Brentford
1905–06 season
ChairmanCharlie Dorey
Secretary ManagerDick Molyneux
(until January 1906)
Bob Crone
(January – February 1906)
William Brown
(from February 1906)
StadiumGriffin Park
Southern League First Division9th
FA CupThird round
Top goalscorerLeague: Corbett (11)
All: Corbett (15)

During the 1905–06 English football season, Brentford competed in the Southern League First Division. The mid-table season is best-remembered for the Bees' appearance in the FA Cup proper for the first time in club history. After victories over Football League Second Division clubs Bristol City and Lincoln City in the first and second rounds respectively, Brentford were defeated in the third round by top-flight club Liverpool at Anfield.

Season summary

New forward signing Fred Corbett was a hit at Griffin Park during the season, top-scoring with 15 goals.

After two successive mid-table seasons in the Southern League First Division and some positive showings in the FA Cup, Brentford manager Dick Molyneux was able to keep the majority of his full back and half back lines together for the 1905–06 season.[1] He brought goalkeeper Tommy Spicer back from Leyton as cover for Walter Whittaker and cleared out the forward line, making six new additions, with five of the players possessing Football League experience – Walter Cookson, Fred Corbett, Willie Cross, Jack Dewhurst and Jimmy Hartley.[1]

Three wins in the first four matches of the season put lifted Brentford high in the First Division table, but injury to Fred Corbett and the departure of Jack Dewhurst dropped the club back after successive defeats in late September and early October 1905.[1] Molyneux re-signed forward Fred Hobson as a replacement for Dewhurst and together with fit-again Fred Corbett, the pair began to score regularly.[1] Brentford's FA Cup campaign got underway in early December with a 4–0 fourth qualifying round victory over Southern League Second Division strugglers Wycombe Wanderers, a result which put Brentford in the first round proper of the FA Cup for the first time in the club's history.[1] Brentford were drawn against Football League Second Division high-flyers Bristol City at Griffin Park and came back from a goal down to emerge 2–1 victors,[2] with former City player Fred Corbett scoring both the Bees' goals.[1] The best result in the club's history so far was achieved without manager Dick Molyneux, who was confined to his home with a serious illness.[1]

In manager Molyneux's absence, trainer Bob Crone took over the day-to-day running of the team and the FA Cup second round draw produced a home tie versus Second Division club Lincoln City on 3 February 1906, whom Brentford swept aside 3–0 to go into the hat for the third round.[1] Though the still-seriously ill Molyneux had not left the club, he was replaced by William Brown in mid-February, who took charge of Brentford's FA Cup third round tie at Anfield.[1] After a week of hard training on Southport beach, the Bees produced a creditable performance in a 2–0 defeat and finally received national attention.[1] The end of the cup run left Brentford with the league season to play out and despite never falling below 7th position between December and mid-April, five defeats from the final six matches dropped the club to a 9th-place finish.[1] Former manager Dick Molyneux's contract was cancelled in May and he returned to Liverpool, where he died shortly after.[1]

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts
7 Norwich City 34 13 10 11 46 38 1.211 36
8 Bristol Rovers 34 15 5 14 56 56 1.000 35
9 Brentford 34 14 7 13 43 52 0.827 35
10 Reading 34 12 9 13 53 46 1.152 33
11 West Ham United 34 14 5 15 42 39 1.077 33
Source: [3]
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.

Results

Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Southern League First Division

No. DateOpponentVenueResultScorer(s)
1 2 September 1905Southampton A1–0Underwood
2 9 September 1905ReadingH2–1Shanks (pen), Underwood
3 16 September 1905WatfordA0–1
4 23 September 1905 Brighton & Hove Albion H 2–0 Shanks, Hartley
5 30 September 1905 West Ham United A 0–2
6 7 October 1905FulhamH0–2
7 14 October 1905Queens Park RangersA2–1Corbett, Underwood
8 21 October 1905Bristol RoversH1–0Cross
9 28 October 1905New BromptonA1–2Corbett
10 4 November 1905PortsmouthH1–1Parsonage
11 11 November 1905Swindon TownA1–1Hobson
12 18 November 1905 Millwall H 1–1 Corbett
13 25 November 1905 Luton Town A 2–0 Hobson, Corbett
14 2 December 1905 Tottenham Hotspur H 0–3
15 16 December 1905 Norwich City A 1–1 Hartley
16 23 December 1905Plymouth Argyle H1–0Underwood
17 30 December 1905 Southampton H 2–1 Hartley, Corbett
18 6 January 1906 Reading A 2–2 Corbett, Hartley
19 20 January 1906Watford H3–0McCartney (og), Shanks, Jay
20 27 January 1906Brighton & Hove Albion A2–3Shanks, Corbett
21 10 February 1906 Fulham A 0–2
22 17 February 1906 Queens Park Rangers H 2–2 Greaves, Hartley
23 3 March 1906 New Brompton H 3–2 Shanks (2, 1 pen), Greaves
24 10 March 1906 Portsmouth A 0–5
25 12 March 1906 Northampton Town H 2–1 Corbett, Hobson
26 17 March 1906 Swindon Town H 3–1 Corbett, Shanks (2)
27 24 March 1906 Millwall A 1–1 Underwood
28 31 March 1906 Luton Town H 2–1 Corbett (2)
29 7 April 1906 Tottenham Hotspur A 1–4 Shanks
30 14 April 1906Northampton Town A0–4
31 21 April 1906Norwich City H0–2
32 23 April 1906 West Ham United H 3–1 Shanks, Hobson (2)
33 28 April 1906 Plymouth Argyle A 0–2
34 30 April 1906 Bristol Rovers A 1–2 Greaves

