1912–13 Brentford F.C. season

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Brentford
1912–13 season
ChairmanH. Jason-Saunders
ManagerFred Halliday
(until 13 November 1912)
Dusty Rhodes
(from 13 November 1912)
StadiumGriffin Park
Southern League First Division19th
FA CupFourth qualifying round
Top goalscorerLeague: Smith (12)
All: Smith (12)
Highest home attendance10,000
Lowest home attendance2,000

During the 1912–13 English football season, Brentford competed in the Southern League First Division. Two long losing runs led to the Bees' relegation to the Second Division on the final day of the season.

Season summary[edit]

Archie Ling was the first Brentford goalkeeper to make 100 league appearances and retired at the end of the season.

After three consecutive mid-table seasons, Southern League First Division club Brentford's directors gambled on generating extra income by also entering the Southern Alliance.[1] Consequently, a larger squad was assembled, with many of the previous season's professionals retained.[1] Willis Rippon was the only significant departure – sold for £250 to Hamilton Academical.[1] Secretary-manager Fred Halliday brought in goalkeeper Ted Price, full back Tommy Fells, centre half Frank Bentley and forwards Frederick Chapple and James Morrison.[1]

Brentford had a torrid beginning to the season, losing 12 of the first 15 matches.[2] Of the starting forward line of Billy Brawn, Jack Sibbald, Frederick Chapple, Bob McTavish and Patsy Hendren, Chapple and Hendren were the only players to score during the period,[2] which lead manager Halliday to sign Chelsea's Hugh Dolby and Bill Smith from non-league football.[1] Dolby failed to score in four matches and was dropped, while Smith helped contribute to a revival in mid-November, after full back Dusty Rhodes replaced Fred Halliday as manager on 13 November 1912.[2] Between 9 November and 5 March 1913, Brentford lost just three matches, but another loss of form and injuries to the forward line led to seven consecutive defeats in March.[2] A crucial 4–1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion on 5 April boosted the Bees' survival chances, but a defeat and a win in the following two matches respectively put Brentford one place above the relegation zone going into the final day, level on points with Norwich City, but ahead by virtue of a 0.774 goal average.[1]

Brentford would play away to Merthyr Town and Norwich City away to Reading on Saturday 26 April, but torrential rain and gale force winds forced the Bees' match to be postponed twice, to the following Tuesday.[1] Norwich City won their match 5–2, but the scoreline would not guarantee the Canaries' safety on goal average if Brentford won their match by any score.[1] On Tuesday 29 April, Brentford conceded the opening goal to Merthyr Town, before Bill Smith equalised two minutes after half time.[1] In the final 10 minutes, Brentford pushed forward and were hit on the break with just two minutes remaining, losing the match 2–1 and with it the club's First Division status.[1]

League table[edit]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Relegation
16 Bristol Rovers 38 12 9 17 55 64 0.859 33
17 Southampton 38 10 11 17 40 72 0.556 31
18 Norwich City 38 10 9 19 39 50 0.780 29
19 Brentford 38 11 5 22 42 55 0.764 27 Relegated to Division Two
20 Stoke 38 10 4 24 39 75 0.520 24
Source: rsssf.com
Rules for classification: The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976-77 season. The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.

Results[edit]

Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend[edit]

Win Draw Loss

Southern League First Division[edit]

No. Date Opponent Venue Result Scorer(s) Notes
1 4 September 1912 Crystal Palace A 1–3 Chapple
2 7 September 1912 Reading H 1–0 Chapple
3 14 September 1912 Norwich City A 0–2
4 18 September 1912 Crystal Palace H 2–1 Chapple (2)
5 21 September 1912 Gillingham H 0–1
6 28 September 1912 Northampton Town A 0–2
7 5 October 1912 Queens Park Rangers H 0–2
8 9 October 1912 Watford A 0–1
9 12 October 1912 Stoke A 0–1
10 19 October 1912 Millwall A 2–3 Hendren (2)
11 26 October 1912 Bristol Rovers H 0–1
12 2 November 1912 Swindon Town A 0–2
13 9 November 1912 Portsmouth H 1–0 Smith
14 16 November 1912 Exeter City A 0–1
15 23 November 1912 West Ham United H 5–1 Sibbald (2), Chapple (3)
16 7 December 1912 Coventry City H 2–0 Smith (2)
17 21 December 1912 Merthyr Town H 2–0 Smith, Spratt (pen)
18 25 December 1912 Plymouth Argyle H 2–2 Brawn, McTavish
19 28 December 1912 Reading A 1–4 Hendren
20 4 January 1913 Norwich City H 1–0 Hendren (pen)
21 18 January 1913 Gillingham A 4–0 Barclay, Smith (3)
22 25 January 1913 Northampton Town H 0–0
23 8 February 1913 Queens Park Rangers A 1–2 Hendren (pen)
24 15 February 1913 Stoke H 4–2 Chapple, Hendren (2, 1 pen), Smith
25 22 February 1913 Millwall H 0–0
26 1 March 1913 Bristol Rovers A 1–1 Sibbald
27 5 March 1913 Brighton & Hove Albion A 2–2 Chapple, Brawn
28 8 March 1913 Swindon Town H 0–3
29 12 March 1913 Plymouth Argyle A 0–3 [nb 1]
30 15 March 1913 Portsmouth A 0–1
31 21 March 1913 Southampton H 1–2 Brawn
32 22 March 1913 Exeter City H 0–1
33 24 March 1913 Southampton A 1–3 Brawn (pen)
34 29 March 1913 West Ham United A 1–2 Hendren
35 5 April 1913 Brighton & Hove Albion H 4–1 Smith (2), Chapple, Hendren
36 12 April 1913 Coventry City A 0–3
37 19 April 1913 Watford H 2–0 Chapple, Smith
38 29 April 1913 Merthyr Town A 1–2 Smith

