1897–98 Brentford F.C. season

During the 1897–98 English football season, Brentford competed in the London League First Division. A hugely successful season saw the Bees win the London Senior Cup, the Middlesex Senior Cup and finish as runners-up in the league.

Brentford
1897–98 season
ChairmanBill Stephenson
StadiumShotter's Field
London League First Division2nd
FA CupSecond qualifying round
London Senior CupWinners
Middlesex Senior CupWinners
Top goalscorerLeague: Field (11)
All: Field (26)

Season summary

After winning promotion from the London League Second Division at the first attempt, the Brentford committee bolstered the team's firepower for its first season in the First Division by signing forwards Thomas Knapman, John Richardson and Ernest Booth.[1] Goalkeeper Jack Foster, then one of the club's highest appearance-makers, elected to retire from football and Arthur Charlton, one of the club's first great players,[2] moved to Nottingham and was succeeded as captain by Herbert Edney – though Charlton would return to play for Brentford sporadically through the season.[1]

Brentford obliterated all opposition throughout the season, with the goals of forward Oakey Field providing the firepower to help the club win the London Senior Cup and the Middlesex Senior Cup.[1] The pileup of London League fixtures meant that the Bees had to close the season with seven matches in just over three weeks, which included two matches in one day on 16 April.[3] Brentford went into the final day of the season knowing that a victory over strugglers Barking Woodville would seal the league title, but the best the jaded team could manage was a 0–0 draw, which allowed Thames Ironworks, who won their final match, to finish the season as champions.[1]

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Promotion
1 Thames Ironworks 16 12 3 1 47 15 3.133 27 Elected to the 1898–99 Southern League Second Division
2 Brentford 16 12 2 2 43 17 2.529 26 Elected to the 1898–99 Southern League Second Division
3 Leyton 16 8 4 4 41 33 1.242 20 Left league at end of season
4 3rd Grenadier Guards 16 7 3 6 34 33 1.030 17
5 Ilford 16 5 7 4 33 25 1.320 17
6 Stanley 16 5 4 7 22 22 1.000 14
7 Barking Woodville 16 2 6 8 16 37 0.432 10
8 Bromley 16 4 2 10 20 49 0.408 10 Transferred to Kent League at end of season
9 2nd Grenadier Guards 16 0 3 13 17 42 0.405 3 Left league at end of season
Source: 100 Years of Brentford[3]

Results

Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend

Win Draw Loss

London League First Division

No. DateOpponentVenueResultScorer(s) Notes
1 11 September 1897Thames IronworksA0–1
2 18 September 18972nd Grenadier GuardsH4–2Untraced, Dailley, Wade, Field
3 9 October 1897IlfordA2–2Dailley, Field
4 6 November 1897Stanley A1–0Booth
5 4 December 1897Barking WoodvilleA2–1Untraced
6 11 December 1897BromleyA1–0Booth
7 8 January 1898LeytonH8–4Dailley, Field (6), Booth
8 15 January 1898 3rd Grenadier Guards A 5–1 Dailley, Field (3), Knapman
9 10 March 1898 2nd Grenadier Guards A 2–1 Wade (2) [nb 1]
10 7 April 1898BromleyH9–1Untraced
11 9 April 1898StanleyH1–0Knapman
12 16 April 1898Leyton A1–2Knapman
13 16 April 1898Ilford H2–1Fox, Butcher
14 23 April 1898Thames Ironworks H1–0Lloyd
15 27 April 18983rd Grenadier Guards H4–1Booth (2), Richardson, Butcher
16 30 April 1898Barking Woodville H0–0

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResult Scorer(s)
1QR 25 September 1897 1st Coldstream Guards H 6–1 Wade (3), Knapman, Field, untraced
2QR 16 October 1897 3rd Grenadier Guards H 1–1 Swann (pen)
2QR (replay)20 October 1897 3rd Grenadier Guards A1–4 Richardson

