1899–1900 Brentford F.C. season

During the 1899–1900 English football season, Brentford competed in the Southern League Second Division. A Middlesex FA investigation into the club's financial affairs necessitated a change to professional status mid-season, but a forgettable campaign ended with the Bees finishing third-from-bottom.

Brentford
1899–1900 season
ChairmanWilliam Lewis
StadiumCross Roads
Southern League Second Division9th
FA CupThird qualifying round
Top goalscorerLeague: E. Andrews (7)
All: E. Andrews,
Dailley (7)

Season summary

Forward Ralph McElhaney was a late-season signing from East Stirlingshire.

After a difficult first season in the Southern League Second Division, Brentford's AGM in May 1899 revealed that the club had lost £100 on the previous season, taking the overall debt to £180 (equivalent to £20,400 in 2020).[1] After a series of meetings, a new committee was elected in July after it was decided that the club would continue to operate on an amateur basis.[1] On the playing side, only six members of the team that finished the previous season remained at the club – goalkeeper Ben Brown, full back George Turner, half backs 'Nick' Mattocks, Billy Smith and forwards Richard Dailley, Thomas Knapman and Charlie Evans.[1] Incoming transfers included full back Bert Lane, half back G. Pearce and forwards E. Andrews and John Bayne.[1]

Brentford won and drew each of the opening two Second Division fixtures, with new forward John Bayne scoring in each, before he and George Turner, both soldiers, departed for service in the Second Boer War with their regiments.[1] Things went from bad to worse in October when the Middlesex FA opened an enquiry into Brentford's "shamateurism", the results of which saw the club fined £10 and suspended from football for a month beginning 20 November.[1] Additionally, a number of members of the club's committee were suspended sine die or until 30 April 1900.[1] A new committee took charge of the club and elected to turn professional.[1]

Following the resumption of competitive play on 23 December, Brentford showed appalling form, failing to win until late March 1900.[1] A 13-match winless streak, which stretched back to 23 September, culminated in a 7–0 thrashing at the hands of Grays United on 24 March.[2] Additionally, a meeting had been called in January to discuss if the club could even continue, but donations of £60 (equivalent to £6,800 in 2020) helped to ensure that the Bees would survive for the immediate future.[1] Late in the season, professional half backs Frederick Broughton and Ralph McElhaney joined the club and immediately fortunes turned around on the pitch, with Brentford winning four and drawing one of the final six matches of the season to finish in 9th position, two places off the bottom.[1]

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Watford 20 14 2 4 57 25 2.280 30 Promotion test matches
2 Fulham 20 10 4 6 44 23 1.913 24
3 Chesham Town 20 11 2 7 43 37 1.162 24
4 Wolverton L&NWR 20 9 6 5 46 36 1.278 24 Left league at end of season
5 Grays United 20 8 6 6 63 29 2.172 22
6 Shepherds Bush 20 9 4 7 45 37 1.216 22
7 Dartford 20 8 3 9 36 44 0.818 19 Left league at end of season
8 Wycombe Wanderers 20 8 3 9 35 50 0.700 19
9 Brentford 20 5 7 8 31 48 0.646 17
10 Southall 20 6 3 11 21 44 0.477 15
11 Maidenhead 20 1 2 17 16 64 0.250 4
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

Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Southern League Second Division

No. DateOpponentVenueResultScorer(s)
1 9 September 1899Wycombe WanderersH1–0Bayne
2 23 September 1899Shepherds BushA2–2Bayne, Knapman
3 7 October 1899WatfordA0–4
4 4 November 1899Fulham H3–3Knapman, E. Andrews, Dailley (pen)
5 11 November 1899Maidenhead A0–2
6 23 December 1899Chesham A1–4Harding (og)
7 30 December 1899 Fulham A 0–5
8 27 January 1900Watford H2–2E. Andrews, Dailley
9 8 February 1900Grays UnitedH0–5
10 17 February 1900Wolverton London & North Western Railway A1–5Dailley
11 24 February 1900Shepherds BushH1–1Edwards
12 3 March 1900SouthallA0–0
13 17 March 1900 Chesham H 1–1 Dailley
14 24 March 1900Grays United A0–7
15 31 March 1900Dartford H4–0Dailley (2), Asbury, E. Andrews
16 16 April 1900 Dartford A 1–2 Mattocks
17 21 April 1900Maidenhead H3–2Asbury, E. Andrews (2)
18 26 April 1900 Wolverton London & North Western Railway H 3–1 Allwright, Watt (2)
19 28 April 1900 Southall H 6–0 Knapman (3), E. Andrews (2), Evans
20 30 April 1900 Wycombe Wanderers A 2–2 Broughton, Evans

