During the 1937–38 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League First Division. In the league, the Bees matched the previous season's finish of 6th and advanced to the 6th round of the FA Cup for the first time in club history. In 2013, the Brentford supporters voted 1937–38 as the club's second-best season.

Season summary As in the past two off-seasons, Brentford manager Harry Curtis elected to bring in youngsters to supplement his squad, with left half Tally Sneddon and forwards George Eastham and Maurice Edelston being the only new outfield summer signings that would appear during the season. Joe Crozier was signed to back up goalkeeper Jim Mathieson.

Despite an opening-day defeat to Bolton Wanderers (which left Brentford bottom of the First Division), the team rallied in mid-September 1937. With forward David McCulloch in outstanding goalscoring form, the Bees went on a six-match undefeated run, which took them from 13th to the top of the table on 16 October. With Bobby Reid and Billy Scott also supplementing McCulloch's goals up front, Brentford remained unmoved from the top of the table between 30 September 1937 and 19 February 1938. During the run, Brentford advanced to the sixth round of the FA Cup for the first time in club history and exited after a 3–0 defeat to Preston North End, which was played in front of a then-club record crowd of 37,586 at Griffin Park.

Brentford won just four of the final 16 matches of the season and finished in 6th place, which matched the previous season's position. The Bees took part in the one-off Empire Exhibition Trophy after the season, replacing Arsenal (who had dropped out of the competition), but the team fell at the first hurdle, with a 1–0 defeat to Heart of Midlothian at Ibrox. In 2013, the Brentford supporters voted 1937–38 as the club's second-best season.

League table

Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend WinDrawLoss

Football League First Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)128 August 1937Bolton WanderersA0–231,57221 September 1937Preston North EndH2–121,228W. Scott, Reid34 September 1937Huddersfield TownH2–026,762McCulloch, McKenzie46 September 1937Preston North EndA1–121,746McCulloch511 September 1937EvertonA0–336,038616 September 1937BlackpoolH2–414,816W. Scott, McCulloch718 September 1937Wolverhampton WanderersH2–128,945McCulloch (2)820 September 1937BlackpoolA1–120,732McCulloch925 September 1937Leicester CityA1–023,416McCulloch102 October 1937SunderlandH4–035,584W. Scott, McCulloch (2), Reid119 October 1937Derby CountyA3–119,621McCulloch, Reid (2)1216 October 1937Charlton AthleticH5–234,861McCulloch (4), Reid1323 October 1937ChelseaA1–256,810Smith1430 October 1937PortsmouthH2–024,138Holliday, W. Scott156 November 1937LiverpoolA4–330,492Reid (3), McCulloch1613 November 1937MiddlesbroughH3–325,682W. Scott (2), Reid1720 November 1937Grimsby TownA1–013,206McCulloch1827 November 1937West Bromwich AlbionH0–216,702194 December 1937Stoke CityA0–311,9702011 December 1937Leeds UnitedH1–118,184McCulloch2118 December 1937BirminghamA0–022,5312225 December 1937Manchester CityA2–037,478McKenzie (pen), Reid2327 December 1937Manchester CityH2–133,887W. Scott, Reid241 January 1938Bolton WanderersH1–123,210Reid2515 January 1938Huddersfield TownA3–011,969Reid, Holliday, McCulloch2626 January 1938EvertonH3–016,917McCulloch, W. Scott, Hopkins2729 January 1938Wolverhampton WanderersA1–235,989McCulloch285 February 1938Leicester CityH1–121,309McCulloch2916 February 1938SunderlandA0–118,9703019 February 1938Derby CountyH2–320,561McKenzie (2 pens)3126 February 1938Charlton AthleticA0–135,572329 March 1938ChelseaH1–120,401Hopkins3312 March 1938PortsmouthA1–423,366Reid3419 March 1938LiverpoolH1–317,754Hopkins3526 March 1938MiddlesbroughA1–029,339Hopkins362 April 1938Grimsby TownH6–117,994Edelston, McCulloch (2), Reid (2), McAloon379 April 1938West Bromwich AlbionA3–423,602McCulloch (2), McAloon3815 April 1938ArsenalA2–051,299McAloon, Hopkins3916 April 1938Stoke CityH0–021,8854018 April 1938ArsenalH3–034,601McCulloch, McAloon, Reid4123 April 1938Leeds UnitedA0–417,8404230 April 1938BirminghamH1–214,609McAloon

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)3R8 January 1938FulhamH3–129,867Hindson (og), McCulloch (2)4R22 January 1938PortsmouthH2–136,718Wilson, McCulloch5R12 February 1938Manchester UnitedH2–027,147Holliday, Reid6R5 March 1938Preston North EndH0–337,586

Empire Exhibition Trophy

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceNotesQF1 June 1938Heart of MidlothianN0–146,000Match played at Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow.

