During the 1947–48 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Second Division. In the Bees' first second-tier season since 1934–35, the club slumped to a 15th-place finish.

Season summary

After relegation to the Second Division at the end of the 1946–47 season, Brentford were forced to cash in on their assets and received £16,000 from the sales of George Smith and Scotland international Archie Macaulay. No less than 14 players departed Griffin Park during the off-season, with five players coming in at a cost of nearly £20,000 – half back David Nelson and forwards Peter Buchanan, Tommy Dawson, Tommy Dougall and Jackie Gibbons, with Gibbons rejoining the club after making 11 appearances while an amateur during the 1938–39 season. After a poor start to the season, Jimmy Hogan was brought in as a coach. It was long-serving trainer Bob Kane's final season with the club.

Brentford had an awful start to the season, winning one and losing eight of the opening 9 matches to leave the club rooted to the bottom of the table. Bit-part half back Cyril Toulouse was transferred to Tottenham Hotspur in exchange for Jack Chisholm, who lead the team's recovery from the centre of the field. Just three defeats in 13 matches between late-September and mid-December 1946 finally lifted the club out of the relegation places. More players came and went in the second half of the season – Tony Harper and Fred Monk came in from non-League football, with Percy Gleeson, George Stewart and Arthur Shaw transferring out.

Brentford finished a tumultuous season in 15th place, 11 points above the relegation zone and lost just four of the final 20 matches of the league campaign. The season ended with an irksome 1–0 defeat to local rivals (and Second Division champions) Queens Park Rangers in the Ealing Hospital Cup final. The club record for fewest goalscorers in a season was equalled, with just eight players registering a goal.

League table

Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend WinDrawLoss

Football League Second Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)123 August 1947FulhamA0–532,823227 August 1947Luton TownH0–317,022330 August 1947Coventry CityH1–419,107Gibbons43 September 1947Luton TownA0–320,92156 September 1947Newcastle UnitedA0–156,692610 September 1947Nottingham ForestH3–115,005Buchanan, Nelson, Blakeman713 September 1947Birmingham CityH1–225,523Dawson817 September 1947Nottingham ForestA0–218,617920 September 1947West Bromwich AlbionA2–329,445Buchanan, Gibbons1027 September 1947BarnsleyH3–322,137Gleeson, Gibbons, Buchanan114 October 1947Plymouth ArgyleA0–023,9591211 October 1947Bradford Park AvenueH2–124,682Dawson, Girling1318 October 1947Cardiff CityH0–034,4831425 October 1947Sheffield WednesdayH1–029,112Gibbons151 November 1947Tottenham HotspurA0–442,362168 November 1947MillwallH2–126,251Buchanan, Girling1715 November 1947ChesterfieldA0–411,3201822 November 1947West Ham UnitedH1–124,105Dawson1929 November 1947BuryA2–212,856Dawson, Gibbons206 December 1947SouthamptonH2–218,735Dawson, Nelson2113 December 1947Doncaster RoversA0–016,9162220 December 1947FulhamH0–220,7172325 December 1947Leicester CityH2–221,291Dawson (2)2427 December 1947Leicester CityA2–132,440Dawson, Girling253 January 1948Coventry CityA0–320,1802617 January 1948Newcastle UnitedH1–029,684Gibbons2731 January 1948Birmingham CityA0–037,542287 February 1948West Bromwich AlbionH1–025,234Nelson2914 February 1948BarnsleyA1–121,399Gibbons3021 February 1948Plymouth ArgyleH0–013,7233128 February 1948Bradford Park AvenueA1–111,666Buchanan326 March 1948Cardiff CityA0–141,0323320 March 1948Tottenham HotspurH2–031,297Buchanan, Monk3426 March 1948Leeds UnitedH3–030,538Girling, Gibbons (2)3527 March 1948MillwallA1–027,519Monk3629 March 1948Leeds UnitedA1–126,775Dawson373 April 1948ChesterfieldH0–324,1643810 April 1948West Ham UnitedA1–021,471Gibbons3912 April 1948Sheffield WednesdayA1–136,130Gibbons4017 April 1948BuryH4–120,419Blakeman, Gibbons, Buchanan, Dawson4124 April 1948SouthamptonA1–218,511Gibbons421 May 1948Doncaster RoversH2–116,939Buchanan, Girling

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)3R10 January 1948Rotherham UnitedA3–022,000Dawson, Gibbons, Buchanan4R24 January 1948MiddlesbroughH1–234,500Girling

