During the 1956–57 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division South. Despite topping the table early in the season, a poor run of form dropped the club to the lower reaches of mid-table by February 1957. A strong final two months of the season lifted the Bees to an 8th-place finish.

Season summary With Brentford having failed to challenge for promotion since relegation to the Third Division South in 1954, reduced attendances at Griffin Park meant that manager Bill Dodgin Sr. again had little to spend in the transfer market, with his lone acquisition being full back Sid Russell from local Sunday league football. Frank Latimer and Billy Sperrin were released after many years' service, in addition to more recent signings Leonard Geard, James Robertson and George Stobbart.

Brentford had a dream start to the 1956–57 season, winning the opening four matches and sitting atop the table. Three subsequent defeats dropped the Bees to as low as 13th-place, before top spot was again reached after another three wins in September 1956. Forwards Jeff Taylor and George Francis (supported by Jim Towers) were in imperious form, with Taylor having scored 9 goals and Francis 8 goals after 10 matches. A 4–0 defeat away to Ipswich Town on 22 September ended the run and Brentford won just three of next 20 league matches, with Taylor and Francis completely losing form and Towers spending periods out injured. The signing of Chelsea forward Eric Parsons had little impact.

The Bees reached their nadir on 19 January 1957, losing 7–0 to Walsall, a scoreline which equalled the club's record defeat. Three matches later, Brentford lost 5–1 to Northampton Town and completed a slide from 1st position on 18 September 1956 to 17th on 16 February 1957. Jim Towers' return to full fitness coincided with the team's return to form in March, with George Francis scoring five goals amidst a run of four consecutive wins. After victory over Southend United on 12 March, chairman Frank Davis announced that manager Bill Dodgin Sr. would be leaving Griffin Park at the end of the campaign. Brentford lost just two of the remaining 11 matches of the season and battled to an 8th-place finish.

A number of club records were set or equalled during the season: Record league defeat: 0–7 versus Walsall, 19 January 1957 Consecutive away league wins: 5 (21 April – 29 August 1956) Consecutive league draws: 5 (16 March – 6 April 1957) Most home league games without a clean sheet: 16 (3 March – 20 October 1956)

League table

Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend WinDrawLoss

Football League Third Division South No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)118 August 1956Plymouth ArgyleH4–113,710Newcombe, Goundry, Taylor, Towers221 August 1956Swindon TownH4–113,510Towers, Taylor (2), Bragg (pen)325 August 1956AldershotA2–07,043Towers, Francis429 August 1956Swindon TownA3–111,995Taylor (2), Francis51 September 1956WatfordH1–518,760Towers64 September 1956Brighton & Hove AlbionH2–512,191Goundry, Towers78 September 1956Shrewsbury TownA2–38,953Francis, Taylor812 September 1956Brighton & Hove AlbionA2–114,317Goundry, Francis915 September 1956WalsallH6–211,492Taylor (3), Bristow, Goundry, Francis1018 September 1956GillinghamH3–215,603Francis (3)1122 September 1956Ipswich TownA0–412,8881226 September 1956GillinghamA1–27,903Morgan1329 September 1956Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticH2–212,604Francis, Newcombe146 October 1956Northampton TownH2–110,733Coleman (og), Francis1513 October 1956Southend UnitedA0–111,4631620 October 1956Crystal PalaceH1–111,345Taylor1727 October 1956Exeter CityA1–18,482Francis183 November 1956SouthamptonH4–014,198Francis (4)1910 November 1956Coventry CityA1–19,884Peplow (pen)2024 November 1956Colchester UnitedA0–17,290211 December 1956Newport CountyH0–011,1302215 December 1956Plymouth ArgyleA0–26,8232322 December 1956AldershotH2–27,284Parsons, Towers2425 December 1956Torquay UnitedH0–09,0242526 December 1956Torquay UnitedA0–29,5402629 December 1956WatfordA1–18,416Dudley2712 January 1957Shrewsbury TownH3–18,952Rainford, Dudley, Goundry2819 January 1957WalsallA0–713,892292 February 1957Ipswich TownH1–110,538Rees (og)309 February 1957Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticA0–310,8983116 February 1957Northampton TownA0–59,306322 March 1957Crystal PalaceA2–011,679Parsons (2)334 March 1957MillwallH5–06,088Taylor, Towers, Francis, Coote, Goundry349 March 1957ReadingH4–010,223Francis (2), Taylor, McLaren (og)3512 March 1957Southend UnitedH3–211,941Francis (2), Towers3616 March 1957SouthamptonA3–312,166Parsons, Newcombe, Towers3718 March 1957MillwallA1–18,726Towers3823 March 1957Coventry CityH1–110,058Taylor3930 March 1957Norwich CityA1–111,685McNeil (og)406 April 1957Colchester UnitedH1–112,846Taylor4113 April 1957Newport CountyA0–35,4154219 April 1957Queens Park RangersH2–013,841Towers (2)4320 April 1957Exeter CityH3–09,262Taylor, Harvey (og), Francis4422 April 1957Queens Park RangersA2–29,661Dargie, Francis4527 April 1957Norwich CityH1–18,764Bragg (pen)461 May 1957ReadingA0–24,203

