1953–54 Brentford F.C. season explained

Club:Brentford
Season:1953–54
Manager:
(until September 1953)
Fred Monk
( – 1 September October 1953
Bill Dodgin Sr.
(from 1 October 1953)
Chairman:Frank Davis
Stadium:Griffin Park
League:Second Division
League Result:21st (relegated)
Cup1:FA Cup
Cup1 Result:Third round
League Topscorer:Dudley (10)
Season Topscorer:Dudley (11)
Highest Attendance:22,845
Lowest Attendance:10,652
Average Attendance:15,626
Pattern La1:_red_stripes
Pattern B1:_redstripes2
Pattern Ra1:_red_stripes
Pattern Sh1:_whitesides
Pattern So1:_redtop_2whitestripes
Shorts1:000000
Socks1:000000
Prevseason:1952–53
Nextseason:1954–55

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. 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.[1] 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. 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.[2]

The solitary away league win during the season tied the club record for fewest away league wins in a season.[3] In addition, Brentford were the joint-lowest scorers in the Second Division during the season. Long-serving trainer Jack Cartmell retired at the end of the season, after over 30 years on the staff at Griffin Park.

Results

Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend

WinDrawLoss

Football League Second Division

No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)
119 August 1953Stoke CityA1–122,413Broome
222 August 1953Derby CountyA1–418,927Lawton
327 August 1953Blackburn RoversH1–416,682Ledgerton
429 August 1953FulhamH2–121,689Monk (pen), Goodwin
531 August 1953Blackburn RoversA2–211,793Dare (2)
65 September 1953Bristol RoversH0–321,158
710 September 1953Doncaster RoversH1–414,047Lawton
812 September 1953Lincoln CityA1–216,592Harper
916 September 1953Doncaster RoversA0–319,463
1019 September 1953Notts CountyH0–012,770
1126 September 1953Hull CityA0–219,501
123 October 1953EvertonH1–017,367Dare
1310 October 1953West Ham UnitedA1–024,934Bloomfield
1417 October 1953Leeds UnitedH2–118,329Dare, Bloomfield
1524 October 1953Birmingham CityA1–523,582Dare
1631 October 1953Nottingham ForestH1–115,384Rainford
177 November 1953Luton TownA1–115,167Robertson
1814 November 1953Plymouth ArgyleH1–017,327Dare
1921 November 1953Swansea TownA0–116,627
2028 November 1953Rotherham UnitedH0–116,740
215 December 1953Leicester CityA0–624,036
2212 December 1953Stoke CityH0–011,848
2319 December 1953Derby CountyH0–010,652
2425 December 1953Oldham AthleticH3–115,309Rainford, Dudley, Bloomfield
2526 December 1953Oldham AthleticA0–214,414
262 January 1954FulhamA1–424,372Dudley
2716 January 1954Bristol RoversA0–020,541
2823 January 1954Lincoln CityH0–111,431
2930 January 1954BuryA1–19,035Robertson
306 February 1954Notts CountyA0–210,507
3113 February 1954Hull CityH2–211,522Gazzard (2)
3224 February 1954EvertonA1–623,145Gazzard
3327 February 1954West Ham UnitedH3–116,458Gazzard, Dudley, Dare
346 March 1954Leeds UnitedA0–416,501
3513 March 1954Birmingham CityH2–012,584Dudley (2)
3620 March 1954Nottingham ForestA1–215,700Dudley
3727 March 1954Swansea TownH3–114,023Gazzard, Robertson, Dudley
383 April 1954Rotherham UnitedA1–19,198Bragg
3910 April 1954Luton TownH0–114,204
4016 April 1954BuryH2–115,768Gazzard (pen), Dudley
4117 April 1954Plymouth ArgyleA2–323,405Dudley, Robertson
4224 April 1954Leicester CityH1–322,845Dudley

FA Cup

See main article: 1953–54 FA Cup.

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)Notes
3R9 January 1954Hull CityH0–016,000
3R (replay)14 January 1954Hull CityA2–216,000Dudley, Rainford
3R (2nd replay)18 January 1954Hull CityN2–510,150Bly (og), Sperrin[4]

Playing squad

Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1953–54 season.

Pos.NameNat.Date of birth (age)Signed fromSigned inNotes
Goalkeepers
GKAlf JefferiesAugust 19, 1953Oxford City1945
GKReg NewtonAugust 19, 1953Leyton Orient1949
Defenders
DFAlan BasshamAugust 19, 1953Youth1953
DFKen HorneAugust 19, 1953Blackpool1950
DFFrank LatimerAugust 19, 1953Snowdown Colliery Welfare1945
DFGeorge LowdenAugust 19, 1953Unattached1951
DFFred Monk (c)August 19, 1953Guildford City1948Caretaker manager
Midfielders
HBWally BraggAugust 19, 1953Twickenham Celtic1946
HBGeorge BristowAugust 19, 1953Youth1950
HBKen CooteAugust 19, 1953Wembley1949
HBIan DargieAugust 19, 1953Tonbridge1952
HBTony HarperAugust 19, 1953Headington United1948
Forwards
FWVernon AvisAugust 19, 1953Youth1952
FWJimmy BloomfieldAugust 19, 1953Hayes1952
FWBilly DareAugust 19, 1953Hendon1948
FWFrank DudleyAugust 19, 1953Cardiff City1953
FWGerry GazzardAugust 19, 1953West Ham United1954On loan from West Ham United
FWJackie GoodwinAugust 19, 1953Birmingham City1949
FWTerry LedgertonAugust 19, 1953Huyton1950
FWJohnny RainfordAugust 19, 1953Cardiff City1953
FWJames RobertsonAugust 19, 1953Arsenal1953
FWBilly SperrinAugust 19, 1953Guildford City1949
Players who left the club mid-season
FWFrank BroomeAugust 19, 1953Notts County1953Transferred to Crewe Alexandra
FWTommy Lawton (c)August 19, 1953Notts County1952Manager, transferred to Arsenal
FWIan McPhersonAugust 19, 1953Notts County1953Transferred to Bedford Town

