1958–59 season of Brentford F.C.
Brentford 1958–59 football season
Brentford1958–59 season |
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Chairman | Frank Davis |
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Manager | Malky MacDonald |
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Stadium | Griffin Park |
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Third Division | 3rd |
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FA Cup | Fourth round |
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Top goalscorer | League: Towers (32) All: Towers (37) |
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Highest home attendance | 28,725 |
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Lowest home attendance | 9,432 |
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Average home league attendance | 13,924 |
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During the 1958–59 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division. Despite 32 goals from Jim Towers and 22 from George Francis, a number of defeats to low-placed clubs early in the season prevented the Bees from finishing higher than 3rd, one place away from promotion.
Season summary
After narrowly missing out on promotion in 1957–58, Brentford entered the 1958–59 Third Division season full of confidence. Despite making a profit of £6,789 on the previous season (equivalent to £200,300 in 2024), manager Malky MacDonald decided not to add to his squad and instead planned for the future by bringing in a number of Scottish youngsters.[2] Brentford began the season with a resounding 4–0 victory over Bradford City, hitting top spot, but dropped back after three consecutive defeats.[3] By the time the Bees drew 1–1 with Chesterfield on 4 October 1958, the team's inconsistency could be clearly pointed to a lack of support for forwards Jim Towers and George Francis, who had scored 13 of the team's 17 goals by that point of the season. In response, manager MacDonald paid £6,000 for Luton Town's outside left George McLeod. After defeats to Stockport County and Reading in late October, the team recovered and began to perform on a consistent basis.[3]
Brentford had a morale-boosting run to the fourth round of the FA Cup, eliminating Exeter City, King's Lynn and Barnsley on the way to a 2–0 defeat to First Division club West Bromwich Albion in front of 41,440 at The Hawthorns.[3] A 6–0 win over Southampton at The Dell on 9 March 1959 (which set a new club record for biggest away Football League win) established the Bees as promotion contenders. Three victories and two draws from the following five matches (which included a win and a draw versus leaders Plymouth Argyle) saw Brentford increase their grip on 3rd place in the table,[3] though at a cost to season-ending injuries to Ian Dargie and Len Newcombe. Defeats in crucial matches versus fellow promotion challengers Norwich City and Hull City in early April effectively ended the Bees' promotion charge and all hope of promotion mathematically ended with two matches left to play.[3][5] Brentford finished the season in 3rd place.[3]
Jim Towers' 37 goals scored in all competitions during the season was just two goals shy of Jack Holliday's club record of 39, set in the Third Division South in 1932–33. Towers' strike partner George Francis also finished amongst the top scorers in the Third Division, with 22 goals and 24 in all competitions.[6] Brentford finished the 1958–59 season with the best defensive record in the Third Division, conceding only 49 goals and also conceding the fewest away goals (27).[5] A new club record for most league away draws (10) was set during the season and the club record for fewest goalscorers in a season was equalled.[7] The 20 players used in all competitions was the lowest since the end of the Second World War and three players finishing the season as ever-presents in all 50 matches was another post-war record.[9]
League table
Source: [citation needed]
Results
- Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend
No. | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) |
1 | 25 August 1958 | Bradford City | H | 4–0 | 15,749 | Towers (2), Francis (2) |
2 | 28 August 1958 | Doncaster Rovers | A | 0–1 | 10,654 | |
3 | 30 August 1958 | Wrexham | A | 1–2 | 16,905 | Towers |
4 | 2 September 1958 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 0–1 | 14,845 | |
5 | 6 September 1958 | Southampton | H | 2–0 | 12,997 | Francis, Towers |
6 | 9 September 1958 | Mansfield Town | H | 2–0 | 13,625 | Towers (2) |
7 | 12 September 1958 | Accrington Stanley | A | 1–1 | 9,918 | Rainford |
8 | 15 September 1958 | Mansfield Town | A | 1–1 | 9,159 | Towers |
9 | 20 September 1958 | Halifax Town | H | 2–0 | 12,643 | Francis, Heath |
10 | 22 September 1958 | Hull City | A | 1–3 | 14,172 | Heath |
11 | 27 September 1958 | Newport County | A | 1–0 | 8,220 | Francis |
12 | 30 September 1958 | Hull City | H | 1–1 | 12,441 | Towers |
13 | 4 October 1958 | Chesterfield | H | 1–1 | 12,473 | Heath |
14 | 9 October 1958 | Notts County | A | 0–0 | 4,381 | |