London Senior Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResult Scorer(s) Notes
1R 22 January 1898 Stanley H 4–2 Field (3), Dailley
2R 19 February 1898 Clapton H 4–1 Dailley, Earle (og), Field, Swann (pen)
SF 12 March 1898 Casuals N 4–3 Field (3), Knapman [nb 2]
F 2 April 1898 Ilford N 5–1 Lloyd (2), Field (2), Booth [nb 2]

Middlesex Senior Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResult Scorer(s) Notes
1R 29 January 1898 1st Scots Guards H 4–2 Field (2), Booth, Knapman
2R 26 February 1898 2nd Grenadier Guards H 0–0
2R (replay) 5 March 1898 2nd Grenadier Guards H 3–1 Newman (2), Booth
SF 19 March 1898 3rd Grenadier Guards N 4–1 Field (2), Booth, Richardson [nb 3]
F 28 April 1898 2nd Scots Guards N 3–2 (a.e.t.) Field, Charlton, Knapman [nb 4]
  • Source: 100 Years of Brentford[3]

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 Charles Gillett
GK  ENG Harry Pennington
DF   G. Collings
DF  ENG Alfred Lugg
DF  ENG J. Reed
DF  ENG Percy Swann
DF  ENG Archie Williams
DF  ENG Harry Williams
MF  ENG "A. Bee"
MF   Blunt
MF  SCO Arthur Charlton
MF  ENG Herbert Edney (c)
MF  ENG W. Harrison
MF  ENG George Haslen
MF  ENG Alfred Mattocks
MF  ENG "A. Newman"
No. Pos. Nation Player
MF  ENG G. Pearce
MF  ENG Billy Smith
MF  ENG W. Walker
MF  ENG Arthur Yeoman
FW  ENG Ernest Booth
FW  ENG Fred Butcher
FW  ENG C. Fox
FW  ENG Richard Dailley
FW  ENG Oakey Field
FW  ENG Harold Hudson
FW  ENG Thomas Knapman
FW  ENG David Lloyd
FW  ENG John Richardson
FW  SCO James Rough
FW  ENG Billy Steers
FW   J. Wade
  • "A. Bee" and "A. Newman" are aliases
  • Source: 100 Years of Brentford[3]

Statistics

Management

Name From To Record All Comps Record League
PWDLW %PWDLW %
Committee 11 September 1897 30 April 1898 28 21 4 3 075.00 16 12 2 2 075.00

Summary

Games played28 (16 London League First Division, 3 FA Cup, 4 London Senior Cup, 5 Middlesex Senior Cup)
Games won21 (12 London League First Division, 1 FA Cup, 4 London Senior Cup, 4 Middlesex Senior Cup)
Games drawn4 (2 London League First Division, 1 FA Cup, 0 London Senior Cup, 1 Middlesex Senior Cup)
Games lost3 (2 London League First Division, 1 FA Cup, 0 London Senior Cup, 0 Middlesex Senior Cup)
Goals scored82 (43 London League First Division, 8 FA Cup, 17 London Senior Cup, 14 Middlesex Senior Cup)
Goals conceded36 (17 London League First Division, 6 FA Cup, 7 London Senior Cup, 6 Middlesex Senior Cup)
Clean sheets6 (5 London League First Division, 0 FA Cup, 0 London Senior Cup, 1 Middlesex Senior Cup)
Biggest league win9–1 versus Bromley, 7 April 1898
Worst league defeat1–0 versus Thames Ironworks, 11 September 1897; 2–1 versus Leyton, 16 April 1898
Most appearances (where traced)25, Richard Dailley (13 London League First Division, 3 FA Cup, 4 London Senior Cup, 5 Middlesex Senior Cup)
Top scorer (league, where traced)11, Oakey Field
Top scorer (all competitions, where traced)26, Oakey Field

Notes

  1. Match played at Shotter's Field, Brentford.
  2. Match played at Essex County Ground, Leyton.
  3. Match played at Gunnersbury Lane, Acton.
  4. Match played at National Athletic Grounds, Kensal Rise.

References

  1. White, p. 68-70.
  2. Wickham, Chris. "Brentford FC treasure trove". www.brentfordfc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  3. White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 354. ISBN 0951526200.
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