During the 1913–14 English football season, Brentford competed in the Southern League Second Division. Despite winning 13 of 15 matches in the first half of the season, a loss of form in a five-week spell from February through to April 1914 ended the club's chances of an immediate return to First Division.
Season summary
Brentford player-manager Dusty Rhodes faced a tough task ahead in the Bees' first season back in the Southern League Second Division since 1900–01, with the club's debt having risen to £5,000 (equivalent to £621,500 in 2024) and the prospect of high expenses and reduced gate receipts from away matches due to 11 of the league's 16 clubs being located in Wales.[1] As a result, the Southern League Management Committee paid a £100 subsidy to each of the five English clubs in the league.[1] Of the previous season's professional players, only goalkeeper Ted Price, full backs Tommy Fells and Walter Spratt, centre halfFrank Bentley and outside leftPatsy Hendren were retained.[1] Bill Smith, Frederick Chapple and Bob McTavish were sold for small fees, while left half Phil Richards elected to retire.[1] In came half backs Tom McGovern, Bobby Jackson and forwards Charlie Elliott, Henry Simons, Joe Johnson and Tommy Clark.[1]England international amateur right half Alec Barclay remained with the club and amateur forwards Henry White and Jack Chapman were added to the ranks.[1]
As the season got underway, Brentford feasted on poor Welsh opposition, winning 13 of the first 15 matches of the season, scoring 49 goals and conceding just three.[2]Treharris and Ton Pentre were each beaten 7–0 at Griffin Park and the Bees also posted 5–0, 4–0 and 3–0 scorelines, each on two occasions.[2] The rot slowly set in after a 1–0 home defeat to 2nd-place Croydon Common on Christmas Day 1913 and injuries and the absence of some of the club's amateurs lead to defeats to fellow challengers Luton Town in February 1914,[1]Stoke later that month and a galling 1–0 reverse to Ton Pentre on 21 March.[2] Defeat to Newport County at home on 4 April ended Brentford's mathematical chances of a runners-up finish and later that month, with the club unable to pay its players in full, leading scorer Henry Simons and future England international Jack Cock were sold to raise funds.[1] Brentford finished the campaign in 4th-place and lost £127 for the season (equivalent to £15,400 in 2024).[2]
Source: rsssf.com Rules for classification: The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used until the 1976-77 season. The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzaaabacadaeafWhite 1989, p. 101-103.
^ abcdefghWhite, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 362. ISBN 0951526200.
^Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. ISBN 190589161X.
^"England Matches – The Amateurs 1906–1939". www.englandfootballonline.com. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
^ abcd"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.
^"James Ramsay" (PDF). Croydon Common Football Club. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
^ ab"Southern Snapshots". The Athletic News. 15 September 1913.
^"James Holland". Hatters Heritage. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
^ abHaynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Yore Publications. p. 137. ISBN 978-0955294914.
^Litster, John. Record of Pre-War Scottish League Players. Norwich: PM Publications.
^ abc"The Football Association – Season 1914–15 – Summary Of Professional Registrations". Sky is Blue – The Chesterfield FC history resource. Archived from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2021.