During the 1954–55 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division South. In the club's first season back in the third-tier since 1932–33, the Bees finished in mid-table. The season was memorable for the debuts of youth products Jim Towers and George Francis, who went on to dominate Brentford's goalscoring charts until 1961.
Season summary The 1954–55 Third Division South season marked Brentford's fall from the top-flight to the basement in just seven years. It was the Bees' first Third Division South season since 1932–33 and though he had a limited budget, manager Bill Dodgin Sr. did not conduct a fire sale and managed to keep his squad intact. Forwards George Stobbart, Jeff Taylor and goalkeeper Sonny Feehan were the only players to arrive at Griffin Park. Ageing full back Fred Monk was released, goalkeeper Alf Jefferies transferred to Torquay United and the £10,000 fee from the sale of Jimmy Bloomfield to Arsenal was spent on relieving the club's debts. The products of Alf Bew's youth team were to be given more of a chance than in the previous Second Division seasons.
Brentford drew four of the first six matches of the season and Bees slowly pulled away from the relegation places, before moving into the top 10 after three wins in a four match spell in late September 1954. An uneven period followed through to February 1955, with the club drifting slowly towards the re-election places (the £10,000 sale of forward Billy Dare to West Ham United was offset by the emergence of youth product Jim Towers), before rising back to an 11th-place finish after just three defeats in the final 18 matches of the season. Frank Dudley (20, George Stobbart (19) and Jim Towers (16) led the club's goalscoring chart, but while 82 league goals were scored, 82 were also conceded, which was amongst the highest in the Third Division South.
The FA Cup proved to be an entertaining distraction, with Brentford entering at the first round stage for the first time since the 1932–33 season. Non-League clubs Nuneaton Borough and Crook Town were beaten in the first two rounds and it took two replays to get past Bradford City in the third. The Bees fell to Newcastle United at St James' Park in the fourth round, but they gave their First Division hosts a scare with goals from George Stobbart and Johnny Rainford in the 3–2 defeat.
A number of club records were set or equalled during the season: Most home league goals conceded in a season: 36 Highest away league aggregate score: 10 (4–6 versus Southampton, 21 August 1954) Most league games without a clean sheet: 20 (25 September 1954 – 19 February 1955) Quickest league goalscorer: 10 seconds – George Stobbart (versus Aldershot, 6 November 1954)
League table
Results
Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend WinDrawLoss
Friendlies DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)5 October 1954ChelseaH4–011,30019 October 1954DundeeH4–1n/an/aNovember 1954ScotlandH0–2029 March 1955England Amateur XIH2–111,000Studley (2)
Football League Third Division South No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)121 August 1954SouthamptonA4–621,454Robertson (2), Dudley, Stobbart226 August 1954Shrewsbury TownH2–212,743Dudley, Maloney (og)328 August 1954Coventry CityH2–313,057Stobbart, McDonnell (og)430 August 1954Shrewsbury TownA2–28,352Stobbart, Towers54 September 1954Queens Park RangersH1–118,756Heath68 September 1954ReadingA0–09,692711 September 1954Brighton & Hove AlbionA4–317,361Towers, Heath, Robertson, Dudley816 September 1954ReadingH2–29,639Dudley, Stobbart918 September 1954Torquay UnitedH4–213,552Towers, Heath, Stobbart, Webber (og)1023 September 1954GillinghamH3–09,241Dudley (2), Heath1125 September 1954Bristol CityA1–228,980Dudley1229 September 1954GillinghamA1–28,202Towers132 October 1954WalsallH0–212,584149 October 1954Exeter CityA2–39,700Robertson, Rainford1516 October 1954Colchester UnitedH3–210,218Robertson, Stobbart, Rainford1623 October 1954Norwich CityA0–120,1481730 October 1954Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticH1–312,037Towers186 November 1954AldershotA3–27,178Stobbart, Towers, Heath1913 November 1954Swindon TownH4–210,634Stobbart (2), Heath, Towers2027 November 1954Northampton TownH1–310,029Croy (og)214 December 1954WatfordA2–210,438Towers (2)2218 December 1954SouthamptonH0–39,3182325 December 1954MillwallH3–113,591Stobbart (2), Towers2427 December 1954MillwallA2–220,034Anslow (og), Hurley (og)251 January 1955Coventry CityA0–114,4812615 January 1955Queens Park RangersA1–19,835Dudley2722 January 1955Brighton & Hove AlbionH2–310,173Stobbart, Bristow285 February 1955Torquay UnitedA2–46,117Dudley, Sperrin2912 February 1955Bristol CityH2–211,563Rainford, Robertson3019 February 1955WalsallA2–29,028Robertson, Francis3126 February 1955Exeter CityH1–07,454Stobbart325 March 1955Colchester UnitedA2–38,254Francis, Dudley3312 March 1955Norwich CityH1–011,155Stobbart3419 March 1955Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticA2–18,241Coote, Taylor3526 March 1955AldershotH1–18,755Taylor362 April 1955Swindon TownA1–15,924Taylor378 April 1955Leyton OrientH2–018,093Dudley, Towers (pen)389 April 1955Crystal PalaceH3–012,013Towers, Dudley (2)3911 April 1955Leyton OrientA1–09,529Dudley4016 April 1955Northampton TownA2–16,980Taylor, Towers4121 April 1955Newport CountyA1–37,926Rainford4223 April 1955WatfordH3–29,394Dudley, Towers (2, 1 pen)4327 April 1955Crystal PalaceA1–18,170Andrews (og)4430 April 1955Southend UnitedA2–36,464Dudley (2)452 May 1955Newport CountyH1–04,960Stobbart465 May 1955Southend UnitedH2–25,812Heath, Dudley
