During the 1938–39 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League First Division. A six-match unbeaten run in February and March 1939 pulled the club clear of a near-certain relegation.
Season summary After successive top-six finishes in Brentford's first three seasons in the First Division and with the club making a record £7,348 profit on the previous season (equivalent to £ in ), manager Harry Curtis again elected to not make any significant off-season signings, stating "negotiations took place in an effort to get certain players of great repute, but the deals did not come off. During this close season the position still seems to be the same, the clubs being unwilling to part with players, irrespective of the price offered". Enquiries for Manchester City's Peter Doherty, Blackpool's Danny Blair, Everton's Joe Mercer, Hull City's David Parker and Scots Jimmy Carabine and Andy Black were all rebuffed.
Long-serving Scottish international wing half Duncan McKenzie was sold to Middlesbrough in May 1938 for a £6,000 fee. After youngsters Les Smith and Gerry McAloon were promoted into the first team during the previous two seasons, Curtis would again dip into the reserve and junior ranks and give debuts to left back Doug Anderson and forwards Len Townsend and George Wilkins during the season. Brentford finished pre-season with a 2–1 Football League Jubilee Fund victory over neighbours Chelsea.
Brentford started the First Division season with two wins and a draw – the second victory being played in front of a club record 38,535 home crowd versus London rivals Arsenal. Just one point from the following seven matches dropped the Bees to the bottom of the First Division. Scottish international forward David McCulloch's previous prolific goalscoring form had deserted him and reliable forwards Bobby Reid and Billy Scott also found goalscoring chances hard to come by. Having scored just twice in 9 appearances, McCulloch departed Griffin Park to join Derby County for a £9,500 fee on 22 October 1938. Brentford's form picked up slightly after McCulloch's departure, losing just three of the following 12 matches, but two other regular starters departed in the midst of the run – forward George Eastham to Blackpool for £5,000 and long-serving captain Arthur Bateman was forced to retire. Manager Curtis signed Irish international full back Bill Gorman to partner George Poyser in defence and promoted young forwards Len Townsend and George Wilkins to the first team. In December 1938, he added former Fulham reserve team manager Joe Edelston to the coaching staff.
Brentford's bad form continued through to February 1939 and again the team was hit by the loss of a key players, with Scottish international forward Bobby Reid moving to Sheffield United and Gerry McAloon departing for Wolverhampton Wanderers the following month. Manager Curtis brought in two new forwards, Tommy Cheetham from local rivals Queens Park Rangers and Les Boulter from Charlton Athletic for £5,000 each. Cheetham scored on his second appearance to begin a run of five wins and a draw, which took the Bees up to 13th position and effectively saved the club's top-flight status. Brentford lost seven of the remaining 10 matches and finished in 18th place.
Despite the poor finish, the season ended on a high note, when on 24 May 1939, 21-year-old forward Les Smith became the second Brentford player to win a full England cap, which came in a 2–0 friendly win over Romania in Bucharest.
League table
Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend WinDrawLoss
Football League First Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)127 August 1938Huddersfield TownH2–126,638Brown, McCulloch23 September 1938EvertonA1–235,989Reid38 September 1938ArsenalH1–038,535McAloon410 September 1938Wolverhampton WanderersH0–128,027517 September 1938Aston VillaA0–549,092619 September 1938BlackpoolA1–421,970Scott724 September 1938SunderlandH2–326,128Eastham, McCulloch81 October 1938Grimsby TownA0–012,10698 October 1938Derby CountyH1–323,539Scott1015 October 1938Stoke CityA2–323,588Holliday (pen), Hopkins1122 October 1938ChelseaH1–031,425Reid1229 October 1938Charlton AthleticA1–132,191Scott135 November 1938Bolton WanderersH2–224,594Atkinson (og), Scott1412 November 1938Leeds UnitedA2–322,555Edelston, Brown1519 November 1938LiverpoolH2–120,977Holliday (2)1626 November 1938Leicester CityA1–116,634Scott173 December 1938MiddlesbroughH2–121,746Holliday, Sneddon1810 December 1938BirminghamA1–523,333Holliday1917 December 1938Manchester UnitedH2–514,919Gibbons, Vose (og)2024 December 1938Huddersfield TownA2–111,483Smith, Townsend2127 December 1938PortsmouthA2–231,732Townsend, McAloon2231 December 1938EvertonH2–027,861Townsend (2)2314 January 1939Wolverhampton WanderersA2–523,944Edelston (2)2428 January 1939SunderlandA1–119,591Sneddon (pen)254 February 1939Grimsby TownH1–217,380Scott268 February 1939Aston VillaH2–421,162Edelston, Reid (pen)2711 February 1939Derby CountyA2–119,707Hopkins, Cheetham2818 February 1939Stoke CityH1–026,237Cheetham2922 February 1939PortsmouthH2–014,290McAloon, Scott3025 February 1939ChelseaA3–133,511Cheetham (2), Smith314 March 1939Charlton AthleticH1–024,440Hopkins3211 March 1939Bolton WanderersA1–115,161Boulter3318 March 1939Leeds UnitedH0–121,4803425 March 1939LiverpoolA0–118,113351 April 1939Leicester CityH2–017,238Smith, Hopkins367 April 1939Preston North EndH3–130,780Cheetham (2), Edelston378 April 1939MiddlesbroughA1–318,191Cheetham3810 April 1939Preston North EndA0–222,3503915 April 1939BirminghamH0–115,2984022 April 1939Manchester UnitedA0–315,3534129 April 1939BlackpoolH1–112,761Cheetham426 May 1939ArsenalA0–230,928