FA Cup[edit]

Round Date Opponent Venue Result Scorer
QR4 30 November 1912 Watford H 0–0
QR4 (replay) 4 December 1912 Watford A 1–5 McTavish
  • Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[2]

Playing squad[edit]

Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1912–13 season.
Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in Notes
Goalkeepers
GK Archie Ling England (1881-03-14)14 March 1881 (aged 31) Swindon Town 1909
GK Ted Price England (1883-06-13)13 June 1883 (aged 29) Croydon Common 1912
Defenders
DF Tommy Fells England (1890-01-08)8 January 1890 (aged 22) South Kirkby 1913
DF William Hickleton England (1882-05-12)12 May 1882 (aged 30) Coventry City 1911 On loan from Coventry City
DF Dusty Rhodes (c) England (1882-08-16)16 August 1882 (aged 30) Sunderland 1908
DF Walter Spratt England (1889-04-14)14 April 1889 (aged 23) Rotherham Town 1911
Midfielders
HB Alec Barclay England (1885-11-01)1 November 1885 (aged 26) Ilford 1910 Amateur
HB Frank Bentley England (1886-10-09)9 October 1886 (aged 25) Tottenham Hotspur 1912
HB George Kennedy Scotland (1882-03-12)12 March 1882 (aged 30) Chelsea 1910
HB Phil Richards England (1884-02-19)19 February 1884 (aged 28) Bradford Park Avenue 1908
Forwards
FW Billy Brawn England (1878-08-01)1 August 1878 (aged 34) Chelsea 1911
FW Frederick Chapple England (1884-02-03)3 February 1884 (aged 28) Crewe Alexandra 1912
FW Hugh Dolby England (1888-03-06)6 March 1888 (aged 24) Chelsea 1912
FW Thomas Graham England (1887-07-20)20 July 1887 (aged 25) Castleford Town 1911
FW Patsy Hendren England (1889-02-05)5 February 1889 (aged 23) Coventry City 1911 Played when his cricket commitments allowed
FW Bob McTavish Scotland (1888-10-26)26 October 1888 (aged 23) Tottenham Hotspur 1912
FW John Morrison Scotland (1888-01-18)18 January 1888 (aged 24) West Ham United 1912
FW Jack Sibbald England (1890-09-12)12 September 1890 (aged 21) Wallsend Elm Villa 1910
FW Bill Smith England (1887-06-23)23 June 1887 (aged 25) Hickleton Main Colliery 1912
  • Source: 100 Years Of Brentford,[2] Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939[3]

Coaching staff[edit]

Fred Halliday (4 September–13 November 1912)[edit]

Name Role
England Fred Halliday Secretary Manager
England Tom Cowper Trainer

Dusty Rhodes (13 November 1912 – 29 April 1913)[edit]

Name Role
England Dusty Rhodes Manager
England Fred Halliday Secretary
England Tom Cowper Trainer

Statistics[edit]

Appearances and goals[edit]

Brentford's highest appearance-makers in each position during the Southern League season.
Pos Nat Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK England Ted Price 37 0 2 0 39 0
GK England Archie Ling 1 0 0 0 1 0
DF England Tommy Fells 8 0 0 0 8 0
DF England Dusty Rhodes 33 0 0 0 33 0
DF England Walter Spratt 30 1 2 0 32 1
HB England Alec Barclay 31 1 2 0 33 1
HB England Frank Bentley 31 0 2 0 33 0
HB Scotland George Kennedy 23 0 0 0 23 0
HB England Phil Richards 24 0 2 0 26 0
FW England Billy Brawn 35 4 2 0 37 4
FW England Frederick Chapple 28 11 2 0 30 11
FW England Hugh Dolby 4 0 0 0 4 0
FW England Thomas Graham 2 0 0 0 2 0
FW England Patsy Hendren 35 9 2 0 37 9
FW Scotland Bob McTavish 26 0 2 1 28 1
FW Scotland John Morrison 10 0 0 0 10 0
FW England Jack Sibbald 23 3 2 0 25 3
FW England Bill Smith 27 12 0 0 27 12
Players loaned in during the season
DF England William Hickleton 10 0 2 0 12 0
  • Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
  • Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[2]

Goalscorers[edit]

