During the 1912–13 English football season, Brentford competed in the Southern League First Division. Two long losing runs led to the Bees' relegation to the Second Division on the final day of the season.
Season summary
After three consecutive mid-table seasons, Southern League First Division club Brentford's directors gambled on generating extra income by also entering the Southern Alliance. Consequently, a larger squad was assembled, with many of the previous season's professionals retained. Willis Rippon was the only significant departure – sold for £250 to Hamilton Academical. Secretary-manager Fred Halliday brought in goalkeeper Ted Price, full back Tommy Fells, centre half Frank Bentley and forwards Frederick Chapple and James Morrison.
Brentford had a torrid beginning to the season, losing 12 of the first 15 matches. Of the starting forward line of Billy Brawn, Jack Sibbald, Frederick Chapple, Bob McTavish and Patsy Hendren, Chapple and Hendren were the only players to score during the period, which lead manager Halliday to sign Chelsea's Hugh Dolby and Bill Smith from non-league football. Dolby failed to score in four matches and was dropped, while Smith helped contribute to a revival in mid-November, after full back Dusty Rhodes replaced Fred Halliday as manager on 13 November 1912. Between 9 November and 5 March 1913, Brentford lost just three matches, but another loss of form and injuries to the forward line led to seven consecutive defeats in March. A crucial 4–1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion on 5 April boosted the Bees' survival chances, but a defeat and a win in the following two matches respectively put Brentford one place above the relegation zone going into the final day, level on points with Norwich City, but ahead by virtue of a 0.774 goal average.
Brentford would play away to Merthyr Town and Norwich City away to Reading on Saturday 26 April, but torrential rain and gale force winds forced the Bees' match to be postponed twice, to the following Tuesday. Norwich City won their match 5–2, but the scoreline would not guarantee the Canaries' safety on goal average if Brentford won their match by any score. On Tuesday 29 April, Brentford conceded the opening goal to Merthyr Town, before Bill Smith equalised two minutes after half time. In the final 10 minutes, Brentford pushed forward and were hit on the break with just two minutes remaining, losing the match 2–1 and with it the club's First Division status.
League table
Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend WinDrawLoss
Southern League First Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultScorer(s)Notes14 September 1912Crystal PalaceA1–3Chapple27 September 1912ReadingH1–0Chapple314 September 1912Norwich CityA0–2418 September 1912Crystal PalaceH2–1Chapple (2)521 September 1912GillinghamH0–1628 September 1912Northampton TownA0–275 October 1912Queens Park RangersH0–289 October 1912WatfordA0–1912 October 1912StokeA0–11019 October 1912MillwallA2–3Hendren (2)1126 October 1912Bristol RoversH0–1122 November 1912Swindon TownA0–2139 November 1912PortsmouthH1–0Smith1416 November 1912Exeter CityA0–11523 November 1912West Ham UnitedH5–1Sibbald (2), Chapple (3)167 December 1912Coventry CityH2–0Smith (2)1721 December 1912Merthyr TownH2–0Smith, Spratt (pen)1825 December 1912Plymouth ArgyleH2–2Brawn, McTavish1928 December 1912ReadingA1–4Hendren204 January 1913Norwich CityH1–0Hendren (pen)2118 January 1913GillinghamA4–0Barclay, Smith (3)2225 January 1913Northampton TownH0–0238 February 1913Queens Park RangersA1–2Hendren (pen)2415 February 1913StokeH4–2Chapple, Hendren (2, 1 pen), Smith2522 February 1913MillwallH0–0261 March 1913Bristol RoversA1–1Sibbald275 March 1913Brighton & Hove AlbionA2–2Chapple, Brawn288 March 1913Swindon TownH0–32912 March 1913Plymouth ArgyleA0–3The match was a replay of the original fixture on 26 December 1912, which was abandoned after 49 minutes due to a waterlogged pitch. Plymouth Argyle were leading 2–0 at the time.3015 March 1913PortsmouthA0–13121 March 1913SouthamptonH1–2Brawn3222 March 1913Exeter CityH0–13324 March 1913SouthamptonA1–3Brawn (pen)3429 March 1913West Ham UnitedA1–2Hendren355 April 1913Brighton & Hove AlbionH4–1Smith (2), Chapple, Hendren3612 April 1913Coventry CityA0–33719 April 1913WatfordH2–0Chapple, Smith3829 April 1913Merthyr TownA1–2Smith