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResult Scorer(s)
4QR 9 December 1905 Wycombe Wanderers H 4–0 Corbett, Hobson, Hartley, Shanks
1R 13 January 1906 Bristol City H 2–1 Corbett (2)
2R 3 February 1906 Lincoln City H 3–0 Parsonage, Underwood, Corbett
3R24 February 1906 Liverpool A0–2
  • Source: 100 Years of Brentford[4]

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 England ENG Tommy Spicer
— GK England ENG Walter Whittaker
— DF Scotland SCO James Bellingham
— DF England ENG Thomas Howarth
— DF Scotland SCO Jock Watson
— MF England ENG George Gates
— MF England ENG Joshua Hardisty
— MF England ENG Jimmy Jay
— MF England ENG George Parsonage (c)
— MF England ENG Harry Robotham
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF England ENG Jimmy Tomlinson
— FW England ENG Walter Cookson
— FW England ENG Fred Corbett
— FW Scotland SCO Willie Cross
— FW England ENG David Greaves
— FW Scotland SCO Jimmy Hartley
— FW England ENG Fred Hobson
— FW Ireland EIR Tommy Shanks
— FW England ENG Tosher Underwood

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 England ENG Tom Riley (to Aston Villa)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— FW England ENG Jack Dewhurst (to Bury)
  • Source: 100 Years of Brentford[4]

Coaching staff

Dick Molyneux (2 September 1905 – January 1906)

Name Role
England Dick Molyneux Secretary Manager
Ireland Bob Crone Trainer

Bob Crone (January – February 1906)

Name Role
Ireland Bob Crone Caretaker Manager

William Brown (February – 30 April 1906)

Name Role
England William Brown Secretary Manager
Ireland Bob Crone Trainer

Statistics

Appearances

Brentford's highest appearance-makers in each position during the Southern League season.

Goalscorers

Pos. Nat Player SL1 FAC Total
FW England Fred Corbett 11 4 15
FW Ireland Tommy Shanks 10 1 11
FW Scotland Jimmy Hartley516
FW England Fred Hobson 5 1 6
FW England Tosher Underwood 5 1 6
FW England David Greaves 3 0 3
HB England George Parsonage 1 1 2
FW Scotland Willie Cross 1 0 1
HB England Jimmy Jay 1 0 1
Opponents 1 0 1
Total43952
  • Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
  • Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[4]

Summary

Games played38 (34 Southern League First Division, 4 FA Cup)
Games won17 (14 Southern League First Division, 3 FA Cup)
Games drawn7 (7 Southern League First Division, 0 FA Cup)
Games lost14 (13 Southern League First Division, 1 FA Cup)
Goals scored42 (33 Southern League First Division, 9 FA Cup)
Goals conceded46 (43 Southern League First Division, 3 FA Cup)
Clean sheets8 (6 Southern League First Division, 2 FA Cup)
Biggest league win3–0 versus Watford, 20 January 1906
Worst league defeat 5–0 versus Portsmouth, 10 March 1906
Most appearances38, Tosher Underwood (34 Southern League First Division, 4 FA Cup)
Top scorer (league)11, Fred Corbett
Top scorer (all competitions)15, Fred Corbett

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 White, p. 85-87.
  2. ↑ "Stats Zone: Bristol City". Brentford FC. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  3. ↑ England - Southern League Final Tables RSSSF
  4. 1 2 3 White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 358. ISBN 0951526200.
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