15 | 11 October 1958 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 2–1 | 12,325 | Towers, Rainford |
16 | 18 October 1958 | Stockport County | H | 1–4 | 12,488 | Towers |
17 | 25 October 1958 | Reading | A | 1–3 | 16,186 | Towers |
18 | 1 November 1958 | Colchester United | H | 2–1 | 11,945 | Towers, Heath |
19 | 8 November 1958 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | A | 0–0 | 11,564 | |
20 | 22 November 1958 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 2–1 | 13,784 | Drinkwater (og), Towers |
21 | 29 November 1958 | Bury | H | 0–0 | 11,741 | |
22 | 13 December 1958 | Rochdale | H | 2–1 | 9,432 | Towers, Dargie |
23 | 20 December 1958 | Bradford City | A | 0–3 | 11,473 | |
24 | 25 December 1958 | Swindon Town | H | 2–2 | 12,504 | McLeod, Francis |
25 | 26 December 1958 | Swindon Town | A | 1–1 | 12,690 | Francis |
26 | 3 January 1959 | Wrexham | H | 2–1 | 11,723 | Francis (2) |
27 | 31 January 1959 | Accrington Stanley | H | 2–1 | 11,260 | Francis, Towers |
28 | 7 February 1959 | Halifax Town | A | 0–0 | 4,654 | |
29 | 14 February 1959 | Newport County | H | 3–0 | 10,392 | McLeod, Bristow, Towers |
30 | 21 February 1959 | Chesterfield | A | 2–1 | 9,649 | Francis, Towers (pen) |
31 | 28 February 1959 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 5–2 | 13,138 | Towers (2), Francis, Rainford (2) |
32 | 7 March 1959 | Stockport County | A | 1–1 | 7,973 | Towers (pen) |
33 | 9 March 1959 | Southampton | A | 6–0 | 7,756 | McLeod, Towers (4), Francis |
34 | 14 March 1959 | Reading | H | 3–1 | 18,209 | Francis (2), Rainford |
35 | 21 March 1959 | Colchester United | A | 4–0 | 8,775 | Francis (2), McLeod, Towers |
36 | 27 March 1959 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 3–0 | 28,725 | Towers, Rainford, Francis |
37 | 28 March 1959 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | H | 1–1 | 15,970 | McLeod |
38 | 30 March 1959 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 1–1 | 27,073 | Parsons |
39 | 4 April 1959 | Norwich City | A | 1–4 | 27,870 | Francis |
40 | 8 April 1959 | Southend United | A | 0–2 | 9,022 | |
41 | 11 April 1959 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 1–0 | 15,905 | Rainford |
42 | 18 April 1959 | Bury | A | 1–1 | 7,092 | Towers |
43 | 21 April 1959 | Notts County | H | 4–0 | 11,738 | Francis, Towers (3, 2 pens) |
44 | 25 April 1959 | Southend United | H | 6–1 | 11,264 | Rainford, Francis (2), Towers (2), Williamson (og) |
45 | 27 April 1959 | Rochdale | A | 0–0 | 2,191 | |
46 | 30 April 1959 | Norwich City | H | 0–4 | 19,035 | |
FA Cup
- Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford,[6] Statto, 11v11
Playing squad
- Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1958–59 season.
- Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford,[6] Timeless Bees[10]
Coaching staff
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[6]
Goalscorers
- Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
- Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[6]
Management
Name | Nat | From | To | Record All Comps | Record League |
P | W | D | L | W % | P | W | D | L | W % |
Malky MacDonald | | 25 August 1958 | 30 April 1959 | 50 | 24 | 15 | 11 | 048.00 | 46 | 21 | 15 | 10 | 045.65 |
Summary
Games played | 50 (46 Third Division, 4 FA Cup) |
Games won | 24 (21 Third Division, 3 FA Cup) |
Games drawn | 15 (15 Third Division, 0 FA Cup) |
Games lost | 11 (10 Third Division, 1 FA Cup) |
Goals scored | 84 (76 Third Division, 8 FA Cup) |
Goals conceded | 54 (49 Third Division, 5 FA Cup) |
Clean sheets | 17 (16 Third Division, 1 FA Cup) |
Biggest league win | 6–0 versus Southampton, 9 March 1959 |
Worst league defeat | 4–0 versus Norwich City, 30 April 1959 |
Most appearances | 50, Johnny Rainford, Tom Wilson (46 Third Division, 4 FA Cup) |
Top scorer (league) | 32, Jim Towers |
Top scorer (all competitions) | 37, Jim Towers |
Transfers & loans
Notes
- ^ Both teams wore change colours.
References
- ^ a b c "1958". Scottish Football Historical Archive. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f "Brentford results for the 1958–1959 season". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
- ^ a b "Brentford Table on Saturday 25th April 1959". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 28 November 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
- ^ a b c d e White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 385. ISBN 0951526200.
- ^ Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopedia. Harefield, Middlesex: Yore Publications. pp. 78–79. ISBN 1 874427 57 7.
- ^ a b "No promotion for Brentford but many records. Only 20 players in the league side". The Brentford & Chiswick Times. 8 May 1959.
- ^ Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Yore Publications. ISBN 978-0955294914.
- ^ "Scottish League appearance records – L". Scottish Football Historical Archive. p. 366. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
- ^ "Johnny Hales". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
- ^ "1959". Scottish Football Historical Archive. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
- ^ "Billy Horn". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 25 November 2016.