During the 1953–54 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Second Division. With Brentford in the relegation places, player-manager Tommy Lawton transferred out of the club in September 1953 and his replacement Bill Dodgin Sr. was unable to turn things round, which culminated in relegation to the Third Division South on the final day of the season. Brentford did not return to the second-tier of English football until the 1992–93 season.
Season summary Without a transfer budget to speak of, Brentford player-manager Tommy Lawton could not rely entirely on filling his squad with the products of Alf Bew's youth team, which had reached the semi-finals of the inaugural FA Youth Cup during the previous season. Lawton again relied on Wally Bragg and Ken Coote to hold two of the half back berths alongside Tony Harper. He signed ageing forwards Frank Broome and Ian McPherson from his previous club Notts County as replacements for Les Smith and the injured Jimmy D'Arcy.
Six defeats and just one win from the opening 9 Second Division matches saw Tommy Lawton quit the club in favour of a £10,000 transfer to Arsenal, a deal which saw James Robertson arrive at Griffin Park in part-exchange. Full back Fred Monk took over as caretaker manager until the appointment of Bill Dodgin Sr. on 1 October 1953. Dodgin's arrival heralded three consecutive wins, which lifted the Bees out of the relegation places. Ineffective forwards Broome and McPherson were transferred out and replaced by Cardiff City's Johnny Rainford and Frank Dudley. Despite their arrivals, Brentford showed poor form over the Christmas and New Year period and a money-raising FA Cup run ended in a third round replay defeat to Hull City. Gerry Gazzard arrived on loan from West Ham United in January 1954 and despite Gazzard and Dudley forming something of a strike partnership during the final 10 weeks of the season, Brentford were relegated in 21st-place after the club's final match on 24 April.
The solitary away league win during the season tied the club record for fewest away league wins in a season. In addition, Brentford were the joint-lowest scorers in the Second Division during the season. Long-serving trainer Jack Cartmell retired at the end of the season, after over 30 years on the staff at Griffin Park.
League table
Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend WinDrawLoss
Football League Second Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)119 August 1953Stoke CityA1–122,413Broome222 August 1953Derby CountyA1–418,927Lawton327 August 1953Blackburn RoversH1–416,682Ledgerton429 August 1953FulhamH2–121,689Monk (pen), Goodwin531 August 1953Blackburn RoversA2–211,793Dare (2)65 September 1953Bristol RoversH0–321,158710 September 1953Doncaster RoversH1–414,047Lawton812 September 1953Lincoln CityA1–216,592Harper916 September 1953Doncaster RoversA0–319,4631019 September 1953Notts CountyH0–012,7701126 September 1953Hull CityA0–219,501123 October 1953EvertonH1–017,367Dare1310 October 1953West Ham UnitedA1–024,934Bloomfield1417 October 1953Leeds UnitedH2–118,329Dare, Bloomfield1524 October 1953Birmingham CityA1–523,582Dare1631 October 1953Nottingham ForestH1–115,384Rainford177 November 1953Luton TownA1–115,167Robertson1814 November 1953Plymouth ArgyleH1–017,327Dare1921 November 1953Swansea TownA0–116,6272028 November 1953Rotherham UnitedH0–116,740215 December 1953Leicester CityA0–624,0362212 December 1953Stoke CityH0–011,8482319 December 1953Derby CountyH0–010,6522425 December 1953Oldham AthleticH3–115,309Rainford, Dudley, Bloomfield2526 December 1953Oldham AthleticA0–214,414262 January 1954FulhamA1–424,372Dudley2716 January 1954Bristol RoversA0–020,5412823 January 1954Lincoln CityH0–111,4312930 January 1954BuryA1–19,035Robertson306 February 1954Notts CountyA0–210,5073113 February 1954Hull CityH2–211,522Gazzard (2)3224 February 1954EvertonA1–623,145Gazzard3327 February 1954West Ham UnitedH3–116,458Gazzard, Dudley, Dare346 March 1954Leeds UnitedA0–416,5013513 March 1954Birmingham CityH2–012,584Dudley (2)3620 March 1954Nottingham ForestA1–215,700Dudley3727 March 1954Swansea TownH3–114,023Gazzard, Robertson, Dudley383 April 1954Rotherham UnitedA1–19,198Bragg3910 April 1954Luton TownH0–114,2044016 April 1954BuryH2–115,768Gazzard (pen), Dudley4117 April 1954Plymouth ArgyleA2–323,405Dudley, Robertson4224 April 1954Leicester CityH1–322,845Dudley
FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorer(s)Notes3R9 January 1954Hull CityH0–016,0003R (replay)14 January 1954Hull CityA2–216,000Dudley, Rainford3R (2nd replay)18 January 1954Hull CityN2–510,150Bly (og), SperrinMatch played at Belle Vue, Doncaster.
Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford, Statto, 11v11
Playing squad Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1953–54 season. Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepersGKAlf JefferiesOxford City1945GKReg NewtonLeyton Orient1949DefendersDFAlan BasshamYouth1953DFKen HorneBlackpool1950DFFrank LatimerSnowdown Colliery Welfare1945DFGeorge LowdenUnattached1951DFFred Monk (c)Guildford City1948Caretaker managerMidfieldersHBWally BraggTwickenham Celtic1946HBGeorge BristowYouth1950HBKen CooteWembley1949HBIan DargieTonbridge1952HBTony HarperHeadington United1948ForwardsFWVernon AvisYouth1952FWJimmy BloomfieldHayes1952FWBilly DareHendon1948FWFrank DudleyCardiff City1953FWGerry GazzardWest Ham United1954On loan from West Ham UnitedFWJackie GoodwinBirmingham City1949FWTerry LedgertonHuyton1950FWJohnny RainfordCardiff City1953FWJames RobertsonArsenal1953FWBilly SperrinGuildford City1949Players who left the club mid-seasonFWFrank BroomeNotts County1953Transferred to Crewe AlexandraFWTommy Lawton (c)Notts County1952Manager, transferred to ArsenalFWIan McPhersonNotts County1953Transferred to Bedford Town Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford, Timeless Bees
Coaching staff
Tommy Lawton (19 August – September 1953) NameRole Tommy LawtonPlayer-Manager Jimmy BainAssistant Manager David RichardsTrainer Jack CartmellAssistant Trainer
Fred Monk ( – 1 September October 1953) NameRole Fred MonkPlayer-Manager Jimmy BainAssistant Manager David RichardsTrainer Jack CartmellAssistant Trainer
Bill Dodgin Sr. (1 October 1953 – 24 April 1954) NameRole Bill Dodgin Sr.Manager Jimmy BainAssistant Manager David RichardsTrainer Jack CartmellAssistant Trainer
Statistics
Appearances and goals
PosNatNameLeagueFA CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsGKAlf Jefferies300030GKReg Newton39030420DFAlan Bassham200020DFKen Horne10000100DFFrank Latimer36030390DFGeorge Lowden100010DFFred Monk23120251HBWally Bragg41130441HBGeorge Bristow24030270HBKen Coote40030430HBIan Dargie14010150HBTony Harper26100261FWVernon Avis100010FWJimmy Bloomfield27320293FWFrank Broome61—61FWBilly Dare38720407FWFrank Dudley2010312311FWJackie Goodwin19110201FWTommy Lawton62—62FWTerry Ledgerton7130101FWIan McPherson40—40FWJohnny Rainford29231323FWJames Robertson31400314FWBilly Sperrin201131Players loaned in during the seasonFWGerry Gazzard136—136 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford
Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerFL2FACTotalFWFrank Dudley10111FWBilly Dare707FWGerry Gazzard6—6FWJames Robertson404FWJimmy Bloomfield303FWJohnny Rainford213FWTommy Lawton2—2FWFrank Broome1—1HBWally Bragg101FWJackie Goodwin101HBTony Harper101FWTerry Ledgerton101DFFred Monk101FWBilly Sperrin011Opponents011Total40444 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford
Management NameNatFromToRecord All CompsRecord LeaguePWDLW %PWDLW %Tommy Lawton19 August 195316 September 1953Fred Monk (caretaker)19 September 195326 September 1953Bill Dodgin Sr.3 October 195324 April 1954
Summary Games played 45 (42 Second Division, 3 FA Cup)Games won 10 (10 Second Division, 0 FA Cup)Games drawn 13 (11 Second Division, 2 FA Cup)Games lost 22 (21 Second Division, 1 FA Cup)Goals scored 44 (40 Second Division, 4 FA Cup)Goals conceded 85 (78 Second Division, 7 FA Cup)Clean sheets 9 (8 Second Division, 1 FA Cup)Biggest league win 2–0 versus Birmingham City, 13 March 1954; 3–1 on three occasionsWorst league defeat 6–0 versus Leicester City, 5 December 1953Most appearances 44, Wally Bragg (41 Second Division, 3 FA Cup)Top scorer (league) 10, Frank DudleyTop scorer (all competitions) 11, Frank Dudley
Transfers & loans Players transferred inDatePos.NamePrevious clubFeeRef.July 1953FW Frank Broome Notts Countyn/aJuly 1953FW Ian McPherson Notts Countyn/aAugust 1953DF Ken Moffitt Berwick Rangersn/aSeptember 1953FW James Robertson ArsenalPart-exchangeOctober 1953FW Johnny Rainford Cardiff Cityn/aDecember 1953FW Frank Dudley Cardiff Cityn/aPlayers loaned inDate fromPos.NameFromDate toRef.January 1954FW Gerry Gazzard West Ham UnitedEnd of seasonPlayers transferred outDatePos.NameSubsequent clubFeeRef.3 June 1953FW Micky Bull Swindon Townn/aJuly 1953GK Dave Jones Readingn/aJuly 1953DF Tecwyn Jones Wrexhamn/aAugust 1953FW Les Smith Kidderminster Harriersn/aSeptember 1953FW Tommy Lawton Arsenal£10,000October 1953FW Frank Broome Crewe Alexandran/a1953FW Ian McPherson Bedford Townn/aPlayers releasedDatePos.NameSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.January 1954FW Jimmy D'ArcyRetiredApril 1954FW Verdi Godwin SouthportJuly 1954April 1954FW Jackie Goodwin Dartfordn/aApril 1954DF Fred Monk AldershotJuly 1954
Notes
References