During the 1915–16 English football season, Brentford competed in the London Combination. In the first season of non-competitive wartime football during the First World War, the Bees finished in mid-table in each of the leagues run by the London Combination.
Season summary
Having ended the 1914–15 Southern League Second Division season £7,000 in debt (equivalent to £ in ), the suspension of competitive football due to the ongoing First World War proved to be a blessing for Brentford. The club was given the chance to face Football League clubs Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Clapton Orient and Fulham in the wartime London Combination. Professionalism had also been abolished, meaning that the club needed only to pay its players their expenses. In addition, the clubs of the London Combination were predominantly London-based, meaning those expenses would be lower than that of previous seasons. The squad had been decimated by the entry of players into the Army or munitions work, which meant that only goalkeeper Ted Price, full backs Dusty Rhodes and Bertie Rosier, half back Alf Amos and forwards Patsy Hendren and Henry White played in the majority of Brentford's matches during the season. White top-scored with 13 goals.
Brentford began the London Combination's Principle Tournament strongly, losing just one of the first 10 matches, but the departure of the locally based Football Battalion to the Western Front robbed the club of a source of quality guest players. Local amateurs, guests and soldiers were brought in to plug gaps in the team. A few guests made notable contributions during the season, including Swindon Town's Bertie Denyer (9 goals in 9 appearances) and Middlesbrough's Dick Wynn (8 goals in 20 appearances). Middlesbrough proved to be a ready source of players, with former Brentford full back Joe Hisbent, half backs Henry Cook, George Malcolm and forward Harry Chapelhow guesting. Brentford finished the London Combination's two league competitions in mid-table, with the highlights being two West London derby wins versus Queens Park Rangers and wins over Football League clubs Clapton Orient, Arsenal and neighbours Fulham.
Two former Brentford players died during the season:
Forward John Bayne, an occasional player at the turn of the century, was serving as a private in the Black Watch when he was killed by a rifle grenade at Richebourg-Saint-Vaast on 21 July 1915. Former inside right Alex Walker was serving as a private in the Royal Scots when he died of tuberculosis in Scotland on 12 May 1916.
League tables
London Combination Principle Tournament
London Combination Supplementary Tournament
Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend WinDrawLoss
London Combination Principle Tournament No.DateOpponentVenueResultScorer(s)14 September 1915West Ham UnitedH2–1Powell, F. Price211 September 1915Tottenham HotspurA1–1Sloley318 September 1915Crystal PalaceH1–0Keenor425 September 1915Queens Park RangersA2–1F. Price, Gregson52 October 1915FulhamH2–2White, Sloley69 October 1915Clapton OrientA3–1Sloley (3)716 October 1915WatfordH1–2Sloley (pen)823 October 1915MillwallA3–3Gregson, White, Wynn930 October 1915Croydon CommonH2–1Allman (og), Sloley106 November 1915ArsenalA1–3Shaw (og)1113 November 1915West Ham UnitedA1–4Hooper1220 November 1915Tottenham HotspurH1–1Wynn1327 November 1915Crystal PalaceA0–1144 December 1915Queens Park RangersH4–0White, Hendren (2), Wynn1511 December 1915FulhamA3–4White (2), Wynn1618 December 1915Clapton OrientH1–1Denyer1725 December 1915ChelseaH1–2G. Curtis1827 December 1915ChelseaA1–4Malcolm191 January 1916WatfordA1–3Denyer208 January 1916MillwallH1–1Wynn2115 January 1916Croydon CommonA2–2Denyer (2)2222 January 1916ArsenalH2–2Chapelhow, Denyer
