Brentford 1908–09 football season
During the 1908–09 English football season, Brentford competed in the Southern League First Division . A disastrous season ended with a bottom-place finish, but the club was spared relegation after the First Division was expanded in June 1909.
Season summary
Manager Fred Halliday brought right half Phil Richards to Griffin Park from his previous club Bradford Park Avenue .
After encountering severe financial problems during the 1907–08 season, the Brentford committee was forced to dispense with the majority of the first team squad in May 1908, due to many of the players being unwilling to accept lower wages for the 1908–09 season.[1] Top-scorer Adam Bowman had been sold in April and he was followed out of Griffin Park by Tosher Underwood , Jock Watson , Jock Hamilton , Tom McAllister , George Parsonage , Fred Corbett , Jimmy Tomlinson , Andy Clark , John Montgomery , Vince Hayes and Patsy Hendren , while Oakey Field (who had returned in November 1907), Charlie Williams and Jimmy Jay elected to retire.[1] Fred Halliday was appointed Brentford manager on 24 June and began assembling an almost entirely new squad, which eventually reduced the wage bill by 20%, to £2,565 across the entire season (approximately £280,000 in 2017).[1]
Brentford endured a forgettable Southern League First Division season, matching the 33 points won during the previous season, but instead finishing five places lower at the bottom of the table.[2] The return of Jimmy Jay in October helped solidify the back lines, which up to that point were leaking goals.[1] Forward Alex McCulloch , signed during the 1908 off-season, caught the eye of manager Halliday's former club Bradford Park Avenue and departed for a £350 fee in November, with Geordie Reid arriving at Griffin Park in part-exchange.[1] Reid would top-score for the Bees during the season with 18 goals.[1] There was some cheer late in the season, with the Bees winning the Southern Professional Charity Cup.[1]
Brentford's bottom-place finish was initially no cause for concern, with plans afoot for 16 Southern League clubs, plus another two from a list of six (which included Brentford), to form a Third Division of the Football League .[1] The chance fell through when the Football League First and Second Division clubs voted against the formation of a Third Division, but Brentford were saved from relegation when the Southern League opted to expand to 22 clubs in June 1909, with Croydon Common being promoted from the Second Division and thus preserving Brentford's First Division status.[1]
League table
1 The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976–77 season.
2 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
Southern League First Division
No.
Date
Opponent
Venue
Result
Scorer(s)
1
2 September 1908
Reading
A
2–2
Sugden (2)
2
5 September 1908
Southampton
H
2–2
McCulloch , Glen
3
12 September 1908
Leyton
A
0–2
4
19 September 1908
West Ham United
H
1–0
McCulloch
5
26 September 1908
Brighton & Hove Albion
A
0–4
6
28 September 1908
Queens Park Rangers
H
0–0
7
3 October 1908
Crystal Palace
H
1–3
Connelly
8
10 October 1908
Plymouth Argyle
A
0–2
9
17 October 1908
Luton Town
A
1–3
Ryalls
10
24 October 1908
Swindon Town
H
1–0
McCulloch
11
31 October 1908
Portsmouth
A
3–2
Glen , Connelly , Jay
12
7 November 1908
Queens Park Rangers
A
0–3
13
14 November 1908
Northampton Town
A
2–3
Reid , Glen
14
16 November 1908
Exeter City
H
0–2
15
21 November 1908
New Brompton
H
1–1
Connelly
16
23 November 1908
Southend United
H
4–1
Reid , Connelly (2), Sugden
17
28 November 1908
Millwall
A
1–2
Reid
18
12 December 1908
Coventry City
A
2–1
Buxton , Badger
19
19 December 1908
Bristol Rovers
H
2–2
Reid , Connelly
20
25 December 1908
Watford
H
3–1
Connelly , Sugden , Reid
21
26 December 1908
Norwich City
A
1–6
Buxton
22
28 December 1908
Reading
H
2–3
Buxton , Reid
23
2 January 1909
Southampton
A
0–1
24
9 January 1909
Leyton
H
0–0
25
23 January 1909
West Ham United
A
0–3
26
30 January 1909
Brighton & Hove Albion
H
4–0
Reid (4)
27
13 February 1909
Plymouth Argyle
H
1–0
Reid
28
20 February 1909
Luton Town
H
2–2
Reid , Sugden
29
27 February 1909
Swindon Town
A
1–2
McKenzie
30
13 March 1909
Exeter City
A
2–1
Reid , Sugden
31
20 March 1909
Northampton Town
H
3–1
Connelly (2), Ramsden (pen )
32
27 March 1909
New Brompton
A
1–1
Sugden
33
29 March 1909
Portsmouth
H
1–2
Reid
34
31 March 1909
Crystal Palace
A
1–3
Nicholson
35
3 April 1909
Millwall
H
4–2
McIver (2, 2 pen ), Nicholson, Connelly
36
9 April 1909
Norwich City
H
3–1
Sugden , Connelly , Buxton
37
10 April 1909
Southend United
A
0–1
38
12 April 1909
Watford
A
0–2
39
17 April 1909
Coventry City
H
5–2
Reid (2), Nicholson, Sugden , Connelly
40
24 April 1909
Bristol Rovers
A
2–3
Reid (2)
FA Cup
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.
Left club during season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Source: 100 Years of Brentford[2]
Coaching staff
Statistics
Appearances
Brentford's highest appearance-makers in each position during the Southern League season.
Goalscorers
Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[2]
Management
Name
Nat
From
To
Record All Comps
Record League
P
W
D
L
W %
P
W
D
L
W %
Fred Halliday
2 September 1908
24 April 1909
42
14
7
21
0 33.33
40
13
7
20
0 32.50
Summary
Games played
42 (40 Southern League First Division , 2 FA Cup )
Games won
14 (13 Southern League First Division, 1 FA Cup)
Games drawn
7 (7 Southern League First Division, 0 FA Cup)
Games lost
21 (20 Southern League First Division, 1 FA Cup)
Goals scored
61 (59 Southern League First Division, 2 FA Cup)
Goals conceded
75 (74 Southern League First Division, 1 FA Cup)
Clean sheets
7 (6 Southern League First Division, 1 FA Cup)
Biggest league win
4–0 versus Brighton & Hove Albion , 30 January 1909
Worst league defeat
6–1 versus Norwich City , 26 December 1908
Most appearances
42, Willie McIver , Joe Ryalls (40 Southern League First Division, 2 FA Cup)
Top scorer (league)
18, Geordie Reid
Top scorer (all competitions)
18, Geordie Reid
References
General Grounds Affiliated clubs Players Rivalries