1908–09 Brentford F.C. season

English football team season April 2022 Brentford 1908–09 Fred Halliday Harry Blundell Griffin Park Southern League First Division 21st FA Cup Second round Reid (18) Secretary Manager Reid (18) _brentford early 1900s _brentford 1906_09 _brentford early 1900s 0000FF 0000FF 0000FF FFFFFF 0000FF 1907–08 1909–10 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 thumb|upright|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.White, p. 91-93. 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. 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 (equivalent to £0 in UK). 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. The return of Jimmy Jay in October helped solidify the back lines, which up to that point were leaking goals. 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. Reid would top-score for the Bees during the season with 18 goals. There was some cheer late in the season, with the Bees winning the Southern Professional Charity Cup. 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. 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. League table 1908–09 Southern Football League#Division One Division One BRE Results Brentford's goal tally listed first. Legend WinDrawLoss Southern League First Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultScorer(s)12 September 1908ReadingA2–2Sugden (2)25 September 1908SouthamptonH2–2McCulloch, Glen312 September 1908LeytonA0–2419 September 1908West Ham UnitedH1–0McCulloch526 September 1908Brighton & Hove AlbionA0–4628 September 1908Queens Park RangersH0–073 October 1908Crystal PalaceH1–3Connelly810 October 1908Plymouth ArgyleA0–2917 October 1908Luton TownA1–3Ryalls1024 October 1908Swindon TownH1–0McCulloch1131 October 1908PortsmouthA3–2Glen, Connelly, Jay127 November 1908Queens Park RangersA0–31314 November 1908Northampton TownA2–3Reid, Glen1416 November 1908Exeter CityH0–21521 November 1908New BromptonH1–1Connelly1623 November 1908Southend UnitedH4–1Reid, Connelly (2), Sugden1728 November 1908MillwallA1–2Reid1812 December 1908Coventry CityA2–1Buxton, Badger1919 December 1908Bristol RoversH2–2Reid, Connelly2025 December 1908WatfordH3–1Connelly, Sugden, Reid2126 December 1908Norwich CityA1–6Buxton2228 December 1908ReadingH2–3Buxton, Reid232 January 1909SouthamptonA0–1249 January 1909LeytonH0–02523 January 1909West Ham UnitedA0–32630 January 1909Brighton & Hove AlbionH4–0Reid (4)2713 February 1909Plymouth ArgyleH1–0Reid2820 February 1909Luton TownH2–2Reid, Sugden2927 February 1909Swindon TownA1–2McKenzie3013 March 1909Exeter CityA2–1Reid, Sugden3120 March 1909Northampton TownH3–1Connelly (2), Ramsden (pen)3227 March 1909New BromptonA1–1Sugden3329 March 1909PortsmouthH1–2Reid3431 March 1909Crystal PalaceA1–3Nicholson353 April 1909MillwallH4–2McIver (2, 2 pen), Nicholson, Connelly369 April 1909Norwich CityH3–1Sugden, Connelly, Buxton3710 April 1909Southend UnitedA0–13812 April 1909WatfordA0–23917 April 1909Coventry CityH5–2Reid (2), Nicholson, Sugden, Connelly4024 April 1909Bristol RoversA2–3Reid (2) FA Cup 1908–09 FA Cup RoundDateOpponentVenueResultScorer1R16 January 1909Gainsborough TrinityH2–0Richards (2)2R6 February 1909Nottingham ForestA0–1 Source: 100 Years of Brentford100 Years Of Brentford Brentford FC 1989 0951526200 White Eric 360 Playing squad yes ENG GK Willie McIver yes ENG DF Dave Ewing yes ENG DF Ernest Ramsden yes ENG DF Dusty Rhodes (c) yes ENG MF Bert Badger yes SCO MF John Gordon yes ENG MF Joe Hisbent yes ENG MF Jimmy Jay yes ENG MF George Podmore yes ENG MF Phil Richards yes ENG FW Steve Buxton yes yes ENG FW Fred Connelly yes SCO FW Alex Glen yes SCO FW Gladstone Hamilton yes SCO FW William Jaffray yes SCO FW Ronald McKenzie yes ENG FW Arthur Nicholson yes SCO FW Geordie Reid yes ENG FW Joe Ryalls yes ENG FW Sidney Sugden yes ENG FW Lindsay Syrad yes Left club during season yes SCO FW Alex McCulloch to Bradford Park Avenue yes Source: 100 Years of Brentford Coaching staff NameRoleENG Fred HallidaySecretary ManagerENG Tom CowperTrainer Statistics Appearances none McIver Ewing Rhodes (c) Richards Jay Badger Ryalls Sugden Reid Connelly Buxton Brentford's highest appearance-makers in each position during the Southern League season. Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerSL1FACTotalFWSCOGeordie Reid18018FWENGFred Connelly12012FWENGSidney Sugden909FWENGSteve Buxton404FWSCOAlex Glen303FWSCOAlex McCulloch303FWENGArthur Nicholson303GKENGWillie McIver202HBENGPhil Richards022HBENGBert Badger101HBENGJimmy Jay101FWSCORonald McKenzie101DFENGErnest Ramsden101FWENGJoe Ryalls101Total59261 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Fred HallidayENG2 September 190824 April 1909 42 14 7 21 40 13 7 20 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 1909Worst league defeat6–1 versus Norwich City, 26 December 1908Most appearances 42, Willie McIver, Joe Ryalls (40 Southern League First Division, 2 FA Cup)Top scorer (league) 18, Geordie ReidTop scorer (all competitions) 18, Geordie Reid References Category:Brentford F.C. seasons Brentford