During the 1927–28 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division South. A season of transition saw the Bees finish in mid-table and score 76 goals, which was at that time the club's best goalscoring tally since joining the Football League in 1920.
Season summary
Despite a sizeable amount of money in the bank after the previous season's cup exploits and big money sales of Jack Allen, Archie Clark and George Anderson, Brentford manager Harry Curtis elected to add to, rather than rebuild, his squad for the 1927–28 season. He invested in Scottish youngsters John Cairns, Jimmy Drinnan, William Hodge, Alexander Stevenson, Samuel Ward and English teenager Joe Wiggins.
Three defeats in the opening 10 matches of the season put the Bees as high as second place, with off-season signing Jack Phillips scoring 9 goals, Herbert Lawson five and Ernie Watkins four. By mid-October 1927, the goals had dried up and the club dropped to mid-table. During this period, Brentford suffered a club record 7–1 FA Cup defeat to Manchester United. A 3–2 victory over Walsall at Griffin Park on 5 December (one of just two wins in the midst of the bad run) was witnessed by 2,024, the club record lowest for a home Football League match. The Bees' form picked up again late January 1928 and the team secured a 12th-place finish. Jack Phillips finished the season as he began it, with 9 goals in 10 matches, to finish as top-scorer with 18 goals. Brentford's 76 goals was the highest since joining the Football League in 1920 and the club finished the season £171 in profit (equivalent to £ in ).
League table
Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend WinDrawLoss
Football League Third Division South No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)127 August 1927Brighton & Hove AlbionA2–513,164Phillips, Drinnan229 August 1927Northampton TownH3–08,280Phillips (3)33 September 1927Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticH2–111,108Fletcher, Douglas45 September 1927Northampton TownA2–37,220Lane, Watkins510 September 1927Queens Park RangersA3–218,826Watkins, Phillips, Lane614 September 1927Bristol RoversA3–12,578Phillips, Lawson, Watkins717 September 1927Luton TownA2–59,182Lawson (2)824 September 1927MillwallH6–112,513Douglas, Watkins (pen), Lawson (2), Phillips91 October 1927Crystal PalaceA2–011,552Phillips, Lane108 October 1927Exeter CityH1–111,326Lawson1115 October 1927Torquay UnitedA1–24,185Lawson1222 October 1927Coventry CityH4–14,666Craddock (2), Hodge, Lane1329 October 1927Newport CountyA0–35,790145 November 1927Swindon TownH1–49,527Lane1512 November 1927GillinghamA1–23,293Lawson163 December 1927Plymouth ArgyleH0–27,537175 December 1927WalsallH3–22,024Watkins, Dearn (pen), Lane1810 December 1927Merthyr TownA1–32,465Craddock1917 December 1927Charlton AthleticH1–15,245Berry2024 December 1927WatfordA1–15,226Craddock2126 December 1927Southend UnitedA2–33,540Craddock (2)2231 December 1927Brighton & Hove AlbionH1–36,061Lane237 January 1928Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticA0–14,7962421 January 1928Queens Park RangersH0–310,4302528 January 1928Luton TownH4–23,291Watkins (4)264 February 1928MillwallA0–316,8852711 February 1928Crystal PalaceH2–17,580Beacham, Drinnan2818 February 1928Exeter CityA1–07,420Drinnan2925 February 1928Torquay UnitedH1–28,355Lane303 March 1928Coventry CityA0–08,1883110 March 1928Newport CountyH3–15,759Berry (2), Phillips3217 March 1928Swindon TownA1–16,500Phillips3324 March 1928GillinghamH2–06,107Lane (2)3431 March 1928WalsallA2–44,750Phillips, Drinnan356 April 1928Norwich CityH3–111,814Berry, Price, Wiggins367 April 1928Bristol RoversH5–17,894Wiggins, Cairns, Drinnan (2), Lawson379 April 1928Norwich CityA1–110,848Berry (pen)3814 April 1928Plymouth ArgyleA0–15,9403921 April 1928Merthyr TownH4–04,583Phillips (2), Berry, Lane4023 April 1928Southend UnitedH2–24,889Phillips (2)4128 April 1928Charlton AthleticA2–37,122Watkins, Phillips425 May 1928WatfordH1–14,775Phillips
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)3R14 January 1928Manchester UnitedA1–718,538Jones (og)
Sources: Statto, 11v11, 100 Years of Brentford
Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1927–28 season. Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepersGKHenry BaileyExeter City1927DefendersDFCharlie ButlerGillingham1926DFJames Donnelly Southend United1925DFDick HendrieGrays Thurrock United1927Assistant trainerDFAlexander StevensonArmadale1927DFTed Winship1900 (aged 26–27)Kidderminster Harriers1926MidfieldersHBJack BeachamWeymouth1925HBStephen Dearn (c) March 1901 (aged 26)Portsmouth1926HBAlbert Fletcher1898 (aged 28–29)West Ham United1927HBWilliam HodgeRangers1927HBSamuel WardMorton1927ForwardsFWBill BerryGillingham1926FWJohn CairnsCharlton Athletic1927FWAlfred DouglasWashington Colliery1925FWJimmy DrinnanNewport County1927FWJack Lane Chesterfield1925 FWHerbert LawsonArsenal1927FWJim McCaffertyNovember 1900 (aged 26)Halifax Town1927FWJack PhillipsMerthyr Town1927FWWilliam PriceWoking Town1928AmateurFWErnie WatkinsSouthend United1926FWJoe WigginsGrays Thurrock United1927Players who left the club mid-seasonGKJim FergusonSt Roch's1926Transferred to Notts CountyFWJoe CraddockGillingham1926Transferred to Dundee Sources: Timeless Bees, Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939, 100 Years Of Brentford
Coaching staff NameRole Harry CurtisManager Dick HendrieAssistant manager Jack CartmellTrainer
Statistics
Appearances and goals
PosNatNameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKHenry Bailey15000150GKJim Ferguson27010280DFCharlie Butler40000400DFJames Donnelly100010DFDick Hendrie001010DFAlexander Stevenson200020DFTed Winship41010420HBJack Beacham29110301HBStephen Dearn40110411HBAlbert Fletcher33100331HBWilliam Hodge19110201HBSamuel Ward700070FWBill Berry25610266FWJohn Cairns110011FWJoe Craddock11610126FWAlfred Douglas24210252FWJimmy Drinnan18600186FWJack Lane3711103811FWHerbert Lawson34900349FWJim McCafferty100010FWJack Phillips2318002318FWWilliam Price110011FWErnie Watkins2910103010FWJoe Wiggins420042 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford
Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL3FACTotalFWJack Phillips18018FWJack Lane11011FWErnie Watkins10010FWHerbert Lawson909FWBill Berry606FWJoe Craddock606FWJimmy Drinnan606FWAlfred Douglas202FWJoe Wiggins202HBJack Beacham101FWJohn Cairns101HBStephen Dearn101HBAlbert Fletcher101HBWilliam Hodge101FWWilliam Price101Opponent011Total76177 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford
Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Harry Curtis27 August 19275 May 1928 |
Summary Games played 43 (42 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup)Games won 16 (16 Third Division South, 0 FA Cup)Games drawn 8 (8 Third Division South, 0 FA Cup)Games lost 19 (18 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup)Goals scored 77 (76 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup)Goals conceded 81 (74 Third Division South, 7 FA Cup)Clean sheets 6 (6 Third Division South, 0 FA Cup)Biggest league win 6–1 versus Millwall, 24 September 1927Worst league defeat 3–0 on two occasions; 4–1 versus Swindon Town, 5 November 1927; 5–2 on two occasionsMost appearances 42, Ted Winship (41 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup)Top scorer (league) 18, Jack PhillipsTop scorer (all competitions) 18, Jack Phillips
Transfers & loans Cricketers are not included in this list. Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.July 1927FW Jack Phillips Merthyr TownFreeAugust 1927HB William Hodge RangersFree1 September 1927HB Stewart Low MontroseFree1927GK Henry Bailey Exeter CityFree1927FW John Cairns Charlton AthleticFree1927DF Bill Dempsey London Prison OSFree1927FW Jimmy Drinnan Newport CountyExchange1927HB Albert Fletcher West Ham UnitedFree1927FW Dick Hendrie Grays Thurrock UnitedFree1927FW Jim McCafferty Halifax TownFree1927DF Alexander Stevenson ArmadaleFree1927HB Samuel Ward MortonFree1927FW Joe Wiggins Grays Thurrock Unitedn/aMarch 1928FW Thomas Brennan Longriggend Rob Royn/aMarch 1928FW Andy Durnion St Joseph'sn/aMarch 1928GK Freddie Fox Halifax Townn/aMarch 1928FW Len Ramsell Chatham Townn/aMarch 1928HB Teddy Ware Chatham TownAmateur1928FW William Price Woking TownAmateurPlayers transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.May 1927FW George Anderson Chelsean/aMay 1927HB Archie Clark Arsenal£70024 November 1927HB Harry Rae Hamilton Academicaln/aJanuary 1928HB Evan Evans Chatham Townn/a11 February 1928FW Joe Craddock Dundeen/aMarch 1928GK Jim Ferguson Notts Countyn/aPlayers releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.May 1928DF Charlie Butler Montreal Carsteel1928May 1928FW John Cairns Leicester City1928May 1928DF Bill Dempsey Queens Park Rangers1928May 1928DF James Donnelly Thames1928May 1928HB Albert Fletcher Norwich City1928May 1928HB Stewart Lown/aMay 1928FW William Price FulhamJune 1928May 1928HB Samuel WardRetired
References