham, Brawn, Hendren921 October 1911West Ham UnitedA4–76,000Rippon (3), Hendren1028 October 1911Bristol RoversH2–25,000Brawn, Rippon114 November 1911Swindon TownA0–2n/a1211 November 1911Northampton TownH2–25,0001325 November 1911StokeH0–1n/a149 December 1911LeytonH2–0n/aRippon, Rouse1516 December 1911Norwich CityA0–25,0001623 December 1911Crystal PalaceH1–05,000Sibbald1725 December 1911SouthamptonH4–09,627Graham (2), Sibbald (2)1826 December 1911SouthamptonA2–36,000Rouse, Sibbald1927 December 1911Coventry CityA0–9n/a2030 December 1911ReadingH0–04,000216 January 1912WatfordA0–3n/a2220 January 1912New BromptonH7–13,000Rippon (3), Rouse (2), Hendren (2)2327 January 1912Exeter CityA0–15,000243 February 1912Luton TownA0–0n/a2510 February 1912Queens Park RangersH1–29,450Rouse2617 February 1912MillwallA0–2n/a272 March 1912Bristol RoversA3–14,000McTavish, Rippon (2)2816 March 1912Northampton TownA3–65,000McTavish, Rippon (2)2923 March 1912Brighton & Hove AlbionH1–12,503Sibbald3027 March 1912West Ham UnitedH1–23,000Sibbald3130 March 1912StokeA1–16,000Sibbald325 April 1912Plymouth ArgyleH4–08,795Sibbald, Rippon (2), McTavish336 April 1912Coventry CityH3–05,453Brawn (2), McTavish348 April 1912Plymouth ArgyleA0–13,0003513 April 1912LeytonA1–12,000McTavish3620 April 1912Norwich CityH3–04,000McTavish, Wolstenholme (og), Rippon3724 April 1912Swindon TownH2–0n/aRippon (2, 1 pen)3827 April 1912Crystal PalaceA0–24,000

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)NotesQR518 November 1911First Battalion King's Royal RiflesH1–11,475HendrenQR5 (replay)22 November 1911First Battalion King's Royal RiflesA4–12,600Hendren, Rippon (3)Match played at Griffin Park due to the inadequacy of First Battalion King's Royal Rifles' ground.QR62 December 1911Southend UnitedA1–03,500BrawnR113 January 1912Crystal PalaceH0–08,916R1 (replay)17 January 1912Crystal PalaceA0–49,000

Source: 100 Years Of Brentford

Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1911–12 season. Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepersGKArchie LingSwindon Town1909DefendersDFArthur CleverleyYiewsley1910DFDusty Rhodes (c)Sunderland1908DFWalter SprattRotherham Town1911MidfieldersHBWalter AllenBarnet & Alston1911AmateurHBAlec BarclayIlford1910AmateurHBJock HamiltonLeeds City1909HBWilliam HickletonCoventry City1911On loan from Coventry CityHBGeorge KennedyChelsea1910HBPhil RichardsBradford Park Avenue1908ForwardsFWGeorge AndersonBirmingham1909 FWBilly Brawn Chelsea1911FWWillie FurrHitchin Town1912FWThomas GrahamCastleford Town1911FWPatsy HendrenCoventry City1911Played when his cricket commitments allowedFWHenry PurverOxford City1911AmateurFWWillis RipponWoolwich Arsenal1911FWJack SibbaldWallsend Elm Villa1910FWCharles SymesSouth Tooting1912FWBob McTavishTottenham Hotspur1912Players who left the club mid-seasonGKHarry FurrCroydon Common1911Transferred to Croydon CommonFWGeordie ReidBradford Park Avenue1908Transferred to ClydeFWFred RouseCroydon Common1911Retired Source: Brentford Football Club Official Handbook 1911–12, 100 Years Of Brentford, Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939

Coaching staff NameRole Fred HallidaySecretary Manager Tom CowperTrainer

Statistics

Appearances and goals

PosNatNameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKHarry Furr602080GKArchie Ling32030350DFArthur Cleverley14000140DFDusty Rhodes29050340DFWalter Spratt31050360HBWalter Allen200020HBAlec Barclay28030310HBJock Hamilton22050270HBGeorge Kennedy28040320HBPhil Richards12030150FWGeorge Anderson20130231FWBilly Brawn34451395FWWillie Furr200020FWThomas Graham15410164FWPatsy Hendren32452376FWBob McTavish126—126FWHenry Purver200020FWGeordie Reid43—43FWWillis Rippon2417532920FWFred Rouse15520175FWJack Sibbald2912403312FWCharles Symes10—10Players loaned in during the seasonHBWilliam Hickleton24100241 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford

Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerSL1FACTotalFWWillis Rippon17320FWJack Sibbald12012FWBob McTavish6—6FWPatsy Hendren426FWFred Rouse505FWBilly Brawn415FWThomas Graham404FWGeordie Reid3—3FWGeorge Anderson101HBWilliam Hickleton101Opponents101Total60666 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford

Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Fred Halliday2 September 191127 April 1912 |

Summary Games played 47 (42 Southern League First Division, 5 FA Cup)Games won 14 (12 Southern League First Division, 2 FA Cup)Games drawn 11 (9 Southern League First Division, 2 FA Cup)Games lost 18 (17 Southern League First Division, 1 FA Cup)Goals scored 66 (60 Southern League First Division, 6 FA Cup)Goals conceded 71 (65 Southern League First Division, 6 FA Cup)Clean sheets 13 (11 Southern League First Division, 2 FA Cup)Biggest league win 7–1 versus New Brompton, 20 January 1912Worst league defeat 9–0 versus Coventry City, 27 December 1911Most appearances 39, Billy Brawn (34 Southern League First Division, 5 FA Cup)Top scorer (league) 17, Willis RipponTop scorer (all competitions) 20, Willis Rippon

Transfers & loans Cricketers are not included in this list. Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.5 May 1911FW Thomas Graham Castleford Townn/a5 May 1911DF Walter Spratt Rotherham TownFree19 May 1911FW Billy Brawn Chelsean/a19 August 1911FW Patsy Hendren Coventry Cityn/aAugust 1911GKJ. Blackburn Tottenham ThursdayAmateurAugust 1911FW Henry Purver Oxford CityAmateur 22 September 1911FW Fred Rouse Chelsean/a21 October 1911FW Willis Rippon Woolwich Arsenal£20028 October 1911GK Harry Furr Croydon Commonn/a1911HB Walter Allen Barnet & AlstonAmateur1911HB Joseph Rawn/an/a1911HB Thomas Wicksn/an/aFebruary 1912FW Willie Furr Hitchin Townn/a2 March 1912FW Bob McTavish Tottenham HotspurNominal1912FW Charles Symes South Tootingn/aPlayers loaned inDatePos.NameSubsequent clubDate toRef.26 August 1911HB William Hickleton Coventry CityEnd of seasonPlayers transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.5 August 1911DF Steve Buxton Oldham Athletic£42522 September 1911FW Geordie Reid Clyde£500March 1912GK Harry Furr Croydon Commonn/aPlayers releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.February 1912FW Fred RouseRetiredMay 1912HB Walter AllenBarnet & Alstonn/aMay 1912FW George AndersonRetiredMay 1912GK Archie LingRetired

Notes

References