London Combination Supplementary Tournament No.DateOpponentVenueResultScorer(s)15 February 1916Luton TownA3–4White (2), Hendren212 February 1916ArsenalH2–1Denyer, White319 February 1916Queens Park RangersA1–1Wynn44 March 1916West Ham UnitedA2–4Denyer (2)511 March 1916Croydon CommonH3–1Amos, Gordon, Hooper618 March 1916ArsenalA2–5Denyer, Hooper725 March 1916Queens Park RangersH4–0Wynn, Hooper (2), Sloley81 April 1916Crystal PalaceA3–6Sloley (2), Hendren98 April 1916West Ham UnitedH1–3White1015 April 1916Croydon CommonA0–01121 April 1916FulhamH2–1White, Wynn, (pen)1224 April 1916FulhamA0–11329 April 1916Luton TownH0–3146 May 1916Crystal PalaceH6–3Knight (2, 1 pen), White (3), Trumper
Source: 100 Years Of Brentford
Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1915–16 season. Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepersGKTed PriceCroydon Common1912DefendersDFDusty Rhodes (c) Sunderland1908TrainerDFBertie Rosier Southall1913MidfieldersHBCharles AllwrightKingston-on-Thames1914HBAlf AmosOld Kingstonians1913HBGeorge CurtisKingston-on-Thames1914HBMick O'BrienCeltic1915ForwardsFWHerbert AllwrightUnattached1915FWWalter ChalkOld Kingstonians1915AmateurFWPatsy HendrenQueens Park Rangers1911Played when his cricket commitments allowedFWCharles HibbertUxbridge1914AmateurFWFrank PriceShepherds Bush1914FWAlfred RosierUnattached1915AmateurFWRichard SloleyCambridge University1914AmateurFWHenry WhiteWhamcliffe Athletic1913AmateurGuest playersGKW. Griffithsn/an/aWest Ham United1916Guest from West Ham UnitedDFJoe HisbentMiddlesbrough1915Guest from MiddlesbroughDFFred KeenorCardiff City1915Guest from Cardiff CityHBHenry CookMiddlesbrough1915Guest from MiddlesbroughHBWalter Hatheralln/a1916GuestHBFred JepsonSpennymoor United1915Guest from Spennymoor UnitedHBJohn LambThe Wednesday1915Guest from The WednesdayHBGeorge MalcolmMiddlesbrough1915Guest from MiddlesbroughHBBilly Matthews1881 (aged 33–34)Chester1915Guest from ChesterHBArchie MitchellQueens Park Rangers1916Guest from Queens Park RangersHBF. Stuckeyn/an/aOld Kingstonians1916Amateur, guest from Old KingstoniansHBBilly WakeQueens Park Rangers1916Guest from Queens Park RangersFWGeorge BowlerTottenham Hotspur1915Guest from Tottenham HotspurFWJ. Championn/an/an/a1916GuestFWHarry ChapelhowPenrith1916Guest from PenrithFWBilly ClarksonBurnley1915Guest from BurnleyFWJack CurtisStockport County1915Guest from Stockport CountyFWBertie DenyerSwindon Town1915Guest from Swindon TownFWArthur Featherstonen/an/a1915GuestFWCharlie FreemanChelsea1915Guest from ChelseaFWT. Gordonn/an/an/a1916GuestFWAlf GregsonGrimsby Town1915Guest from Grimsby TownFWBill HooperSouthport Central1915Guest from Southport CentralFWWilliam KnightSteel Barrel Works1916Guest from Steel Barrel WorksFWJ. Newmann/an/an/a1916GuestFWBert PowellBoscombe1915Guest from BoscombeFWWilliam SteerChelsea1915Guest from ChelseaFWHenry TrumperUnattached1916GuestFWDick Wynn1892 (aged 22–23)Middlesbrough1915Guest from Middlesbrough 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
PosNatNameLeague(Principle)League(Suppl.)TotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKTed Price220130350DFDusty Rhodes210130340DFBertie Rosier190100290HBCharles Allwright701080HBAlf Amos130101231HBGeorge Curtis6150111HBMick O'Brien300030FWHerbert Allwright100010FWWalter Chalk100010FWPatsy Hendren82142224FWCharles Hibbert300030FWFrank Price420042FWAlfred Rosier304070FWRichard Sloley97641511FWHenry White1751383013Players guested during the seasonGKn/aW. Griffiths—1010DFJoe Hisbent12060180DFFred Keenor51—51HBHenry Cook10090190HBWalter Hatherall—2020HBFred Jepson201030HBJohn Lamb60—60HBGeorge Malcolm11170181HBBilly Matthews10—10HBArchie Mitchell—1010HBn/aF. Stuckey—1010HBBilly Wake—1010FWGeorge Bowler20—20FWn/aJ. Champion—1010FWHarry Chapelhow21100121FWBilly Clarkson70—70FWJack Curtis130—130FWBertie Denyer554499FWArthur Featherstone10—10FWCharlie Freeman10—10FWn/aT. Gordon—1111FWAlf Gregson42—42FWBill Hooper5163114FWWilliam Knight—2222FWn/aNewman—1010FWBert Powell210021FWWilliam Steer40—40FWHenry Trumper—3131FWDick Wynn12583208 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford
Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerLCPLCSTotalFWHenry White5813FWRichard Sloley7411FWBertie Denyer549FWDick Wynn538FWBill Hooper135FWPatsy Hendren224FWAlf Gregson2—2FWFrank Price2—2FWWilliam Knight—22HBFred Keenor1—1FWBert Powell1—1FWHarry Chapelhow101HBGeorge Curtis101HBGeorge Malcolm101FWn/aT. Gordon—11FWHenry Trumper—11HBAlf Amos011Opponents202Total362965 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford
Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord League(Principle)Record League(Suppl.)PWDLW %PWDLW %PWDLW %Fred Halliday4 September 19156 May 1916
Summary Games played 36 (22 London Combination Principle Tournament, 14 London Combination Supplementary Tournament)Games won 11 (5 London Combination Principle Tournament, 6 London Combination Supplementary Tournament)Games drawn 10 (2 London Combination Principle Tournament, 8 London Combination Supplementary Tournament)Games lost 15 (7 London Combination Principle Tournament, 8 London Combination Supplementary Tournament)Goals scored 65 (36 London Combination Principle Tournament, 29 London Combination Supplementary Tournament)Goals conceded 73 (40 London Combination Principle Tournament, 33 London Combination Supplementary Tournament)Clean sheets 4 (2 London Combination Principle Tournament, 2 London Combination Supplementary Tournament)Biggest win 4–0 on two occasionsWorst defeat 3–0 versus Luton Town, 29 April 1916; 4–1 on two occasions; 5–2 versus Arsenal, 18 March 1916; 6–3 versus Crystal Palace, 1 April 1916Most appearances 35, Ted Price (22 London Combination Principle Tournament, 13 London Combination Supplementary Tournament)Top scorer 13, Henry White
Transfers & loans Guest players' arrival and departure dates correspond to their first and last appearances of the season. Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.4 December 1915FW Alfred RosierUnattachedAmateurn/aHB Jimmy Kennedy Watfordn/aGuest players inDate fromPos.NamePrevious clubDate toRef.4 September 1915FW Jack Curtis Stockport County1 January 19164 September 1915HB Fred Keenor Cardiff City9 October 19154 September 1915FW Bert Powell Boscombe11 September 191511 September 1915FW Billy Clarkson Burnley30 October 191511 September 1915HB John Lamb The Wednesday30 October 191525 September 1915FW Alf Gregson Grimsby Town23 October 191516 October 1915FW William Steer Chelsea8 January 191623 October 1915DF Joe Hisbent Middlesbrough21 April 191623 October 1915HB George Malcolm Middlesbrough21 April 191623 October 1915FW Dick Wynn Middlesbrough21 April 191630 October 1915FW Arthur Featherstonen/a30 October 19156 November 1915HB Henry Cook Middlesbrough30 October 191513 November 1915FW Bill Hooper Southport Central15 April 191620 November 1915HB Billy Matthews Chester20 November 191511 December 1915FW Bertie Denyer Swindon Town1 April 191611 December 1915FW Charlie Freeman Chelsea11 December 191525 December 1915FW George Bowler Tottenham Hotspur27 December 191527 December 1915HB Fred Jepson Spennymoor United5 February 191615 January 1916FW Harry Chapelhow Penrith29 April 191619 February 1919FWNewmann/a19 February 191911 March 1916FWT. Gordonn/a11 March 19161 April 1916GKW. Griffiths West Ham United1 April 19161 April 1916HB Walter Hatheralln/aEnd of season15 April 1916FW Henry TrumperUnattachedEnd of season24 April 1916FWJ. Championn/a24 April 191624 April 1916FW William Knight Steel Barrel WorksEnd of season24 April 1916HBF. Stuckey Old Kingstonians24 April 19166 May 1916HB Archie Mitchell Queens Park RangersEnd of season6 May 1916HB Billy Wake Queens Park RangersEnd of season
References