During the 1958–59 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division. Despite 32 goals from Jim Towers and 22 from George Francis, a number of defeats to low-placed clubs early in the season prevented the Bees from finishing higher than 3rd, one place away from promotion.
Season summary After narrowly missing out on promotion in 1957–58, Brentford entered the 1958–59 Third Division season full of confidence. Despite making a profit of £6,789 on the previous season (equivalent to £ in ), manager Malky MacDonald decided not to add to his squad and instead planned for the future by bringing in a number of Scottish youngsters. Brentford began the season with a resounding 4–0 victory over Bradford City, hitting top spot, but dropped back after three consecutive defeats. By the time the Bees drew 1–1 with Chesterfield on 4 October 1958, the team's inconsistency could be clearly pointed to a lack of support for forwards Jim Towers and George Francis, who had scored 13 of the team's 17 goals by that point of the season. In response, manager MacDonald paid £6,000 for Luton Town's outside left George McLeod. After defeats to Stockport County and Reading in late October, the team recovered and began to perform on a consistent basis.
Brentford had a morale-boosting run to the fourth round of the FA Cup, eliminating Exeter City, King's Lynn and Barnsley on the way to a 2–0 defeat to First Division club West Bromwich Albion in front of 41,440 at The Hawthorns. A 6–0 win over Southampton at The Dell on 9 March 1959 (which set a new club record for biggest away Football League win) established the Bees as promotion contenders. Three victories and two draws from the following five matches (which included a win and a draw versus leaders Plymouth Argyle) saw Brentford increase their grip on 3rd place in the table, though at a cost to season-ending injuries to Ian Dargie and Len Newcombe. Defeats in crucial matches versus fellow promotion challengers Norwich City and Hull City in early April effectively ended the Bees' promotion charge and all hope of promotion mathematically ended with two matches left to play. Brentford finished the season in 3rd place.
Jim Towers' 37 goals scored in all competitions during the season was just two goals shy of Jack Holliday's club record of 39, set in the Third Division South in 1932–33. Towers' strike partner George Francis also finished amongst the top scorers in the Third Division, with 22 goals and 24 in all competitions. Brentford finished the 1958–59 season with the best defensive record in the Third Division, conceding only 49 goals and also conceding the fewest away goals (27). A new club record for most league away draws (10) was set during the season and the club record for fewest goalscorers in a season was equalled. The 20 players used in all competitions was the lowest since the end of the Second World War and three players finishing the season as ever-presents in all 50 matches was another post-war record.
League table
Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend WinDrawLoss
Friendlies DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)21 October 1958CelticH2–011,000n/a
Football League Third Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)125 August 1958Bradford CityH4–015,749Towers (2), Francis (2)228 August 1958Doncaster RoversA0–110,654330 August 1958WrexhamA1–216,905Towers42 September 1958Doncaster RoversH0–114,84556 September 1958SouthamptonH2–012,997Francis, Towers69 September 1958Mansfield TownH2–013,625Towers (2)712 September 1958Accrington StanleyA1–19,918Rainford815 September 1958Mansfield TownA1–19,159Towers920 September 1958Halifax TownH2–012,643Francis, Heath1022 September 1958Hull CityA1–314,172Heath1127 September 1958Newport CountyA1–08,220Francis1230 September 1958Hull CityH1–112,441Towers134 October 1958ChesterfieldH1–112,473Heath149 October 1958Notts CountyA0–04,3811511 October 1958Tranmere RoversA2–112,325Towers, Rainford1618 October 1958Stockport CountyH1–412,488Towers1725 October 1958ReadingA1–316,186Towers181 November 1958Colchester UnitedH2–111,945Towers, Heath198 November 1958Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticA0–011,5642022 November 1958Queens Park RangersA2–113,784Drinkwater (og), Towers2129 November 1958BuryH0–011,7412213 December 1958RochdaleH2–19,432Towers, Dargie2320 December 1958Bradford CityA0–311,4732425 December 1958Swindon TownH2–212,504McLeod, Francis2526 December 1958Swindon TownA1–112,690Francis263 January 1959WrexhamH2–111,723Francis (2)2731 January 1959Accrington StanleyH2–111,260Francis, Towers287 February 