1940–41 Brentford F.C. season

During the 1940–41 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League South, due to the cessation of competitive football for the duration of the Second World War. Though the Bees finished well down in the league placings, the club enjoyed some measure of success in the London War Cup, finishing as runners-up to Reading.

Brentford
1940–41 season
ChairmanLouis P. Simon
ManagerHarry Curtis
StadiumGriffin Park
Football League South20th
Football League War CupSecond round
London War CupRunners-up
Top goalscorerLeague: Hopkins (10)
All: Perry (21)
Highest home attendance5,000
Lowest home attendance400

Season summary

In Brentford's first full season of wartime football during the Second World War, low crowds and takings of just £30–40 per match during the first half of the Football League South season brought about fears that the club would be unable to fulfil the remaining fixtures of the season.[1] Manager Harry Curtis, backed by his directors, elected to carry on and welcome respite was found in the new London War Cup,[1] in which the Bees advanced to the final, largely helped by 8 goals in five matches from guest forward Eddie Perry.[2] Despite a further two goals for Perry in the final, Brentford finished as runners-up to Reading, losing 3–2 at Stamford Bridge.[1]

League tables

Football League South
Main article: 1940–41 in English football
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR
19 Aldershot 24 14 2 8 73 68 1.074
20 Brentford 23 9 3 11 51 51 1.000
21 Chelsea 23 10 4 9 57 58 0.983
Source: Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

London War Cup Group A
Main article: London War Cup
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts
1 Brentford 10 4 5 1 25 20 1.250 13
2 Crystal Palace 10 4 4 2 25 18 1.389 12
3 Queens Park Rangers 10 5 1 4 26 26 1.000 11
4 Aldershot 10 4 2 4 21 24 0.875 10
5 Fulham 9 4 0 5 32 34 0.941 8
6 Chelsea 10 2 2 6 19 26 0.731 6
Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[1]

Results
Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend
Win Draw Loss

Football League South
No. DateOpponentVenueResult AttendanceScorer(s) Notes
1 31 August 1940Clapton OrientH2–2 1,123Wilkins, McKenzie (pen)
2 7 September 1940Chelsea A1–2 3,500Wilkins [nb 1]
3 14 September 1940Charlton AthleticH1–1 600McKenzie (pen)
4 21 September 1940ArsenalA1–3 1,700Hunt
5 5 October 1940Clapton OrientA0–1 500
6 12 October 1940Charlton AthleticA4–1 800Hunt (2), Townsend (2) [nb 2]
7 19 October 1940FulhamH8–3 1,300Hunt (3), Hopkins, McKenzie (pen), Townsend (2), Muttitt
8 26 October 1940ArsenalH3–3 1,200Townsend (2), Muttitt
9 2 November 1940PortsmouthH3–1 500Ferris, Cheetham, Hopkins
10 16 November 1940West Ham UnitedH0–2 400
11 23 November 1940FulhamA0–3 600
12 7 December 1940Reading H2–3 600Hopkins, McKenzie (pen)
13 14 December 1940Millwall A0–3 1,250
14 21 December 1940Portsmouth A3–2 1,814Holliday (2), Wilkins
15 25 December 1940Queens Park Rangers H2–1 3,725Wilkins, Hunt
16 28 December 1940MillwallH3–2 1,759Hunt, Boulter
17 15 March 1941Crystal PalaceH2–3 4,000Perry, Hopkins
18 22 March 1941Crystal PalaceA0–5 2,638
19 19 April 1941 Millwall H 5–2 2,500 Perry, Hopkins, Townsend
20 3 May 1941 West Ham United A 2–3 3,000 Hopkins (2)
21 10 May 1941 Fulham H 2–3 2,670 Bamford, Holliday
22 17 May 1941 Reading A 4–1 5,000 Perry (3), Holliday
23 24 May 1941 Reading H 3–1 1,520 Hopkins (3)

Football League War Cup
Round DateOpponentVenueResult AttendanceScorer(s) Notes
1R (1st leg) 15 February 1941SouthamptonA2–2 1,815Hunt, Wilkins [nb 3]
1R (2nd leg) 22 February 1941SouthamptonH5–2 n/aJames, L. Smith, Perry (3)
2R (1st leg) 1 March 1941ChelseaH2–2 4,520Hunt, Hopkins
2R (2nd leg) 8 March 1941ChelseaA1–3 (lost 5–3 on aggregate) 5,992Perry

