During the 1919–20 English football season, Brentford competed in the Southern League First Division. In the first season of competitive football since the end of the First World War in November 1918, Brentford consolidated with a mid-table finish. It was the club's final Southern League season, as 21 of the 22 First Division clubs were voted into the new Football League Third Division in May 1920.
Season summary
Despite talk that Brentford would seek election to the Football League after the wartime London Combination title success of the previous season, the directors of the club decided to remain in the Southern League Second Division. As it was, by virtue of the Southern League First Division being expanded to 22 clubs and the departures of West Ham United and Croydon Common (voted into the Football League and resigned respectively), Brentford, Merthyr Town, Swansea Town and Newport County were all elevated from the Second Division to the First Division.
Four years of war meant that secretary-manager Fred Halliday needed to rebuild and expand his squad, with prolific forwards Henry White and guest Jack Cock having left the club, in addition to full backs Jack Peart, Dusty Rhodes and half back Bill Stanton. The only survivors of Brentford's final pre-war squad who made appearance during the 1919–20 season were goalkeeper Ted Price, half back Tom McGovern and outside left Patsy Hendren.
New centre forward Reginald Boyne's six goals in the opening six matches ensured Brentford started the season well, but once his goals dried up, due to a niggling knee injury, the team was robbed of potency in attack. A 10-match winless streak ended when the team went on a five-match unbeaten run through November and December 1919. While manager Fred Halliday was able to field a more or less a settled XI, numerous players were tried in the centre forward position before the arrival of Bert Spreadbury in February 1920. Despite scoring four goals in his first five appearances, Spreadbury failed to help the team gain any consistency and Brentford finished the season in 15th position.
League table
Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend WinDrawLoss
Southern League First Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultScorer(s)130 August 1919Brighton & Hove AlbionH2–1Boyne, Morley21 September 1919MillwallH2–2Boyne, Gilboy36 September 1919Newport CountyA4–2Boyne (2), Gilboy, Morley48 September 1919MillwallA2–0Boyne, Thompson513 September 1919PortsmouthH0–2620 September 1919Northampton TownA1–1Boyne724 September 1919Exeter CityA0–0827 September 1919Crystal PalaceH0–094 October 1919Southend UnitedH1–3Hendren1011 October 1919Norwich CityH1–1Boyne1118 October 1919WatfordA0–11225 October 1919Merthyr TownA0–2131 November 1919Plymouth ArgyleH0–0148 November 1919Bristol RoversA1–3Cannon1515 November 1919ReadingH1–0Amos1622 November 1919SouthamptonA1–0Morley1729 November 1919Luton TownH3–1Searby, Morley, Cartmell186 December 1919GillinghamA2–0Morley, Hendren1913 December 1919Swansea TownH1–1Hendren (pen)2025 December 1919Queens Park RangersA0–22126 December 1919Queens Park RangersH2–1Searby, Boyne2227 December 1919Cardiff CityH1–2Thompson233 January 1920Brighton & Hove AlbionA0–42417 January 1920Newport CountyH2–1Searby, Embury2524 January 1920PortsmouthA0–32631 January 1920Northampton TownH5–0Boyne (3), Thompson, Hendren (pen)277 February 1920Crystal PalaceA1–1Thompson2814 February 1920Southend UnitedH2–0Cartmell, Lockwood2921 February 1920Norwich CityA1–1Spreadbury3028 February 1920WatfordH0–3316 March 1920Merthyr TownH3–0Spreadbury (2), Hendren3213 March 1920Plymouth ArgyleA2–3Thompson (2)3320 March 1920Bristol RoversH3–0Hendren, Morley, Spreadbury3427 March 1920ReadingA0–1352 April 1920Swindon TownH2–0Morley, Boyne363 April 1920SouthamptonH2–3Taylor, Morley375 April 1920Swindon TownA1–3Gilboy3810 April 1920Luton TownA0–03917 April 1920GillinghamH1–2Thompson4024 April 1920Swansea TownA0–64126 April 1920Exeter CityH2–1Thompson, Boyne421 May 1920Cardiff CityA0–2
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultScorerR110 January 1920Huddersfield TownA1–5Morris
Source: 100 Years of Brentford
Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1919–20 season. Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepersGKJack DurstonQueens Park Rangers1919Played when his cricket commitments allowedGKTed PriceCroydon Common1912DefendersDFEdward HawkinsPortsmouth1919DFJimmy HodsonBelfast Celtic1919DFBertie Rosier Southall1913DFFred Webster Unattached1919MidfieldersHBAlf AmosOld Kingstonians1913HBHerbert AshfordSouthall1919HBSam MorrisUnattached1919HBFred TaylorUnattached1919ForwardsFWReginald BoyneAston Villa1919FWJack CartmellUnattached1919FWSidney EmburyPark Royal Athletic1920FWBertram GilboyUnattached1919FWPatsy Hendren (c)Queens Park Rangers1911Played when his cricket commitments allowedFWJohn HeneryHoughton Rovers1920FWFred Morley Unattached1918FWJohn SearbyAtherstone Town1919FWBert SpreadburyRoyal Ordnance Woolwich1920FWAlfred ThompsonUnattached1919Players who left the club mid-seasonGKHarry DaleHampstead Town1919Transferred to ReadingDFWalter LovedayUxbridge1920n/aHBTom McGovernHalifax Town1913Transferred to Queens Park RangersFWGeorge CannonUnattached1919Transferred to WimbledonFWErnest HanksUnattached1919n/aFWJames Lockwoodn/a1920n/aFWRobert ParrUnattached1919n/a Sources: 100 Years of Brentford, Timeless Bees, Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939
Coaching staff NameRole Fred HallidaySecretary Manager Dusty RhodesTrainer
Statistics
Appearances and goals
PosNatNameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKHarry Dale10—10GKJack Durston20010210GKTed Price21000210DFEdward Hawkins14000140DFJimmy Hodson34010350DFWalter Loveday10—10DFBertie Rosier26010270HBAlf Amos33110341HBHerbert Ashford900090HBTom McGovern28010290HBSam Morris36011371HBFred Taylor22100221FWReginald Boyne2713102813FWGeorge Cannon61—61FWJack Cartmell35210362FWSidney Embury410041FWBertram Gilboy19300193FWErnest Hanks10—10FWPatsy Hendren30610316FWJohn Henery10—10FWJames Lockwood11—11FWFred Morley32810338FWRobert Parr10—10FWJohn Searby11300113FWBert Spreadbury104—104FWAlfred Thompson28810298FWFred Webster11000110 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford
Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerSL1FACTotalFWReginald Boyne13013FWFred Morley808FWAlfred Thompson808FWPatsy Hendren606FWBert Spreadbury4—4FWBertram Gilboy303FWJohn Searby303FWJack Cartmell202HBAlf Amos101FWGeorge Cannon101FWSidney Embury101FWJames Lockwood101HBFred Taylor101HBSam Morris011Total52153 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford
Victory international caps Pos.NatPlayerCapsGoalsRefFWPatsy Hendren10
Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Fred Halliday30 August 19191 May 1920 |
Summary Games played 43 (42 Southern League First Division, 1 FA Cup)Games won 15 (15 Southern League First Division, 0 FA Cup)Games drawn 10 (10 Southern League First Division, 0 FA Cup)Games lost 18 (17 Southern League First Division, 1 FA Cup)Goals scored 53 (52 Southern League First Division, 1 FA Cup)Goals conceded 64 (59 Southern League First Division, 5 FA Cup)Clean sheets 13 (13 Southern League First Division, 0 FA Cup)Biggest league win 5–0 versus Northampton Town, 31 January 1920Worst league defeat 6–0 versus Swansea Town, 24 April 1920Most appearances 37, Sam Morris (36 Southern League First Division, 1 FA Cup)Top scorer (league) 13, Reginald BoyneTop scorer (all competitions) 13, Reginald Boyne
Transfers and loans Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.May 1919FW Mick O'Brien Alloa Athleticn/a17 June 1919HB Sam MorrisUnattachedn/a17 June 1919HB Fred TaylorUnattachedn/a17 June 1919FW Alfred ThompsonUnattachedn/a23 June 1919FW Jack CartmellUnattachedn/a23 June 1919DF Lionel Piggin Readingn/a11 July 1919DF Fred WebsterUnattachedn/a15 July 1919DF Edward Hawkins Portsmouthn/a17 July 1919FW Reginald Boyne Aston Villan/a30 July 1919FW Bertram GilboyUnattachedn/a2 August 1919FW Ernest HanksUnattachedn/a2 August 1919DF Jimmy Hodson Belfast Celticn/a9 August 1919FW Robert ParrUnattachedn/a24 October 1919GK Jack Durston Queens Park Rangersn/a7 November 1919FW John Searby Atherstone Townn/a1919FW George CannonUnattachedn/a1919GK Harry Dale Hampstead Townn/aDecember 1919HB Herbert Ashford Southalln/aFebruary 1920HB Bert Spreadbury Royal Ordnance Woolwichn/aApril 1920FW John Henery Houghton Roversn/a1920FW Sidney Embury Park Royal Athleticn/a1920FW James Lockwoodn/an/aPlayers transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.1919FW George Cannon Wimbledonn/a1919GK Harry Dale Readingn/a1919FW Ernest Hanksn/an/a1919FW Robert Parrn/an/a1919FW Henry White Arsenaln/a1920FW James Lockwoodn/an/a1920DF Walter Lovedayn/an/aApril 1920HB Tom McGovern Queens Park Rangersn/aPlayers releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.August 1919FW Mick O'Brien Norwich CityAugust 1919November 1919HB Jimmy Kennedy Gillingham26 November 1919May 1920GK Herbert Ashford Queens Park Rangers1 September 1920May 1920FW Sidney Emburyn/an/aMay 1920FW Bertram Gilboy Gillingham11 May 1920May 1920DF Edward Hawkins Maidstone United25 May 1920May 1920GK Ted Price Queens Park Rangers20 May 1920May 1920DF Fred Webster Gainsborough Trinity24 June 1920June 1920DF Lionel Piggin Ilkeston TownJune 1920n/aDF Dusty RhodesRetired
References