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)Notes1R20 November 1954Nuneaton BoroughH2–113,180Dare, Stobbart2R11 December 1954Crook TownH4–114,300Rainford, Stobbart (2), Towers3R8 January 1955Bradford CityH1–112,120Dudley3R (replay)12 January 1955Bradford CityA2–2 7,963Dare, Dudley3R (2nd replay)20 January 1955Bradford CityN1–05,961DareMatch played at Arsenal Stadium, London.4R29 January 1955Newcastle UnitedA2–346,574Stobbart, Rainford
Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford, Statto, 11v11
Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1954–55 season. Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepersGKGerry CakebreadYouth1954AmateurGKSonny FeehanNorthampton Town1954GKReg NewtonLeyton Orient1949DefendersDFAlan BasshamYouth1953DFKen CooteWembley1949DFKen HorneBlackpool1950DFGeorge LowdenUnattached1951MidfieldersHBWally BraggTwickenham Celtic1946HBGeorge BristowYouth1950HBIan DargieTonbridge1952HBLeonard GeardFulham1953HBTony HarperHeadington United1948HBRoy HartYouth1955HBFrank Latimer (c)Snowdown Colliery Welfare1945HBTerry RobinsonLoughborough College1954AmateurForwardsFWFrank DudleyCardiff City1953FWGeorge FrancisYouth1955FWDennis HeathYouth1954FWJohnny RainfordCardiff City1953FWJames RobertsonArsenal1953FWLen RoeRuislip Manor1951FWBilly SperrinGuildford City1949FWGeorge StobbartMillwall1954FWJeff TaylorFulham1954FWJim TowersYouth1954Players who left the club mid-seasonFWBilly DareHendon1948Transferred to West Ham United Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford, Timeless Bees
Coaching staff NameRole Bill Dodgin Sr.Manager Jimmy BainAssistant Manager Tommy EgglestonTrainer
Statistics
Appearances and goals
PosNatNameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKGerry Cakebread300030GKSonny Feehan25060310GKReg Newton18000180DFAlan Bassham17000170DFKen Coote37160431DFKen Horne35060410DFGeorge Lowden10000100HBWally Bragg900090HBGeorge Bristow30150351HBIan Dargie20020220HBLeonard Geard100010HBTony Harper26050310HBRoy Hart200020HBFrank Latimer28050330HBTerry Robinson801090FWBilly Dare8033113FWFrank Dudley3418423820FWGeorge Francis320032FWDennis Heath35740397FWJohnny Rainford33462396FWJames Robertson31710327FWLen Roe100010FWBilly Sperrin310031FWGeorge Stobbart4515645119FWJeff Taylor13400134FWJim Towers3115613716 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford
Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL3FACTotalFWFrank Dudley18220FWGeorge Stobbart15419FWJim Towers15116FWDennis Heath707FWJames Robertson707FWJohnny Rainford426FWJeff Taylor404FWBilly Dare033FWGeorge Francis202HBGeorge Bristow101DFKen Coote101FWBilly Sperrin101Opponents707Total821294 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford
Representative appearances Pos.NatPlayerTeamCapsGoalsRefHBJohnny RainfordThird Division South11
Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Bill Dodgin Sr.21 August 19545 May 1955
Summary Games played 52 (46 Third Division South, 6 FA Cup)Games won 19 (16 Third Division South, 3 FA Cup)Games drawn 16 (14 Third Division South, 2 FA Cup)Games lost 17 (16 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup)Goals scored 94 (82 Third Division South, 12 FA Cup)Goals conceded 90 (82 Third Division South, 8 FA Cup)Clean sheets 9 (8 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup)Biggest league win 3–0 on two occasionsWorst league defeat 3–0 versus Southampton, 18 December 1954Most appearances 51, George Stobbart (45 Third Division South, 6 FA Cup)Top scorer (league) 18, Frank DudleyTop scorer (all competitions) 20, Frank Dudley
Transfers & loans Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.May 1954FW George Stobbart MillwallExchangeJune 1954FW Wendell Morgan Cardiff CityFreeAugust 1954GK Sonny Feehan Northampton TownFreeAugust 1954FW Jeff Taylor Fulhamn/aSeptember 1954HB Terry Robinson Loughborough CollegeAmateurPlayers transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.May 1954FW Terry Ledgerton MillwallExchangeJune 1954GK Alf Jefferies Torquay Unitedn/aJuly 1954FW Jimmy Bloomfield Arsenal£10,000January 1955FW Billy Dare West Ham United£10,000Players releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.May 1955HB Tony Harper Headington United1955May 1955HB Roy Hartn/an/aMay 1955DF Ken Moffitt Berwick Rangers1955
Notes
References