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)1R17 November 1956Guildford CityH3–013,450Morton (og), Taylor, Beale (og)2R8 December 1956Crystal PalaceH1–116,750Taylor2R (replay)12 December 1956Crystal PalaceA2–3 23,136Towers, Francis

Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford, Statto, 11v11

Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1956–57 season. Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepersGKGerry CakebreadYouth1954GKSonny FeehanNorthampton Town1954DefendersDFAlan BasshamYouth1953DFWally BraggTwickenham Celtic1946DFKen HorneBlackpool1950DFGeorge LowdenUnattached1951DFSid RussellJolly X1956MidfieldersHBGeorge BristowYouth1950HBKen CooteWembley1949HBIan DargieTonbridge1952HBWendell MorganCardiff City1954HBRon PeplowSouthall1955HBTerry RobinsonLoughborough College1954AmateurHBLen RoeRuislip Manor1951ForwardsFWVernon AvisYouth1952FWBilly BloomfieldYouth1956FWFrank DudleyCardiff City1953FWGeorge FrancisYouth1955FWBilly GoundryHuddersfield Town1955FWDennis HeathYouth1954FWLen NewcombeFulham1956FWEric ParsonsChelsea1956FWJohn PearsonYouth1955FWJohnny RainfordCardiff City1953FWJeff TaylorFulham1954FWJim TowersYouth1954Players who left the club mid-seasonGKReg NewtonLeyton Orient1949Transferred to Tunbridge Wells UnitedDFSid Tickridge (c)Chelsea1955Retired Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford, Timeless Bees

Coaching staff NameRole Bill Dodgin Sr.Manager Tom EgglestoneTrainer Jack HollidayAssistant Trainer

Statistics

Appearances and goals

PosNatNameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKGerry Cakebread38030410GKSonny Feehan300030GKReg Newton500050DFAlan Bassham12020140DFWally Bragg33110341DFKen Horne500050DFGeorge Lowden300030DFSid Russell22000220DFSid Tickridge23030260HBGeorge Bristow16100161HBKen Coote44130471HBIan Dargie27130301HBWendell Morgan26110271HBRon Peplow14130171HBTerry Robinson12000120HBLen Roe200020FWVernon Avis100010FWBilly Bloomfield100010FWFrank Dudley420042FWGeorge Francis4123314424FWBilly Goundry31620336FWDennis Heath301040FWLen Newcombe43330463FWEric Parsons27420294FWJohn Pearson100010FWJohnny Rainford710071FWJeff Taylor3815224017FWJim Towers2412112513 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford

Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL3FACTotalFWGeorge Francis23124FWJeff Taylor15217FWJim Towers12113FWBilly Goundry606FWEric Parsons404FWLen Newcombe303FWFrank Dudley202DFWally Bragg101HBGeorge Bristow101HBKen Coote101HBIan Dargie101HBWendell Morgan101HBRon Peplow101FWJohnny Rainford101Opponents527Total78684 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford

Representative caps Pos.NatPlayerTeamCapsGoalsRefHBTerry Robinson80

Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Bill Dodgin Sr.18 August 19561 May 1957

Summary Games played 49 (46 Third Division South, 3 FA Cup)Games won 17 (16 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup)Games drawn 17 (16 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup)Games lost 15 (14 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup)Goals scored 84 (78 Third Division South, 6 FA Cup)Goals conceded 80 (76 Third Division South, 4 FA Cup)Clean sheets 10 (9 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup)Biggest league win 5–0 versus Millwall, 4 March 1957Worst league defeat 7–0 versus Walsall, 19 January 1957Most appearances 47, Ken Coote (44 Third Division South, 3 FA Cup)Top scorer (league) 23, George FrancisTop scorer (all competitions) 24, George Francis

Transfers & loans Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.August 1956DF Sid Russell Jolly XFreeNovember 1956FW Eric Parsons Chelsean/aPlayers loaned inDate fromPos.NameFromDate toRef.August 1956FW Tommy Henaughan Kilmarnockn/aPlayers transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.February 1957GK Reg Newton Tunbridge Wells Rangersn/aPlayers releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.January 1957DF Sid TickridgeRetiredMay 1957HB Wally BraggRetired

References