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendance3R7 January 1939Newcastle UnitedH0–227,551
Sources: Statto, 11v11, 100 Years of Brentford
Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1938–39 season. Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepersGKJoe CrozierEast Fife1937DefendersDFDoug AndersonHibernian1937DFBill GormanBury1938DFGeorge PoyserPort Vale1934DFJoe WilsonSouthend United1935MidfieldersHBVic AickenGlentoran1937HBSam BriddonPort Vale1935HBBuster BrownHuddersfield Town1937HBJoe James (c)Battersea Church1929HBTally SneddonFalkirk1937ForwardsFWLes BoulterCharlton Athletic1939FWTommy CheethamQueens Park Rangers1939FWMaurice EdelstonWimbledon1937AmateurFWJackie GibbonsTottenham Hotspur1938AmateurFWJack HollidayMiddlesbrough1932FWIdris HopkinsCrystal Palace1932FWErnest MuttittMiddlesbrough1932FWBilly ScottMiddlesbrough1932FWLes SmithPetersham1934FWLen TownsendHayes1937FWGeorge WilkinsHayes1938Players who left the club mid-seasonDFArthur BatemanSouthend United1934RetiredFWGeorge EasthamBolton Wanderers1937Transferred to BlackpoolFWGerry McAloonSt Francis1934Transferred to Wolverhampton WanderersFWDavid McCullochHeart of Midlothian1935Transferred to Derby CountyFWBobby ReidHamilton Academical1936Transferred to Sheffield United 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 Joe EdelstonAssistant Trainer
Statistics
Appearances and goals
PosNatNameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKJoe Crozier42010430DFDoug Anderson100010DFArthur Bateman700070DFBill Gorman24010250DFGeorge Poyser33010340DFJoe Wilson10000100HBVic Aicken300030HBSam Briddon601070HBBuster Brown33210342HBJoe James39010400HBTally Sneddon27200272FWLes Boulter161—161FWTommy Cheetham178—178FWGeorge Eastham111—111FWMaurice Edelston19500195FWJackie Gibbons11100111FWJack Holliday10500105FWIdris Hopkins32410334FWGerry McAloon14310153FWDavid McCulloch92—92FWErnest Muttitt13000130FWBobby Reid17300173FWBilly Scott28710297FWLes Smith33310343FWLen Townsend441054FWGeorge Wilkins300030 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford
Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL1FACTotalFWTommy Cheetham808FWBilly Scott707FWMaurice Edelston505FWJack Holliday505FWIdris Hopkins404FWLen Townsend404FWGerry McAloon303FWBobby Reid303FWLes Smith303FWDavid McCulloch2—2HBBuster Brown202HBTally Sneddon202FWGeorge Eastham1—1FWLes Boulter101FWJackie Gibbons101Opponents202Total53053 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford
International caps
Full Pos.NatPlayerCapsGoalsRefDFBill Gorman10FWLes Boulter11FWIdris Hopkins31FWLes Smith10
Amateur Pos.NatPlayerCapsGoalsRefFWMaurice Edelston34FWJackie Gibbons34
Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Harry Curtis27 August 19386 May 1939 |
Summary Games played 43 (42 First Division, 1 FA Cup)Games won 14 (14 First Division, 0 FA Cup)Games drawn 8 (8 First Division, 0 FA Cup)Games lost 21 (20 First Division, 1 FA Cup)Goals scored 53 (53 First Division, 0 FA Cup)Goals conceded 76 (74 First Division, 2 FA Cup)Clean sheets 8 (8 First Division, 0 FA Cup)Biggest league win 2–0 on three occasions; 3–1 versus Preston North End, 7 April 1939Worst league defeat 5–0 versus Aston Villa, 17 September 1938Most appearances 43, Joe Crozier (42 First Division, 1 FA Cup)Top scorer (league) 8, Tommy CheethamTop scorer (all competitions) 8, Tommy Cheetham
Transfers & loans Cricketers are not included in this list. Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.May 1938HB William Gibbons Wrexhamn/aMay 1938DF Harry Oliver Hartlepools United£1,50019 June 1938FW Fred Durrant Folkestonen/aJune 1938DF Bob Allen Doncaster Roversn/aJuly 1938HB Ray Ferris GlentoranAmateurJuly 1938FW Fred Rowell Sunderlandn/a16 August 1938FW Jackie Gibbons Tottenham HotspurAmateurDecember 1938DF Bill Gorman Bury£7,0001938GKJames Baynen/an/a1938HB John MooreUnattachedFree1938DF Robert SmithUnattachedn/aJanuary 1939FW Cyril Brown Felixstowen/a7 February 1939FW Les Boulter Charlton Athletic£5,0007 February 1939FW Tommy Cheetham Queens Park Rangers£5,000April 1939DF Fred Mansfield Cambridge Townn/an/aFW Albert Degnan Charlton Athleticn/an/aFW Ron Griffin Lincoln Cityn/an/aFW Johnny Kayn/an/an/an/aArchie Waddelln/an/aPlayers transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.May 1938HB Duncan McKenzie Middlesbrough£6,00021 October 1938FW David McCulloch Derby County£9,500November 1938FW George Eastham Blackpool£5,000February 1939FW Bobby Reid Sheffield United£6,00016 March 1939FW Gerry McAloon Wolverhampton Wanderers£5,000Players releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.May 1939DF Bob Allen DartfordJune 1939May 1939DF Arthur BatemanRetiredMay 1939FW Albert Degnan Albion Rovers15 June 1939May 1939FW Maurice Edelston CorinthianMay 1939May 1939HB Ray Ferris Cambridge Town1939May 1939FW Jackie Gibbons Tottenham Hotspur1939May 1939FW Ron Griffin WatfordAugust 1939
References