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResult Scorer
3QR28 October 1899 Richmond Association H1–2 Dailley
  • Source: 100 Years of Brentford[2]

Playing squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
GK  ENG S. Andrews
GK  ENG Ben Brown
GK  ENG Louis Hare
GK  ENG S. Marshall
DF  ENG R. Davis
DF  ENG E. Dicks
DF  ENG Herbert Edney
DF  ENG Bert Lane
DF  ENG J. Pilgrim
MF  ENG R. Allen
MF  ENG Frederick Broughton
MF  ENG F. Dean
MF  ENG P. Duncan
MF  ENG Billy Green
MF   Hay
MF  ENG H. Hood
MF  WAL T. Jones
MF  ENG J. Lucas
MF  ENG Alfred Mattocks
MF  ENG W. Mayhew
No. Pos. Nation Player
MF  SCO Ralph McElhaney
MF  ENG G. Pearce
MF  ENG Billy Smith
FW  ENG Bert Allen
FW  ENG William Allwright
FW  ENG E. Andrews
FW  ENG Benjamin Asbury
FW   "Bailey"
FW  SCO F. Carte
FW  ENG Richard Dailley (c)
FW  ENG B. Edwards
FW   Charlie Evans
FW   Granger
FW  ENG Thomas Knapman
FW  ENG J. Read
FW  ENG John Richardson
FW  ENG Harry Thurston
FW  ENG Alfred Townsend
FW  ENG S. Vincent
FW  ENG A. Watt

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
DF  SCO George Turner
No. Pos. Nation Player
FW  SCO John Bayne
  • "Bailey" is an alias
  • Source: 100 Years of Brentford[2]

Statistics

Appearances

Brown
Lane
Dicks
Broughton
Pearce
Smith
Asbury
Watt
Edwards
Dailley (c)
E. Andrews
Brentford's highest appearance-makers in each position during the Southern League season.

Goalscorers

Pos. Nat Player SL2 FAC Total
FW E. Andrews 7 0 7
FW Richard Dailley617
FW Thomas Knapman 5 0 5
FW John Bayne 2 2
FW Benjamin Asbury 2 0 2
FW n/a Charlie Evans 2 0 2
FW A. Watt 2 0 2
FW William Allwright 1 0 1
HB Frederick Broughton 1 0 1
FW B. Edwards 1 0 1
HB Alfred Mattocks 1 0 1
Opponents 1 0 1
Total31132
  • Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
  • Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[2]

Management

Name From To Record All Comps Record League
PWDLW %PWDLW %
Committee 9 September 1899 30 April 1900 21 5 7 9 023.81 20 5 7 8 025.00

Summary

Games played28 (20 Southern League Second Division, 1 FA Cup)
Games won5 (5 Southern League Second Division, 0 FA Cup)
Games drawn7 (7 Southern League Second Division, 0 FA Cup)
Games lost9 (8 Southern League Second Division, 1 FA Cup)
Goals scored32 (31 Southern League Second Division, 1 FA Cup)
Goals conceded50 (48 Southern League Second Division, 2 FA Cup)
Clean sheets4 (4 Southern League Second Division, 0 FA Cup)
Biggest league win6–0 versus Southall, 28 April 1900
Worst league defeat7–0 versus Grays United, 24 March 1900
Most appearances17, E. Andrews, Richard Dailley (17 Southern League Second Division, 1 FA Cup)
Top scorer (league)7, E. Andrews
Top scorer (all competitions)7, E. Andrews, Richard Dailley
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References

  1. White, p. 71-74.
  2. White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 355. ISBN 0951526200.
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