1953–54 season of Brentford F.C.
Brentford 1953–54 football season
Brentford1953–54 season |
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Chairman | Frank Davis |
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Manager | Tommy Lawton (until September 1953) Fred Monk ( – 1 September October 1953 Bill Dodgin Sr. (from 1 October 1953) |
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Stadium | Griffin Park |
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Second Division | 21st (relegated) |
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FA Cup | Third round |
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Top goalscorer | League: Dudley (10) All: Dudley (11) |
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Highest home attendance | 22,845 |
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Lowest home attendance | 10,652 |
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Average home league attendance | 15,626 |
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During the 1953–54 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Second Division. With Brentford in the relegation places, player-manager Tommy Lawton transferred out of the club in September 1953 and his replacement Bill Dodgin Sr. was unable to turn things round, which culminated in relegation to the Third Division South on the final day of the season. Brentford did not return to the second-tier of English football until the 1992–93 season.
Season summary
Without a transfer budget to speak of, Brentford player-manager Tommy Lawton could not rely entirely on filling his squad with the products of Alf Bew's youth team, which had reached the semi-finals of the inaugural FA Youth Cup during the previous season. Lawton again relied on Wally Bragg and Ken Coote to hold two of the half back berths alongside Tony Harper.[2] He signed ageing forwards Frank Broome and Ian McPherson from his previous club Notts County as replacements for Les Smith and the injured Jimmy D'Arcy.
Six defeats and just one win from the opening 9 Second Division matches saw Tommy Lawton quit the club in favour of a £10,000 transfer to Arsenal, a deal which saw James Robertson arrive at Griffin Park in part-exchange. Full back Fred Monk took over as caretaker manager until the appointment of Bill Dodgin Sr. on 1 October 1953. Dodgin's arrival heralded three consecutive wins, which lifted the Bees out of the relegation places.[3] Ineffective forwards Broome and McPherson were transferred out and replaced by Cardiff City's Johnny Rainford and Frank Dudley. Despite their arrivals, Brentford showed poor form over the Christmas and New Year period and a money-raising FA Cup run ended in a third round replay defeat to Hull City.[3] Gerry Gazzard arrived on loan from West Ham United in January 1954 and despite Gazzard and Dudley forming something of a strike partnership during the final 10 weeks of the season, Brentford were relegated in 21st-place after the club's final match on 24 April.[4]
The solitary away league win during the season tied the club record for fewest away league wins in a season.[5] In addition, Brentford were the joint-lowest scorers in the Second Division during the season.[4] Long-serving trainer Jack Cartmell retired at the end of the season, after over 30 years on the staff at Griffin Park.
League table
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(R) Relegated
Results
- Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend
No. | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) |
1 | 19 August 1953 | Stoke City | A | 1–1 | 22,413 | Broome |
2 | 22 August 1953 | Derby County | A | 1–4 | 18,927 | Lawton |
3 | 27 August 1953 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 1–4 | 16,682 | Ledgerton |
4 | 29 August 1953 | Fulham | H | 2–1 | 21,689 | Monk (pen), Goodwin |
5 | 31 August 1953 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 2–2 | 11,793 | Dare (2) |
6 | 5 September 1953 | Bristol Rovers | H | 0–3 | 21,158 | |
7 | 10 September 1953 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 1–4 | 14,047 | Lawton |
8 | 12 September 1953 | Lincoln City | A | 1–2 | 16,592 | Harper |
9 | 16 September 1953 | Doncaster Rovers | A | 0–3 | 19,463 | |
10 | 19 September 1953 | Notts County | H | 0–0 | 12,770 | |
11 | 26 September 1953 | Hull City | A | 0–2 | 19,501 | |
12 | 3 October 1953 | Everton | H | 1–0 | 17,367 | Dare |
13 | 10 October 1953 | West Ham United | A | 1–0 | 24,934 | Bloomfield |
14 | 17 October 1953 | Leeds United | H | 2–1 | 18,329 | Dare, Bloomfield |
15 | 24 October 1953 | Birmingham City | A | 1–5 | 23,582 | Dare |
16 | 31 October 1953 | Nottingham Forest | H | 1–1 | 15,384 | Rainford |
17 | 7 November 1953 | Luton Town | A | 1–1 | 15,167 | Robertson |
18 | 14 November 1953 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 1–0 | 17,327 | Dare |
19 | 21 November 1953 | Swansea Town | A | 0–1 | 16,627 | |
20 | 28 November 1953 | Rotherham United | H | 0–1 | 16,740 | |
21 | 5 December 1953 | Leicester City | A | 0–6 | 24,036 | |
22 | 12 December 1953 | Stoke City | H | 0–0 | 11,848 | |
23 | 19 December 1953 | Derby County | H | 0–0 | 10,652 | |
24 | 25 December 1953 | Oldham Athletic | H | 3–1 | 15,309 | Rainford, Dudley, Bloomfield |
