During the 1957–58 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division South. The Bees finished as runners-up to Brighton & Hove Albion and narrowly missed out on promotion to the Second Division.

Season summary After the departure of Bill Dodgin Sr, Brentford recruited Kilmarnock manager Malky MacDonald for their vacant managerial position in May 1957. MacDonald was no stranger to Griffin Park, having spent just under three years as a player-coach with the Bees between 1946 and 1949. First on MacDonald's list of priorities was to ensure that Brentford finished in the top half of the Third Division South table, to avoid becoming founder members of the new Fourth Division in the following season. Ageing and injury-ravaged players Sid Tickridge, Wally Bragg and Frank Dudley were released, while Jeff Taylor, the club's second-leading scorer in each of the previous two seasons, elected to retire and pursue a career in opera. MacDonald recruited former Brentford player Fred Monk as trainer and made just one signing of note, full back Tom Wilson from Fulham, whom he named captain. Ken Horne, Ian Dargie and Johnny Rainford (three players who had seen their playing time reduced under previous manager Dodgin) would be regulars again under MacDonald during the season.

After a mixed start to the season, an unbeaten run of six wins in eight matches in October and November elevated Brentford to 2nd place on 23 November 1957. The run included a new club record of seven consecutive clean sheets. Forwards Jim Towers and George Francis were in prolific form and had scored 24 of the Bees' 37 league goals at that point of the season. After a dip around the turn of the year, Brentford clawed their way back to the higher reaches of the Third Division South table and won six matches in a row in March and early April to move up to 4th. A 1–0 defeat to Torquay United on 7 April put Brentford four points behind leaders Brighton & Hove Albion, with the Bees having played one game more. The damage of draws in the following two matches (versus Southampton and a showdown with Brighton & Hove Albion) was lessened by fellow challengers Plymouth Argyle, Swindon Town and Reading all dropping points.

The Bees, spurred on by six goals from Jim Towers, won their final three matches of the season versus Reading, Port Vale and leaders Brighton & Hove Albion. The victory over Brighton put Brentford top on 58 points, ahead of Plymouth Argyle and Brighton on goal average. Brighton could still win the title by virtue of their game in hand, which would come versus Watford two days later, whom they had beaten 1–0 at Vicarage Road two days before their match at Griffin Park. Brighton emphatically beat Watford 6–0 in their final match to win promotion to the Second Division, but the manner of their victories over Watford raised concern and the referee of the first meeting between the clubs wrote to the Football League outlining his suspicions. It wasn't until October 1960 that former Brighton & Hove Albion wing half Glen Wilson revealed to the Daily Mail that some of the Watford players had agreed to "lie down" in exchange for money. Looking back in 2010, Brentford full back Ken Horne summarised the situation:

League table

Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend WinDrawLoss

Friendlies DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)Notes10 May 1958St MirrenA1–4n/an/a

Football League Third Division South No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)124 August 1957Queens Park RangersA0–115,734227 August 1957Exeter CityH1–012,307Simpson (og)331 August 1957Colchester UnitedH3–312,732Newcombe, Towers (2)44 September 1957Exeter CityA5–38,498Towers (2), Francis, Parsons (2)57 September 1957Norwich CityA2–319,150Francis (2)610 September 1957Northampton TownH7–110,697Parsons, Rainford (2), Towers (2), Francis (2)714 September 1957Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticH4–213,733Francis (3), Newcombe816 September 1957Northampton TownA1–34,528Francis921 September 1957WalsallA2–010,775Towers (2)1024 September 1957WatfordA1–47,031Towers1128 September 1957Coventry CityH1–312,094Caven121 October 1957WatfordH0–010,447135 October 1957Shrewsbury TownA2–07,057Francis, Heath1412 October 1957GillinghamH1–012,488Towers1519 October 1957MillwallA1–016,293Rainford1626 October 1957Swindon TownH0–013,676172 November 1957AldershotA2–07,133Francis (2)189 November 1957Plymouth ArgyleH2–015,594Newcombe, Francis1923 November 1957Newport CountyH2–113,603Rainford, Towers2030 November 1957SouthamptonA2–413,690Towers, Francis2114 December 1957Southend UnitedA0–07,9522221 December 1957Queens Park RangersH1–112,804Rutter (og)2325 December 1957Crystal PalaceH0–312,3942426 December 1957Crystal PalaceA1–216,797Coote2528 December 1957Colchester UnitedA1–19,548Francis2611 January 1958Norwich CityH7–111,850Francis (2), Rainford (2), Parsons, Coote, Newcombe2718 January 1958Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticA0–111,090281 February 1958WalsallH2–19,130Rainford, Parsons (pen)298 February 1958Coventry CityA0–09,3913015 February 1958Shrewsbury TownH2–012,842Francis, Parsons3122 February 1958GillinghamA2–36,626Parsons, Towers321 March 1958MillwallH4–112,919Towers (3), Francis338 March 1958Swindon TownA1–412,755Francis3411 March 1958ReadingH2–113,230Towers (2)3515 March 1958AldershotH4–210,482Heath (2), Towers (2)3622 March 1958Newport CountyA2–15,621Heath, Rainford3724 March 1958Port ValeA1–05,149Towers3829 March 1958Southend UnitedH4–212,890Towers (2), Francis (2)394 April 1958Torquay UnitedA1–08,216Towers405 April 1958Plymouth ArgyleA0–020,021417 April 1958Torquay UnitedH0–115,6804212 April 1958SouthamptonH0–011,6634319 April 1958Brighton & Hove AlbionA1–125,613Heath4423 April 1958ReadingA2–112,852Towers (2)4526 April 1958Port ValeH4–111,923Towers (3), Rainford4628 April 1958Brighton & Hove AlbionH1–025,744Goundry