Pos. Nat Player SL1 FAC Total
FW England Bill Smith 12 0 12
FW England Frederick Chapple 11 0 11
FW England Patsy Hendren 9 0 9
FW England Billy Brawn 4 0 4
FW England Jack Sibbald 3 0 3
HB England Alec Barclay 1 0 1
DF England Walter Spratt 1 0 1
FW Scotland Bob McTavish 0 1 1
Total 42 1 43
  • Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
  • Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[2]

Amateur international caps[edit]

Pos. Nat Player Caps Goals Ref
HB England Alec Barclay 2 0 [4]

Management[edit]

Name Nat From To Record All Comps Record League
P W D L W % P W D L W %
Fred Halliday England 4 September 1912 13 November 1912 13 3 0 10 023.08 13 3 0 10 023.08
Dusty Rhodes England 13 November 1912 29 April 1913 27 7 6 14 025.93 25 7 5 13 028.00

Summary[edit]

Games played 40 (38 Southern League First Division, 2 FA Cup)
Games won 11 (11 Southern League First Division, 0 FA Cup)
Games drawn 6 (5 Southern League First Division, 1 FA Cup)
Games lost 23 (22 Southern League First Division, 1 FA Cup)
Goals scored 43 (42 Southern League First Division, 1 FA Cup)
Goals conceded 60 (55 Southern League First Division, 5 FA Cup)
Clean sheets 10 (9 Southern League First Division, 1 FA Cup)
Biggest league win 4–0 versus Gillingham, 18 January 1913; 5–1 versus West Ham United, 23 November 1912
Worst league defeat 3–0 on three occasions; 4–1 versus Reading, 28 December 1912
Most appearances 39, Ted Price (37 Southern League First Division, 2 FA Cup)
Top scorer (league) 12, Bill Smith
Top scorer (all competitions) 12, Bill Smith

Transfers & loans[edit]

Players transferred in
Date Pos. Name Previous club Fee Ref.
7 May 1912 DF England Tommy Fells England South Kirkby n/a [5]
2 July 1912 HB England Frank Bentley England Tottenham Hotspur n/a [6]
10 July 1912 GK England Ted Price England Croydon Common n/a [7]
7 August 1912 FW Scotland John Morrison England West Ham United n/a [8]
14 August 1912 FW England Frederick Chapple England Crewe Alexandra £150 [1]
August 1912 FW England Albert Markwick England Guildford Amateur [9]
2 October 1912 FW England Hugh Dolby England Chelsea n/a [1]
19 October 1912 FW England Bill Smith England Hickleton Main Colliery n/a [1]
Players loaned in
Date Pos. Name Subsequent club Date to Ref.
25 May 1912 DF England William Hickleton England Coventry City End of season [1]
Players transferred out
Date Pos. Name Subsequent club Fee Ref.
June 1912 FW England Willie Furr England Leicester Fosse n/a [10]
6 August 1912 FW Scotland Willis Rippon Scotland Hamilton Academical £250 [11]
August 1912 DF England Arthur Cleverley Wales Swansea Town n/a [12]
August 1912 HB Scotland Jock Hamilton Wales Swansea Town n/a [13]
Players released
Date Pos. Name Subsequent club Join date Ref.
April 1913 FW England Hugh Dolby England Clowne White Star 22 August 1913 [14]
April 1913 FW England Thomas Graham England Allerton Bywater Colliery n/a [14]
April 1913 HB Scotland George Kennedy Scotland Dumfries n/a [15]
April 1913 GK England Archie Ling Retired [1]
April 1913 FW England Jack Sibbald England Wallsend 18 June 1913 [14]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ The match was a replay of the original fixture on 26 December 1912, which was abandoned after 49 minutes due to a waterlogged pitch. Plymouth Argyle were leading 2–0 at the time.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o White 1989, p. 99-101.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 361. ISBN 0951526200.
  3. ^ Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. ISBN 190589161X.
  4. ^ "England Matches – The Amateurs 1906–1939". www.englandfootballonline.com. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  5. ^ "A New Full Back For Brentford". County of Middlesex Independent. 8 May 1912.
  6. ^ "Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United, 09 April 1912". 11v11.com. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  7. ^ "Biographies – Ted Price" (PDF). Croydon Common Football Club. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  8. ^ "Preparing For The Fray – The Football World Viewed From The Inside". County of Middlesex Independent. 3 August 1912.
  9. ^ "Field, Road And River – Pithy Pars Pertaining To Popular Pastimes". County of Middlesex Independent. 3 August 1912.
  10. ^ "Willie Furr | Leicester City career stats". FoxesTalk. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  11. ^ Litster, John. Record of Pre-War Scottish League Players. Norwich: PM Publications.
  12. ^ White 1989, p. 97-99.
  13. ^ "Players – Jock Hamilton 1908–09". The Mighty Might Whites – The Definitive History of Leeds United. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  14. ^ a b c "The Football Association – Season 1913–14 – Summary Of Professional Registrations". Sky is Blue – The Chesterfield FC history resource. Archived from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  15. ^ "George Kennedy – Chelsea, Brentford and Lincoln City". Football and the First World War. Retrieved 31 October 2016.