During the 1952–53 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Second Division. A forgettable season, during which Tommy Lawton was appointed as the club's player-manager, ended with a 17th-place finish.
Season summary
Brentford's 1952–53 pre-season preparations were thrown into disarray by the departure of secretary-manager Jackie Gibbons in August 1952. In his letter of resignation, Gibbons wrote of having failed to see "eye to eye" with the Brentford board. Long-serving assistant manager Jimmy Bain took over as caretaker until a permanent appointment could be made. 34-year-old forward Les Smith was the club's only signing and returned to Griffin Park after six years with Aston Villa. Half backs Bill Slater and forwards Johnny Paton and Jimmy Bowie were the only departures of note.
Brentford had a poor start to the Second Division season and won just five of the opening 20 matches. Four defeats and no wins in a five-match spell in September 1952 led caretaker Bain to break up his settled XI and experiment with moving players into different positions. Want-away captain Ron Greenwood left for First Division club Chelsea in October 1952 and forward Jimmy D'Arcy arrived in part-exchange. The tide began to turn after back to back victories over Barnsley on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Forward Tommy Lawton was announced as Brentford's player-manager on 2 January 1953 and Jimmy Bain reverted to his role as assistant. Lawton was unbeaten in 9 of his first 12 matches, but the team lost confidence after a pair of heavy defeats in March and slumped to a 17th-place finish.
League table
Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend WinDrawLoss
Football League Second Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)123 August 1952Lincoln CityH1–027,787Goodwin227 August 1952Huddersfield TownA0–021,358330 August 1952Hull CityA2–235,993Dare, Monk (pen)43 September 1952Huddersfield TownH1–321,733Lawton56 September 1952Blackburn RoversH3–221,904Sperrin, Lawton, Monk (pen)68 September 1952Sheffield UnitedA2–317,397Goodwin, Ledgerton713 September 1952Nottingham ForestA0–326,923817 September 1952Sheffield UnitedH0–011,707920 September 1952EvertonH2–421,042Lawton, Harper1027 September 1952BuryA0–312,398114 October 1952Doncaster RoversA2–013,465Monk, Goodwin1211 October 1952SouthamptonH3–017,225Lawton, Monk (pen), Smith1318 October 1952Notts CountyA0–426,0331425 October 1952Leicester CityH4–221,655Goodwin, Lawton (2), Dare151 November 1952West Ham UnitedA1–323,263D'Arcy168 November 1952FulhamH2–229,241D'Arcy, Monk (pen)1715 November 1952Rotherham UnitedA1–415,427Monk (pen)1822 November 1952Plymouth ArgyleH1–217,192Lawton1929 November 1952Leeds UnitedA2–316,077Dare, Ledgerton2013 December 1952Birmingham CityA1–39,963Lawton2120 December 1952Lincoln CityA0–011,9532225 December 1952BarnsleyH4–015,976Sperrin, Dare, Lawton (2)2326 December 1952BarnsleyA2–013,725McNeil (og), Ledgerton243 January 1953Hull CityH1–016,035D'Arcy2517 January 1953Blackburn RoversA0–321,4872624 January 1953Nottingham ForestH1–115,110Ledgerton277 February 1953EvertonA0–536,4312814 February 1953BuryH2–29,387Sperrin, Bloomfield2921 February 1953Doncaster RoversH1–016,716Lawton3028 February 1953SouthamptonA2–020,327Ellerington (og), Dare317 March 1953Notts CountyH5–016,147Monk (pen), Harper, Dare, Lawton (2)3214 March 1953Leicester CityA3–221,307Morrad, Latimer3321 March 1953West Ham UnitedH1–418,117Latimer3428 March 1953FulhamA0–525,550353 April 1953Swansea TownH0–017,876364 April 1953Rotherham UnitedH1–114,411Bloomfield376 April 1953Swansea TownA2–321,695Ledgerton, Godwin3811 April 1953Plymouth ArgyleA0–119,9553918 April 1953Leeds UnitedH3–312,783Ledgerton, Coote, Lawton4022 April 1953Luton TownH1–116,347Ledgerton4125 April 1953Luton TownA1–015,826Dare421 May 1953Birmingham CityH1–28,565
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)3R10 January 1953Leeds UnitedH2–127,000Ledgerton, Lawton4R31 January 1953Aston VillaA0–040,6254R (replay)4 February 1953Aston VillaH1–221,735Lawton
Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford, Statto, 11v11
Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1952–53 season. Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepersGKAlf JefferiesOxford City1945GKReg NewtonLeyton Orient1949DefendersDFKen HorneBlackpool1950DFTecwyn JonesHolywell Town1950DFFred MonkGuildford City1948DFRoddy MunroRangers1946MidfieldersHBWally BraggTwickenham Celtic1946HBGeorge BristowYouth1950HBKen CooteWembley1949HBIan DargieTonbridge1952HBTony HarperHeadington United1948HBFrank LatimerSnowdown Colliery Welfare1945ForwardsFWJimmy BloomfieldHayes1952FWMicky BullYouth1948FWJimmy D'ArcyChelsea1952FWBilly DareHendon1948FWVerdi GodwinGrimsby Town1952FWJackie GoodwinBirmingham City1949FWTommy LawtonNotts County1952FWTerry LedgertonHuyton1950FWFrank MorradBrighton & Hove Albion1951FWLes SmithAston Villa1952FWBilly SperrinGuildford City1949Players who left the club mid-seasonHBRon Greenwood (c)Bradford Park Avenue1949Transferred to Chelsea Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford, Timeless Bees
Coaching staff
Jimmy Bain (23 August 1952 – 2 January 1953) NameRole Jimmy BainCaretaker Manager David RichardsTrainer Jack CartmellAssistant trainer
Tommy Lawton (2 January 1953 – 1 May 1953) NameRole Tommy LawtonPlayer-Manager Jimmy BainAssistant manager David RichardsTrainer Jack CartmellAssistant trainer
Statistics
Appearances and goals
PosNatNameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKAlf Jefferies35030380GKReg Newton700070DFKen Horne10000100DFTecwyn Jones400040DFFred Monk40730437DFRoddy Munro34030370HBWally Bragg38030410HBGeorge Bristow500050HBKen Coote17100171HBIan Dargie10000100HBRon Greenwood90—90HBTony Harper36330393HBFrank Latimer30330333FWJimmy Bloomfield15200152FWMicky Bull300030FWJimmy D'Arcy13300133FWBilly Dare33830368FWVerdi Godwin610061FWJackie Goodwin24430274FWTommy Lawton3413323715FWTerry Ledgerton28731318FWFrank Morrad510051FWLes Smith14100141FWBilly Sperrin12330153 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford
Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL2FACTotalFWTommy Lawton13215FWBilly Dare808FWTerry Ledgerton718DFFred Monk707FWJackie Goodwin404FWJimmy D'Arcy303HBTony Harper303HBFrank Latimer303FWBilly Sperrin303FWJimmy Bloomfield202HBKen Coote101FWVerdi Godwin101FWFrank Morrad101FWLes Smith101Opponents202Total59362 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford
International caps Pos.NatPlayerCapsGoalsRefFWJimmy D'Arcy41
Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Jimmy Bain23 August 195226 December 1952Tommy Lawton3 January 19521 May 1953
Summary Games played 45 (42 Second Division, 3 FA Cup)Games won 13 (13 Second Division, 1 FA Cup)Games drawn 12 (11 Second Division, 1 FA Cup)Games lost 19 (18 Second Division, 1 FA Cup)Goals scored 62 (59 Second Division, 3 FA Cup)Goals conceded 79 (76 Second Division, 3 FA Cup)Clean sheets 15 (14 Second Division, 1 FA Cup)Biggest league win 5–0 versus Notts County, 7 March 1953Worst league defeat 5–0 on two occasionsMost appearances 43, Fred Monk (43 Second Division, 3 FA Cup)Top scorer (league) 13, Tommy LawtonTop scorer (all competitions) 15, Tommy Lawton
Transfers & loans Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.June 1952FW Les Smith Aston Villan/aOctober 1952FW Bert Allum Hereford Unitedn/aOctober 1952HB Jimmy Bloomfield Hayesn/aOctober 1952FW Jimmy D'Arcy ChelseaPart-exchangeNovember 1952FW Vernon AvisUnattachedn/aNovember 1952FW John Pearson Chase of Chertseyn/aMarch 1953HB Leonard Geard Fulhamn/aPlayers transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.July 1952FW Jimmy Bowie Watfordn/aJuly 1952FW Johnny Paton Watfordn/aAugust 1952DF Wally Quinton Shrewsbury Townn/aAugust 1952HB Bill Slater Wolverhampton WanderersAmateurOctober 1952HB Ron Greenwood ChelseaPart-exchangePlayers releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.May 1953DF Frank Morrad Bedford Townn/aMay 1953DF Roddy Munro Cambridge Cityn/a
References