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendance1R16 November 1957MillwallA0–120,097

Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford, Statto, 11v11

Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1957–58 season. Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepersGKGerry CakebreadYouth1954GKSonny FeehanNorthampton Town1954DefendersDFAlan BasshamYouth1953DFKen HorneBlackpool1950DFSid RussellJolly X1956DFTom Wilson (c)Fulham1957MidfieldersHBGeorge BristowYouth1950HBKen CooteWembley1949HBIan DargieTonbridge1952HBRon PeplowSouthall1955ForwardsFWBilly BloomfieldYouth1956FWJohn CavenKilmarnock1957FWChristy FletcherCheltenham Town1957FWGeorge FrancisYouth1955FWBilly GoundryHuddersfield Town1955FWDennis HeathYouth1954FWLen NewcombeFulham1956FWEric ParsonsChelsea1956FWJohnny RainfordCardiff City1953FWJim TowersYouth1954Players who left the club mid-seasonHBWendell MorganCardiff City1954Transferred to Gillingham Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford, Timeless Bees

Coaching staff NameRole Malky MacDonaldManager Fred MonkTrainer Jack HollidayAssistant Trainer

Statistics

Appearances and goals

PosNatNameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKGerry Cakebread45010460GKSonny Feehan100010DFAlan Bassham200020DFKen Horne37010380DFSid Russell15000150DFTom Wilson27000270HBGeorge Bristow41010420HBKen Coote45210462HBIan Dargie46010470HBWendell Morgan50—50HBRon Peplow12010130FWBilly Bloomfield100010FWJohn Caven610061FWChristy Fletcher300030FWGeorge Francis4522104622FWBilly Goundry12110131FWDennis Heath15500155FWLen Newcombe37410384FWEric Parsons30710317FWJohnny Rainford45910469FWJim Towers3629003629 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford

Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL3FACTotalFWJim Towers29029FWGeorge Francis22022FWJohnny Rainford909FWEric Parsons707FWDennis Heath505FWLen Newcombe404HBKen Coote202FWJohn Caven101FWBilly Goundry101Opponents202Total82082 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford

Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Malky MacDonald24 August 195728 April 1958

Summary Games played 47 (46 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup)Games won 24 (24 Third Division South, 0 FA Cup)Games drawn 10 (10 Third Division South, 0 FA Cup)Games lost 13 (12 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup)Goals scored 82 (82 Third Division South, 0 FA Cup)Goals conceded 57 (56 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup)Clean sheets 18 (18 Third Division South, 0 FA Cup)Biggest league win 7–1 on two occasionsWorst league defeat 3–0 versus Crystal Palace, 25 December 1957; 4–1 on two occasionsMost appearances 47, Ian Dargie (46 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup)Top scorer (league) 29, Jim TowersTop scorer (all competitions) 29, Jim Towers

Transfers & loans Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.July 1957GK Reg Newton Tunbridge Wells Rangersn/aJuly 1957DF Tom Wilson Fulhamn/aSeptember 1957FW Terry Curran Tottenham Hotspurn/aOctober 1957FW John Caven Kilmarnockn/aDecember 1957FW Christy Fletcher Cheltenham Townn/a1957FW Paddy Walsh HayesAmateurPlayers transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.July 1957HB Terry Robinson Northampton TownAmateurSeptember 1957HB Wendell Morgan Gillinghamn/aPlayers releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.July 1957FW Jeff TaylorRetiredMay 1958FW Frank Dudley Folkestone Town1958May 1958GK Reg Newton Yiewsley1958May 1958FW John Pearson Queens Park RangersJune 1958May 1958n/aRoy Yeatman Yiewsley19581958FW Paddy Walsh Southall1958

Notes

References