1959Halifax TownA0–04,6542914 February 1959Newport CountyH3–010,392McLeod, Bristow, Towers3021 February 1959ChesterfieldA2–19,649Francis, Towers (pen)3128 February 1959Tranmere RoversH5–213,138Towers (2), Francis, Rainford (2)327 March 1959Stockport CountyA1–17,973Towers (pen)339 March 1959SouthamptonA6–07,756McLeod, Towers (4), Francis3414 March 1959ReadingH3–118,209Francis (2), Rainford3521 March 1959Colchester UnitedA4–08,775Francis (2), McLeod, Towers3627 March 1959Plymouth ArgyleH3–028,725Towers, Rainford, Francis3728 March 1959Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticH1–115,970McLeod3830 March 1959Plymouth ArgyleA1–127,073Parsons394 April 1959Norwich CityA1–427,870Francis408 April 1959Southend UnitedA0–29,0224111 April 1959Queens Park RangersH1–015,905Rainford4218 April 1959BuryA1–17,092Towers4321 April 1959Notts CountyH4–011,738Francis, Towers (3, 2 pens)4425 April 1959Southend UnitedH6–111,264Rainford, Francis (2), Towers (2), Williamson (og)4527 April 1959RochdaleA0–02,1914630 April 1959Norwich CityH0–419,035
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)Notes1R15 November 1958Exeter CityH3–214,600Towers, Francis, RainfordBoth teams wore change colours.2R6 December 1958King's LynnH3–114,100Towers (3)3R10 January 1959BarnsleyH2–016,890Towers, Francis4R24 January 1959West Bromwich AlbionA0–241,440
Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford, Statto, 11v11
Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1958–59 season. Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepersGKGerry CakebreadYouth1954GKSonny FeehanNorthampton Town1954DefendersDFKen HorneBlackpool1950DFTom Wilson (c)Fulham1957MidfieldersHBGeorge BristowYouth1950HBKen CooteWembley1949HBIan DargieTonbridge1952HBBilly GoundryHuddersfield Town1955HBRon PeplowSouthall1955HBSid RussellJolly X1956ForwardsFWJohn CavenKilmarnock1957FWGeorge FrancisYouth1955FWJohnny HalesSt Roch's1958FWDennis HeathYouth1954FWBilly HornKilmarnock1958AmateurFWGeorge McLeodLuton Town1958FWLen NewcombeFulham1956FWEric ParsonsChelsea1956FWJohnny RainfordCardiff City1953FWJim TowersYouth1954 Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford, Timeless Bees
Coaching staff NameRole Malky MacDonaldManager Fred MonkTrainer Jack HollidayAssistant Trainer
Statistics
Appearances and goals
PosNatNameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKGerry Cakebread45040490GKSonny Feehan100010DFKen Horne45030480DFTom Wilson46040500HBGeorge Bristow37140411HBKen Coote44040480HBIan Dargie37140411HBBilly Goundry12010130HBRon Peplow700070HBSid Russell200020FWJohn Caven100010FWGeorge Francis4522424924FWJohnny Hales100010FWDennis Heath25440294FWBilly Horn100010FWGeorge McLeod29540335FWLen Newcombe200020FWEric Parsons34100341FWJohnny Rainford46841509FWJim Towers4632455037 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford
Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL3FACTotalFWJim Towers32537FWGeorge Francis22224FWJohnny Rainford819FWGeorge McLeod505FWDennis Heath404HBGeorge Bristow101HBIan Dargie101FWEric Parsons101Opponents202Total76884 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford
Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Malky MacDonald25 August 195830 April 1959
Summary Games played 50 (46 Third Division, 4 FA Cup)Games won 24 (21 Third Division, 3 FA Cup)Games drawn 15 (15 Third Division, 0 FA Cup)Games lost 11 (10 Third Division, 1 FA Cup)Goals scored 84 (76 Third Division, 8 FA Cup)Goals conceded 54 (49 Third Division, 5 FA Cup)Clean sheets 17 (16 Third Division, 1 FA Cup)Biggest league win 6–0 versus Southampton, 9 March 1959Worst league defeat 4–0 versus Norwich City, 30 April 1959Most appearances 50, Johnny Rainford, Tom Wilson (46 Third Division, 4 FA Cup)Top scorer (league) 32, Jim TowersTop scorer (all competitions) 37, Jim Towers
Transfers & loans Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.August 1958HB Jimmy Laffertyn/an/a6 September 1958HB Charlie McInally St Roch'sn/aSeptember 1958FW Johnny Hales St Roch'sn/a25 October 1958FW Billy Horn KilmarnockAmateurOctober 1958FW George McLeod Luton Town£6,0001958DF Peter Gelsonn/an/a10 January 1959FW George Summers Shawfieldn/aPlayers transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.December 1958HB Len Roe Yiewsleyn/aPlayers releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.May 1959DF Alan Bassham Folkestone Town1959May 1959FW John Cavenn/an/aMay 1959FW Sonny Feehan Headington United1959May 1959FW Christy Fletcher Peterborough United1959May 1959FW Billy Horn Kilmarnock1959May 1959DF George Lowden Hounslow Townn/a
Notes
References