London War Cup
Round DateOpponentVenueResult AttendanceScorer(s) Notes
Grp 4 January 1941Crystal PalaceH2–2 1,000Muttitt, Boulter
Grp 11 January 1941Crystal PalaceA2–2 2,841Muttitt, L. Smith
Grp 25 January 1941ChelseaA1–0 1,318Davie
Grp 1 February 1941Fulham A1–4 2,500L. Smith
Grp 8 February 1941FulhamH7–4 2,428Hunt, Hopkins (3), Perry (2), McKenzie
Grp 29 March 1941ChelseaH2–2 1,654L. Smith, Townsend
Grp 5 April 1941AldershotH4–2 1,960Perry (2), Hopkins (2)
Grp 12 April 1941AldershotA2–2 4,000Wilkins, Perry
Grp 14 April 1941Queens Park Rangers H4–2 5,000Hopkins, Perry (2), L. Smith
Grp 26 April 1941Queens Park RangersA0–0 6,000
SF 31 May 1941 Tottenham Hotspur A 2–0 6,405 Perry, Townsend
F 7 June 1941ReadingN2–3 9,000Perry (2) [nb 4]
  • Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford[2]

Playing squad
Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1940–41 season.
Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in Notes
Goalkeepers
GK Ted Gaskell (1916-12-19)19 December 1916 (aged 23) Buxton 1937
Defenders
DF Buster Brown (1910-09-06)6 September 1910 (aged 29) Huddersfield Town 1937
DF Frank Gibson January 1920 (aged 20) Youth 1939
DF George Poyser (1910-02-06)6 February 1910 (aged 30) Port Vale 1934
Midfielders
HB Vic Aicken (1914-10-29)29 October 1914 (aged 25) Glentoran 1937
HB Jack Holliday (1908-12-19)19 December 1908 (aged 31) Middlesbrough 1932
HB Joe James (1910-01-13)13 January 1910 (aged 30) Battersea Church 1929
HB Billy Scott (1907-12-06)6 December 1907 (aged 32) Middlesbrough 1932
Forwards
FW Harry Bamford (1914-04-08)8 April 1914 (aged 26) Hayes 1936
FW Sidney Beasley May 1920 (aged 20) Youth 1939
FW Les Boulter (1913-08-31)31 August 1913 (aged 27) Charlton Athletic 1939
FW Cyril Brown (1918-05-25)25 May 1918 (aged 22) Felixstowe 1939
FW Tommy Cheetham (1910-10-11)11 October 1910 (aged 29) Queens Park Rangers 1939
FW Stan Cousins August 1922 (aged 17–18) Youth 1939 Guest for Clapton Orient
FW Idris Hopkins (1910-10-11)11 October 1910 (aged 29) Crystal Palace 1932
FW Ernest Muttitt (1908-07-24)24 July 1908 (aged 32) Middlesbrough 1932 Guest for Clapton Orient
FW Les Smith (1918-03-13)13 March 1918 (aged 22) Petersham 1934
FW Bob Thomas (1919-08-02)2 August 1919 (aged 21) Golders Green 1939
FW Len Townsend (1917-08-31)31 August 1917 (aged 23) Hayes 1937 Guest for Leeds United
FW George Wilkins (1919-10-27)27 October 1919 (aged 20) Hayes 1939
Guest players
GK George Duke (1920-09-06)6 September 1920 (aged 19) Luton Town 1940 Guest from Luton Town
GK John Jackson (1906-11-29)29 November 1906 (aged 33) Chelsea 1940 Guest from Chelsea
GK George Poland (1913-09-21)21 September 1913 (aged 26) Wrexham 1941 Guest from Wrexham
DF Harold Shepherdson (1918-10-22)22 October 1918 (aged 21) Middlesbrough 1940 Guest from Middlesbrough
HB Duncan McKenzie (1912-08-10)10 August 1912 (aged 28) Middlesbrough 1940 Guest from Middlesbrough
FW Pat Beasley (1913-07-16)16 July 1913 (aged 27) Huddersfield Town 1941 Guest from Huddersfield Town
FW Jock Davie (1913-02-13)13 February 1913 (aged 27) Brighton & Hove Albion 1940 Guest from Brighton & Hove Albion
FW George Eastham (1914-08-13)13 August 1914 (aged 26) Blackpool 1941 Guest from Blackpool
FW Ray Ferris (1920-09-22)22 September 1920 (aged 19) Linfield 1940 Amateur, guest from Linfield
FW Jackie Gibbons (1914-04-10)10 April 1914 (aged 26) Tottenham Hotspur 1941 Amateur, guest from Tottenham Hotspur
FW Eric Houghton (1910-06-29)29 June 1910 (aged 30) Aston Villa 1941 Guest from Aston Villa
FW Douglas Hunt (1914-05-19)19 May 1914 (aged 26) Sheffield Wednesday 1940 Guest from Sheffield Wednesday
FW George Mills (1908-12-29)29 December 1908 (aged 31) Chelsea 1941 Guest from Chelsea
FW Eddie Perry (1909-01-19)19 January 1909 (aged 31) Doncaster Rovers 1941 Guest from Doncaster Rovers
FW Trevor Smith (1910-09-08)8 September 1910 (aged 29) Crystal Palace 1941 Guest from Crystal Palace
FW Billy Wrigglesworth (1912-11-12)12 November 1912 (aged 27) Manchester United 1940 Guest from Manchester United
  • Sources: Timeless Bees,[3] Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939,[4] 100 Years Of Brentford[2]

