During the 1902–03 English football season, Brentford competed in the Southern League First Division. An appalling season led to a bottom-place finish in the First Division, but the Bees retained their First Division status with a victory over Second Division champions Fulham in a promotion-relegation test match.

Season summary

After a rude awakening to the Southern League First Division during the previous season and despite having become a professional club in 1900, the Brentford committee continued with an amateur attitude with regards to the running of first team affairs.White, p. 78-80. Despite almost all of the First Division clubs utilising a first team manager, the committee would continue to run first team affairs. Had Brentford been relegated at the end of the previous season, the £557 loss on the season (equivalent to £ in ) would have spelt the end of the club, but attendances had almost doubled at York Road and gate receipts of £1,244 were taken (£ in ). Frustratingly, Brentford's promotion to the First Division had necessitated a trebling of the wage bill, which offset the increased gate receipts. To increase revenue, the club would also enter into the London League and Western League during the season and the squad was expanded to 26 professionals, which led to a 60% expansion of the wage bill. Previous regulars Grieve, Logan, McEleny, McElhaney and captain Stormont all left the club and were replaced by full backs Gilson, Nidd, half backs Green, Newsome and forwards Maher, Pickering, Turner and Underwood.

Brentford began the First Division season in even worse form than it had the last, losing the first 9 matches. Bristol City trainer Bob Crone was brought in to replace Tom King and while the team's fitness improved, its form did not. The FA Cup provided a welcome distraction and the team's form belied that of in the league, scoring 16 goals in six matches to advance from the third qualifying round to the intermediate round and a matchup with Football League First Division club Woolwich Arsenal. The Bees took the Gunners to a replay at the Manor Ground, but the run ended with a 5–0 defeat. While the cup exploits had inspired Brentford to a first league victory of the season on 22 November 1902, it had raised the profile of forward Tommy Shanks, who had scored in 9 goals in a 10-match spell through November and December 1902.

1903 began with the shock transfer of Tommy Shanks to Woolwich Arsenal, with Brentford receiving £200 and forward Joe Connor, who on 21 March 1903 would become Brentford's first international player when he played and scored for Ireland in a 2–0 victory over Scotland. The Bees took just 3 points from a possible 34 during the rest of the season and finished bottom of the First Division, which led to a promotion-relegation test match versus Second Division champions Fulham on 28 April. The team put in its best performance of the season to run out 7–2 victors, with Joe Connor scoring four goals.

Statistically, 1902–03 was Brentford's worst Southern League season, winning just twice and drawing once. A number of club records were set or equalled during the season: Most Southern League home defeats in a season: 12 Most Southern League away defeats in a season: 0 Least Southern League wins in a season: 2 Least Southern League home wins in a season: 2 Least Southern League away wins in a season: 0 Least Southern League draws in a season: 1 Least Southern League home draws in a season: 1 Least Southern League away draws in a season: 0 Most FA Cup goals in a season: 8 – Tommy Shanks

League table

Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend WinDrawLoss

Southern League First Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultScorer(s)16 September 1902SouthamptonA0–6213 September 1902WellingboroughA0–3320 September 1902Bristol RoversH0–2427 September 1902Northampton TownA0–254 October 1902WatfordH2–3Pickering (2)611 October 1902Millwall AthleticA1–3Regan (pen)718 October 1902Tottenham HotspurA1–3Regan (pen)825 October 1902West Ham UnitedH0–398 November 1902New BromptonH1–2Shanks1022 November 1902KetteringH2–0Maher (2)116 December 1902ReadingH0–31220 December 1902SouthamptonH0–41327 December 1902WellingboroughH1–2Warren143 January 1903Bristol RoversA0–21510 January 1903Northampton TownH0–21617 January 1903WatfordA1–3Connor1724 January 1903Millwall AthleticH1–4Connor1831 January 1903Tottenham HotspurH1–1Warren197 February 1903West Ham UnitedA0–22014 February 1903PortsmouthH0–52121 February 1903New BromptonA0–42228 February 1903Swindon TownH1–0Underwood234 March 1903Queens Park RangersA0–3247 March 1903KetteringA2–3Warren, Turner2514 March 1903Luton TownH1–3Maher2621 March 1903ReadingA0–52728 March 1903Queens Park RangersH0–22811 April 1903PortsmouthA1–4Underwood2914 April 1903Luton TownA0–23018 April 1903Swindon TownA0–3

Southern League Test Match DateOpponentVenueResultScorer(s)Notes28 April 1903FulhamN7–2Connor (3, 1 pen), Turner (2), PickeringMatch played at Wormholt Farm, Shepherd's Bush.

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultScorer(s)Notes3QR1 November 1902Oxford CityA2–2Regan (pen), Shanks3QR (replay)5 November 1902Oxford CityH5–4Maher (2), Shanks (2), Pickering4QR15 November 1902SouthallH5–0Shanks (4), Green (pen)5QR29 November 1902Shepherd's BushH2–2Green, Maher5QR (replay)3 December 1902Shepherd's BushA1–1Maher5QR (2nd replay)8 December 1902Shepherd's BushN1–0TurnerMatch played at Kensal Rise.IR13 December 1902Woolwich ArsenalH1–1ShanksIR (replay)17 December 1902Woolwich ArsenalA0–5 Source: 100 Years of Brentford

Playing squad

Left club during season

Source: 100 Years of Brentford, The Football Association

Coaching staff NameRole Bob CroneTrainer

Statistics Appearances

Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerSL1FACTMTotalFWTommy Shanks18—9FWDavie Maher3407FWJoe Connor2046FWGeorge Pickering2114FWPercy Turner1124FWTosher Underwood3003HBBill Regan2103FWArnold Warren20—2HBEllis Green0202Total1617740 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford

International caps Pos.NatPlayerCapsGoalsRefFWJoe Connor21

Management NameFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Committee6 September 190228 April 1903

Summary Games played 39 (30 Southern League First Division, 1 Southern League Test Match, 8 FA Cup)Games won 6 (2 Southern League First Division, 1 Southern League Test Match, 3 FA Cup)Games drawn 5 (1 Southern League First Division, 0 Southern League Test Match, 4 FA Cup)Games lost 28 (27 Southern League First Division, 0 Southern League Test Match, 1 FA Cup)Goals scored 40 (16 Southern League First Division, 7 Southern League Test Match, 17 FA Cup)Goals conceded 101 (84 Southern League First Division, 2 Southern League Test Match, 15 FA Cup)Clean sheets 4 (2 Southern League First Division, 0 Southern League Test Match, 2 FA Cup)Biggest league win 2–0 versus Kettering, 22 November 1902Worst league defeat6–0 versus Southampton, 6 September 1902Most appearances 38, Davie Maher (29 Southern League First Division, 1 Southern League Test Match, 8 FA Cup)Top scorer (league) 3, Davie Maher, Tosher UnderwoodTop scorer (all competitions) 9, Tommy Shanks

Notes

References