Coaching staff

Tommy Lawton (19 August – September 1953)

NameRole
Tommy LawtonPlayer-Manager
Jimmy BainAssistant Manager
David RichardsTrainer
Jack CartmellAssistant Trainer

Fred Monk (September – 1 October 1953)

NameRole
Fred MonkPlayer-Manager
Jimmy BainAssistant Manager
David RichardsTrainer
Jack CartmellAssistant Trainer

Bill Dodgin Sr. (1 October 1953 – 24 April 1954)

NameRole
Bill Dodgin Sr.Manager
Jimmy BainAssistant Manager
David RichardsTrainer
Jack CartmellAssistant Trainer

Statistics

Appearances and goals

PosNatNameLeagueFA CupTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GKAlf Jefferies300030
GKReg Newton39030420
DFAlan Bassham200020
DFKen Horne10000100
DFFrank Latimer36030390
DFGeorge Lowden100010
DFFred Monk23120251
HBWally Bragg41130441
HBGeorge Bristow24030270
HBKen Coote40030430
HBIan Dargie14010150
HBTony Harper26100261
FWVernon Avis100010
FWJimmy Bloomfield27320293
FWFrank Broome61—61
FWBilly Dare38720407
FWFrank Dudley2010312311
FWJackie Goodwin19110201
FWTommy Lawton62—62
FWTerry Ledgerton7130101
FWIan McPherson40—40
FWJohnny Rainford29231323
FWJames Robertson31400314
FWBilly Sperrin201131
Players loaned in during the season
FWGerry Gazzard136—136

Goalscorers

Pos.NatPlayerFL2FACTotal
FWFrank Dudley10111
FWBilly Dare707
FWGerry Gazzard6—6
FWJames Robertson404
FWJimmy Bloomfield303
FWJohnny Rainford213
FWTommy Lawton2—2
FWFrank Broome1—1
HBWally Bragg101
FWJackie Goodwin101
HBTony Harper101
FWTerry Ledgerton101
DFFred Monk101
FWBilly Sperrin011
Opponents011
Total40444

Management

NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord League
PWDLW %PWDLW %
Tommy Lawton19 August 195316 September 1953
Fred Monk (caretaker)19 September 195326 September 1953
Bill Dodgin Sr.3 October 195324 April 1954

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

Players transferred in
DatePos.NamePrevious ClubFeeRef.
July 1953FW Frank Broome Notts Countyn/a
July 1953FW Ian McPherson Notts Countyn/a
August 1953DF Ken Moffitt Berwick Rangersn/a
September 1953FW James Robertson ArsenalPart-exchange
October 1953FW Johnny Rainford Cardiff Cityn/a
December 1953FW Frank Dudley Cardiff Cityn/a
Players loaned in
Date fromPos.NameFromDate toRef.
January 1954FW Gerry Gazzard West Ham UnitedEnd of season
Players transferred out
DatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.
June 1953FW Micky Bull Swindon Townn/a
July 1953GK Dave Jones Readingn/a
July 1953DF Tecwyn Jones Wrexhamn/a
August 1953FW Les Smith Kidderminster Harriersn/a
September 1953FW Tommy Lawton Arsenal£10,000[7]
October 1953FW Frank Broome Crewe Alexandran/a
1953FW Ian McPherson Bedford Townn/a
Players released
DatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.
January 1954FW Jimmy D'ArcyRetired
April 1954FW Verdi Godwin SouthportJuly 1954
April 1954FW Jackie Goodwin Dartfordn/a
April 1954DF Fred Monk AldershotJuly 1954

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Brentford results for the 1953–1954 season . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161122153524/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/brentford/1953-1954/results . 22 November 2016 . 21 November 2016 . Statto.com.
  2. Web site: Brentford League Table 1953-1954 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161122153834/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/brentford/1953-1954/table . 22 November 2016 . 21 November 2016 . Statto.com.
  3. Book: Haynes, Graham . A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopedia . 1998 . Yore Publications . 1 874427 57 7 . 78–79.
  4. Match played at Belle Vue, Doncaster.
  5. Book: 100 Years Of Brentford . Brentford FC . 1989 . 0951526200 . White . Eric . 382.
  6. Book: Haynes, Graham . Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006 . Coumbe . Frank . Yore Publications . 2006 . 978-0955294914.
  7. Web site: Tommy Lawton . 20 November 2016 . Arsenal.com.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "1953–54 Brentford F.C. season".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.