Coaching staff
Name Role
Harry Curtis Manager
Jimmy Bain Assistant Manager
Bob Kane Trainer
Jack Cartmell Assistant Trainer

Statistics

Appearances and goals
Brentford's highest appearance-makers in each position during the Football League South season.
Pos Nat Name League FL War Cup Lo War Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK Ted Gaskell 1 0 — — 1 0
DF Buster Brown18 0 4 0 12 0 34 0
DF Frank Gibson 1 0 — — 1 0
DF George Poyser 19 0 4 0 12 0 35 0
HB Vic Aicken 5 0 1 0 — 6 0
HB Jack Holliday 19 4 4 0 12 0 35 4
HB Joe James 23 0 4 1 12 0 39 0
HB Billy Scott 2 0 — — 2 0
FW Harry Bamford 1 1 — 2 0 3 1
FW Sidney Beasley 2 0 — — 2 0
FW Les Boulter 2 1 — 1 1 3 2
FW Cyril Brown 1 0 — — 1 0
FW Tommy Cheetham 1 1 — — 1 1
FW Stan Cousins — 1 0 — 1 0
FW Idris Hopkins 23 10 4 1 11 6 38 17
FW Ernest Muttitt 11 2 4 0 3 2 18 4
FW Les Smith 19 0 3 1 10 4 32 5
FW Bob Thomas — 1 0 — 1 0
FW Len Townsend 11 7 — 4 2 15 9
FW George Wilkins 15 4 1 1 12 1 28 6
Players guested during the season
GK George Duke 18 0 4 0 5 0 27 0
GK John Jackson 2 0 — 2 0 4 0
GK George Poland 5 0 — 2 0 7 0
DF Harold Shepherdson 2 0 — — 2 0
HB Duncan McKenzie 23 4 — 12 1 35 5
FW Pat Beasley — — 1 0 1 0
FW Jock Davie 2 0 — 2 1 4 1
FW George Eastham 2 0 — — 2 0
FW Ray Ferris 1 1 — — 1 1
FW Jackie Gibbons 1 0 — — 1 0
FW Eric Houghton 1 0 — — 1 0
FW Douglas Hunt 16 9 4 2 7 1 27 12
FW George Mills — 1 0 — 1 0
FW Eddie Perry 7 7 4 4 6 10 17 21
FW Trevor Smith — — 1 0 1 0
FW Billy Wrigglesworth 2 0 — — 2 0
  • Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
  • Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[2]

Goalscorers
Pos. Nat Player FLS FLC LWC Total
FW Eddie Perry 7 4 10 21
FW Idris Hopkins 10 1 6 17
FW Douglas Hunt 9 2 1 12
FW Len Townsend 7 — 2 9
FW George Wilkins 4 1 1 6
HB Duncan McKenzie 4 — 1 5
FW Les Smith 0 1 4 5
HB Jack Holliday 4 0 0 4
FW Ernest Muttitt 2 0 2 4
FW Les Boulter 1 — 1 2
FW Tommy Cheetham 1 — — 1
FW Ray Ferris 1 — — 1
FW Harry Bamford 1 — 0 1
FW Jock Davie 0 — 1 1
Total51 10 29 90
  • Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
  • Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[2]