25 | 26 December 1953 | Oldham Athletic | A | 0–2 | 14,414 | |
26 | 2 January 1954 | Fulham | A | 1–4 | 24,372 | Dudley |
27 | 16 January 1954 | Bristol Rovers | A | 0–0 | 20,541 | |
28 | 23 January 1954 | Lincoln City | H | 0–1 | 11,431 | |
29 | 30 January 1954 | Bury | A | 1–1 | 9,035 | Robertson |
30 | 6 February 1954 | Notts County | A | 0–2 | 10,507 | |
31 | 13 February 1954 | Hull City | H | 2–2 | 11,522 | Gazzard (2) |
32 | 24 February 1954 | Everton | A | 1–6 | 23,145 | Gazzard |
33 | 27 February 1954 | West Ham United | H | 3–1 | 16,458 | Gazzard, Dudley, Dare |
34 | 6 March 1954 | Leeds United | A | 0–4 | 16,501 | |
35 | 13 March 1954 | Birmingham City | H | 2–0 | 12,584 | Dudley (2) |
36 | 20 March 1954 | Nottingham Forest | A | 1–2 | 15,700 | Dudley |
37 | 27 March 1954 | Swansea Town | H | 3–1 | 14,023 | Gazzard, Robertson, Dudley |
38 | 3 April 1954 | Rotherham United | A | 1–1 | 9,198 | Bragg |
39 | 10 April 1954 | Luton Town | H | 0–1 | 14,204 | |
40 | 16 April 1954 | Bury | H | 2–1 | 15,768 | Gazzard (pen), Dudley |
41 | 17 April 1954 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 2–3 | 23,405 | Dudley, Robertson |
42 | 24 April 1954 | Leicester City | H | 1–3 | 22,845 | Dudley |
FA Cup
Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) | Notes |
3R | 9 January 1954 | Hull City | H | 0–0 | 16,000 | | |
3R (replay) | 14 January 1954 | Hull City | A | 2–2 | 16,000 | Dudley, Rainford | |
3R (2nd replay) | 18 January 1954 | Hull City | N | 2–5 | 10,150 | Bly (og), Sperrin | [nb 1] |
- Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford,[2] Statto, 11v11
Playing squad
- Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1953–54 season.
- Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford,[2] Timeless Bees[7]
Coaching staff
Tommy Lawton (19 August – September 1953)
Fred Monk (September – 1 October 1953)
Name | Role |
Fred Monk | Player-Manager |
Jimmy Bain | Assistant Manager |
David Richards | Trainer |
Jack Cartmell | Assistant Trainer |
Bill Dodgin Sr. (1 October 1953 – 24 April 1954)
Statistics
Appearances and goals
Brentford's highest appearance-makers in each position during the Football League season.
- Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
- Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[2]
Goalscorers
- Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
- Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[2]
Management
Name | Nat | From | To | Record All Comps | Record League |
P | W | D | L | W % | P | W | D | L | W % |
Tommy Lawton | | 19 August 1953 | 16 September 1953 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 011.11 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 011.11 |
Fred Monk (caretaker) | | 19 September 1953 | 26 September 1953 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 000.00 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 000.00 |
Bill Dodgin Sr. | | 3 October 1953 | 24 April 1954 | 34 | 9 | 10 | 15 | 026.47 | 31 | 9 | 8 | 14 | 029.03 |
Summary
Games played | 45 (42 Second Division, 3 FA Cup) |
Games won | 10 (10 Second Division, 0 FA Cup) |
Games drawn | 13 (11 Second Division, 2 FA Cup) |
Games lost | 22 (21 Second Division, 1 FA Cup) |
Goals scored | 44 (40 Second Division, 4 FA Cup) |
Goals conceded | 85 (78 Second Division, 7 FA Cup) |
Clean sheets | 9 (8 Second Division, 1 FA Cup) |
Biggest league win | 2–0 versus Birmingham City, 13 March 1954; 3–1 on three occasions |
Worst league defeat | 6–0 versus Leicester City, 5 December 1953 |
Most appearances | 44, Wally Bragg (41 Second Division, 3 FA Cup) |
Top scorer (league) | 10, Frank Dudley |
Top scorer (all competitions) | 11, Frank Dudley |
Transfers & loans
Notes
References
- ^ a b c d e White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 382. ISBN 0951526200.
- ^ a b "Brentford results for the 1953–1954 season". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 22 November 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
- ^ a b "Brentford League Table 1953-1954". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 22 November 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
- ^ Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopedia. Yore Publications. pp. 78–79. ISBN 1 874427 57 7.
- ^ Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Yore Publications. ISBN 978-0955294914.
- ^ a b "Frank Broome". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
- ^ "Ken Moffitt". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
- ^ "Johnny Rainford". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
- ^ "Frank Dudley". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
- ^ "Dave Jones". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
- ^ "Tecwyn Jones". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
- ^ "Les Smith". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
- ^ "Tommy Lawton". Arsenal.com. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
- ^ "Jimmy D'Arcy". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
- ^ "Verdi Godwin". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
- ^ "Fred Monk". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 20 November 2016.