Sources: Statto, 11v11, 100 Years of Brentford, A-Z Of Bees, London Hearts

Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1937–38 season. Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepersGKJoe CrozierEast Fife1937GKJames MathiesonMiddlesbrough1934DefendersDFArthur BatemanSouthend United1934DFBuster BrownHuddersfield Town1937DFGeorge PoyserPort Vale1934DFJoe WilsonSouthend United1935MidfieldersHBJoe James (c)Battersea Church1929HBDuncan McKenzieAlbion Rovers1932HBArchie ScottDerby County1934HBTally SneddonFalkirk1937ForwardsFWGeorge EasthamBolton Wanderers1937FWMaurice EdelstonWimbledon1937AmateurFWJack HollidayMiddlesbrough1932FWIdris HopkinsCrystal Palace1932FWGerry McAloonSt Francis1934FWDavid McCullochHeart of Midlothian1935FWBobby ReidHamilton Academical1936FWBilly ScottMiddlesbrough1932FWLes SmithPetersham1934 Sources: 100 Years of Brentford, Timeless Bees, Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939

Coaching staff NameRole Harry CurtisManager Jimmy BainAssistant Manager Bob KaneTrainer Jack CartmellAssistant Trainer Fred KeatchSecretary

Statistics

Appearances and goals

PosNatNameLeagueFA CupEmpire Exh.TrophyTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKJoe Crozier3504010400GKJames Mathieson70000070DFArthur Bateman3104010360DFBuster Brown4104010460DFGeorge Poyser1600010170DFJoe Wilson1502100171HBJoe James3504010400HBDuncan McKenzie3142000334HBArchie Scott10000010HBTally Sneddon3904010440FWGeorge Eastham3801010400FWMaurice Edelston21000021FWJack Holliday824100123FWIdris Hopkins3153010355FWGerry McAloon75001085FWDavid McCulloch412633104529FWBobby Reid401741104518FWBilly Scott2984000338FWLes Smith1511000161 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford

Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL1FACEETTotalFWDavid McCulloch263029FWBobby Reid171018FWBilly Scott8008FWIdris Hopkins5005FWGerry McAloon5005HBDuncan McKenzie4004FWJack Holliday2103FWMaurice Edelston1001FWLes Smith1001FWJoe Wilson0101Opponents0101Total697076 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford

International caps

Full Pos.NatPlayerCapsGoalsRefHBDuncan McKenzie10FWIdris Hopkins20FWDavid McCulloch12FWBobby Reid20

Amateur

Pos.NatPlayerCapsGoalsRefFWMaurice Edelston11

Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Harry Curtis28 August 193730 April 1938 |

Summary Games played 47 (42 First Division, 4 FA Cup, 1 Empire Exhibition Trophy)Games won 21 (18 First Division, 3 FA Cup, 0 Empire Exhibition Trophy)Games drawn 9 (9 First Division, 0 FA Cup, 0 Empire Exhibition Trophy)Games lost 17 (15 First Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 Empire Exhibition Trophy)Goals scored 76 (69 First Division, 7 FA Cup, 0 Empire Exhibition Trophy)Goals conceded 65 (59 First Division, 5 FA Cup, 1 Empire Exhibition Trophy)Clean sheets 14 (13 First Division, 1 FA Cup, 0 Empire Exhibition Trophy)Biggest league win 6–1 versus Grimsby Town, 2 April 1938Worst league defeat 4–0 versus Leeds United, 23 April 1938Most appearances 46, Buster Brown (41 First Division, 4 FA Cup, 1 Empire Exhibition Trophy)Top scorer (league) 26, David McCullochTop scorer (all competitions) 29, David McCulloch

Transfers & loans Cricketers are not included in this list. Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.11 May 1937GK Joe Crozier East Fife£1,000May 1937FW George Eastham Bolton Wanderers£4,000May 1937FW Len Townsend Hayesn/a25 June 1937HB Tally Sneddon Falkirk£4,00030 October 1937GK Ted Gaskell Buxton£500December 1937FW Maurice Edelston WimbledonAmateur1937HB Vic Aicken Glentoran£1,0001937DF Doug Anderson Hiberniann/a1937FW Magnus Mowatt Clyden/a1937HB Les Sintonn/an/aFebruary 1938FW George Wilkins Hayesn/aPlayers releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.May 1938DF George DumbrellRetiredMay 1938GK James Mathieson Queen of the South1 June 1938May 1938FW Magnus Mowatt Lincoln City1938May 1938HB Joe Murray Partick Thistle2 June 1938May 1938HB Archie ScottRetiredMay 1938HB Les Sinton Gatesheadn/a

Notes

References