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultScorerQR430 November 1912WatfordH0–0QR4 (replay)4 December 1912WatfordA1–5McTavish
Source: 100 Years Of Brentford
Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1912–13 season. Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepersGKArchie LingSwindon Town1909GKTed PriceCroydon Common1912DefendersDFTommy FellsSouth Kirkby1913DFWilliam HickletonCoventry City1911On loan from Coventry CityDFDusty Rhodes (c) Sunderland1908DFWalter SprattRotherham Town1911MidfieldersHBAlec BarclayIlford1910AmateurHBFrank BentleyTottenham Hotspur1912HBGeorge KennedyChelsea1910HBPhil RichardsBradford Park Avenue1908ForwardsFWBilly Brawn Chelsea1911FWFrederick ChappleCrewe Alexandra1912 FWHugh DolbyChelsea1912FWThomas GrahamCastleford Town1911FWPatsy HendrenCoventry City1911Played when his cricket commitments allowedFWBob McTavishTottenham Hotspur1912FWJohn MorrisonWest Ham United1912FWJack SibbaldWallsend Elm Villa1910FWBill SmithHickleton Main Colliery1912 Source: 100 Years Of Brentford, Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939
Coaching staff
Fred Halliday (4 September–13 November 1912) NameRole Fred HallidaySecretary Manager Tom CowperTrainer
Dusty Rhodes (13 November 1912 – 29 April 1913) NameRole Dusty RhodesManager Fred HallidaySecretary Tom CowperTrainer
Statistics
Appearances and goals
PosNatNameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKTed Price37020390GKArchie Ling100010DFTommy Fells800080DFDusty Rhodes33000330DFWalter Spratt30120321HBAlec Barclay31120331HBFrank Bentley31020330HBGeorge Kennedy23000230HBPhil Richards24020260FWBilly Brawn35420374FWFrederick Chapple2811203011FWHugh Dolby400040FWThomas Graham200020FWPatsy Hendren35920379FWBob McTavish26021281FWJohn Morrison10000100FWJack Sibbald23320253FWBill Smith2712002712Players loaned in during the seasonDFWilliam Hickleton10020120 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford
Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerSL1FACTotalFWBill Smith12012FWFrederick Chapple11011FWPatsy Hendren909FWBilly Brawn404FWJack Sibbald303HBAlec Barclay101DFWalter Spratt101FWBob McTavish011Total42143 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford
Amateur international caps Pos.NatPlayerCapsGoalsRefHBAlec Barclay20
Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Fred Halliday4 September 191213 November 1912 |Dusty Rhodes13 November 191229 April 1913 |
Summary Games played 40 (38 Southern League First Division, 2 FA Cup)Games won 11 (11 Southern League First Division, 0 FA Cup)Games drawn 6 (5 Southern League First Division, 1 FA Cup)Games lost 23 (22 Southern League First Division, 1 FA Cup)Goals scored 43 (42 Southern League First Division, 1 FA Cup)Goals conceded 60 (55 Southern League First Division, 5 FA Cup)Clean sheets 10 (9 Southern League First Division, 1 FA Cup)Biggest league win 4–0 versus Gillingham, 18 January 1913; 5–1 versus West Ham United, 23 November 1912Worst league defeat 3–0 on three occasions; 4–1 versus Reading, 28 December 1912Most appearances 39, Ted Price (37 Southern League First Division, 2 FA Cup)Top scorer (league) 12, Bill SmithTop scorer (all competitions) 12, Bill Smith
Transfers & loans Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.7 May 1912DF Tommy Fells South Kirkbyn/a2 July 1912HB Frank Bentley Tottenham Hotspurn/a10 July 1912GK Ted Price Croydon Commonn/a7 August 1912FW John Morrison West Ham Unitedn/a14 August 1912FW Frederick Chapple Crewe Alexandra£150August 1912FW Albert Markwick GuildfordAmateur2 October 1912FW Hugh Dolby Chelsean/a19 October 1912FW Bill Smith Hickleton Main Collieryn/aPlayers loaned inDatePos.NameSubsequent clubDate toRef.25 May 1912DF William Hickleton Coventry CityEnd of seasonPlayers transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.June 1912FW Willie Furr Leicester Fossen/a6 August 1912FW Willis Rippon Hamilton Academical£250August 1912DF Arthur Cleverley Swansea Townn/aAugust 1912HB Jock Hamilton Swansea Townn/aPlayers releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.April 1913FW Hugh Dolby Clowne White Star22 August 1913April 1913FW Thomas Graham Allerton Bywater Collieryn/aApril 1913HB George Kennedy Dumfriesn/aApril 1913GK Archie LingRetiredApril 1913FW Jack Sibbald Wallsend18 June 1913
Notes
References