Wartime international caps
Pos. Nat Player Caps Goals Ref
FW Idris Hopkins 1 0 [5]

Management
Name Nat From To Record All Comps Record League
PWDLW %PWDLW %
Harry Curtis 31 August 1940 7 June 1941 39 15 10 14 038.46|23 9 3 11 039.13

Summary
Games played39 (23 Football League South, 4 Football League War Cup, 12 London War Cup)
Games won15 (9 Football League South, 1 Football League War Cup, 5 London War Cup)
Games drawn10 (3 Football League South, 2 Football League War Cup, 5 London War Cup)
Games lost14 (11 Football League South, 1 Football League War Cup, 2 London War Cup)
Goals scored90 (51 Football League South, 10 Football League War Cup, 29 London War Cup)
Goals conceded83 (51 Football League South, 9 Football League War Cup, 23 London War Cup)
Clean sheets3 (0 Football League South, 0 Football League War Cup, 3 London War Cup)
Biggest league win8–3 versus Fulham, 19 October 1940
Worst league defeat5–0 versus Crystal Palace, 22 March 1941
Most appearances39, Joe James (23 Football League South, 4 Football League War Cup, 12 London War Cup)
Top scorer (league)10, Idris Hopkins
Top scorer (all competitions) 21, Eddie Perry

Transfers & loans
Guest players' arrival and departure dates correspond to their first and last appearances of the season.
Guest players in
Date from Pos. Name Previous Club Date to Ref.
31 August 1940 GK George Duke Luton Town 3 May 1941 [2]
31 August 1940 HB Duncan McKenzie Middlesbrough End of season [2]
31 August 1940 DF Harold Shepherdson Middlesbrough 7 September 1940 [2]
7 September 1940 FW Douglas Hunt Sheffield Wednesday 3 May 1941 [2]
7 September 1940 FW Billy Wrigglesworth Manchester United 14 September 1940 [2]
14 September 1940 GK John Jackson Chelsea 26 April 1941 [2]
2 November 1940 FW Ray Ferris Linfield 2 November 1940 [2]
16 November 1940 FW Jock Davie Brighton & Hove Albion 1 February 1941 [2]
8 February 1941 FW Eddie Perry Doncaster Rovers End of season [2]
15 March 1941 FW George Eastham Blackpool 22 March 1941 [2]
5 April 1941 GK George Poland Wrexham End of season [6]
26 April 1941 FW Pat Beasley Huddersfield Town 26 April 1941 [2]
26 April 1941 FW Trevor Smith Crystal Palace 26 April 1941 [2]
3 May 1941 FW Eric Houghton Aston Villa 3 May 1941 [2]
17 May 1941 FW Jackie Gibbons Tottenham Hotspur 17 May 1941 [2]
Guest players out
Date from Pos. Name To Date to Ref.
7 August 1940 GK Joe Crozier Airdrieonians End of season [7]
9 November 1940 FW Len Townsend Leeds United 22 March 1941 [8]
n/a HB Stan Cousins Clapton Orient n/a [9]
n/a FW Ernest Muttitt Clapton Orient n/a [1]
Players released
Date Pos. Name Subsequent club Join date Ref.
25 October 1940 DF Doug Anderson Falkirk 25 October 1940 [7]

Notes
  1. Match abandoned after 70 minutes due to an air raid.
  2. Match abandoned after 55 minutes due to an air raid.
  3. Match played at Fratton Park, Portsmouth due to bomb damage at The Dell, Southampton.
  4. Match played at Stamford Bridge, London.

References
  1. White 1989, p. 169-170.
  2. White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 376. ISBN 0951526200.
  3. Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Yore Publications. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  4. Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. ISBN 190589161X.
  5. "Dai Hopkins". 11v11.com. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  6. Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopedia. Harefield, Middlesex: Yore Publications. p. 83. ISBN 1 874427 57 7.
  7. Litster, John. Record of Pre-War Scottish League Players. Norwich: PM Publications.
  8. "Leeds United F.C. History". www.ozwhitelufc.net.au. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
  9. Kaufman, Neilson. "VE Day WW2 players as at May 2020" (PDF). p. 25. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
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