Sources: Statto, 11v11, 100 Years Of Brentford

Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1947–48 season. Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepersGKJoe CrozierEast Fife1937GKTed GaskellBuxton1937DefendersDFBill GormanBury1938DFMalky MacDonaldKilmarnock1946DFRoddy MunroRangers1946DFHarry OliverHartlepools United1938DFEric VentomUnattached1946MidfieldersHBJack ChisholmTottenham Hotspur1947HBFrank LatimerSnowdown Colliery Welfare1945HBTom ManleyManchester United1939HBJohn MooreUnattached1938HBDavid NelsonFulham1947HBGeorge Paterson (c)Celtic1946ForwardsFWAlec BlakemanOxford City1946FWPeter BuchananFulham1947FWTommy DawsonCharlton Athletic1947FWTommy DougallCoventry City1947FWJosé GallegoCambridge City1947FWJackie GibbonsBradford Park Avenue1947FWDickie GirlingCrystal Palace1947FWFred MonkGuildford City1948Players who left the club mid-seasonHBCyril ToulouseSt Cuthberts1946Transferred to Tottenham HotspurFWPercy GleesonHounslow Town1947Transferred to Guildford CityFWGeorge StewartHamilton Academical1946Transferred to Queens Park Rangers Sources: 100 Years of Brentford, Timeless Bees

Coaching staff NameRole Harry CurtisManager Jimmy BainAssistant Manager Jimmy HoganCoach Bob KaneTrainer Jack CartmellAssistant Trainer

Statistics

Appearances and goals

PosNatNameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKJoe Crozier40020420GKTed Gaskell200020DFBill Gorman17020190DFMalky MacDonald41020430DFRoddy Munro21000210DFHarry Oliver400040DFEric Ventom100010HBJack Chisholm19020210HBFrank Latimer16000160HBTom Manley27020290HBJohn Moore200020HBDavid Nelson40320423HBGeorge Paterson26000260HBCyril Toulouse30—30FWAlec Blakeman25220272FWPeter Buchanan40821429FWTommy Dawson3610213811FWTommy Dougall200020FWJosé Gallego500050FWJackie Gibbons4113214314FWDickie Girling33521356FWPercy Gleeson910091FWFred Monk42—42FWGeorge Stewart800080 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford

Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL2FACTotalFWJackie Gibbons13114FWTommy Dawson10111FWPeter Buchanan819FWDickie Girling516HBDavid Nelson303FWAlec Blakeman202FWFred Monk202FWPercy Gleeson101Total44448 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford

Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Harry Curtis23 August 19471 May 1948

Summary Games played 44 (42 Second Division, 2 FA Cup)Games won 14 (13 Second Division, 1 FA Cup)Games drawn 14 (14 Second Division, 0 FA Cup)Games lost 16 (15 Second Division, 1 FA Cup)Goals scored 48 (44 Second Division, 4 FA Cup)Goals conceded 63 (61 Second Division, 2 FA Cup)Clean sheets 13 (12 Second Division, 1 FA Cup)Biggest league win 3–0 versus Leeds United, 26 March 1948; 4–1 versus Bury, 17 April 1948Worst league defeat 5–0 versus Fulham, 23 August 1947Most appearances 46, Jackie Gibbons, Malky MacDonald (41 Second Division, 2 FA Cup)Top scorer (league) 13, Jackie GibbonsTop scorer (all competitions) 14, Jackie Gibbons

Transfers & loans Cricketers are not included in this list. Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.June 1947HBR. Goddardn/an/a11 August 1947FW Jackie Gibbons Bradford Park Avenue£8,00013 August 1947FW Tommy Dougall Coventry Cityn/aAugust 1947FW Peter Buchanan Fulham£3,000August 1947n/a Tommy Connorsn/an/aAugust 1947FW Tommy Dawson Charlton Athletic£5,000August 1947HB David Nelson Fulham£3,000August 1947n/a Les Smithn/an/aOctober 1947HB Jack Chisholm Tottenham HotspurExchangeMarch 1948FW Fred Monk Guildford CityExchangeApril 1948WHBernard Gardnern/an/aApril 1948HB Tony Harper Headington Unitedn/a1948FWConnors Wembleyn/aPlayers transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.15 May 1947GK Frank Clack Bristol City£1,5004 June 1947FW Bill Naylor Leyton Orient£2,000June 1947HB George Smith Queens Park Rangers£6,000July 1947FW Archie Macaulay Arsenal£10,000October 1947HB Cyril Toulouse Tottenham HotspurExchangeMarch 1948FW George Stewart Queens Park Rangers£4,00014 April 1948HB Arthur Shaw Arsenaln/aApril 1948FW Percy Gleeson Guildford CityExchangePlayers releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.May 1948FWConnorsn/an/aMay 1948FW José Gallego SouthamptonMay 1948May 1948HBR. Goddardn/an/aMay 1948HB John Moore Gloucester City1948May 1948DF Eric VentomRetired

References