During the 1905–06 English football season, Brentford competed in the Southern League First Division. The mid-table season is best-remembered for the Bees' appearance in the FA Cup proper for the first time in club history. After victories over Football League Second Division clubs Bristol City and Lincoln City in the first and second rounds respectively, Brentford were defeated in the third round by top-flight club Liverpool at Anfield.

Season summary

After two successive mid-table seasons in the Southern League First Division and some positive showings in the FA Cup, Brentford manager Dick Molyneux was able to keep the majority of his full back and half back lines together for the 1905–06 season.White, p. 85-87. He brought goalkeeper Tommy Spicer back from Leyton as cover for Walter Whittaker and cleared out the forward line, making six new additions, with five of the players possessing Football League experience – Walter Cookson, Fred Corbett, Willie Cross, Jack Dewhurst and Jimmy Hartley.

Three wins in the first four matches of the season put lifted Brentford high in the First Division table, but injury to Fred Corbett and the departure of Jack Dewhurst dropped the club back after successive defeats in late September and early October 1905. Molyneux re-signed forward Fred Hobson as a replacement for Dewhurst and together with fit-again Fred Corbett, the pair began to score regularly. Brentford's FA Cup campaign got underway in early December with a 4–0 fourth qualifying round victory over Southern League Second Division strugglers Wycombe Wanderers, a result which put Brentford in the first round proper of the FA Cup for the first time in the club's history. Brentford were drawn against Football League Second Division high-flyers Bristol City at Griffin Park and came back from a goal down to emerge 2–1 victors, with former City player Fred Corbett scoring both the Bees' goals. The best result in the club's history so far was achieved without manager Dick Molyneux, who was confined to his home with a serious illness.

In manager Molyneux's absence, trainer Bob Crone took over the day-to-day running of the team and the FA Cup second round draw produced a home tie versus Second Division club Lincoln City on 3 February 1906, whom Brentford swept aside 3–0 to go into the hat for the third round. Though the still-seriously ill Molyneux had not left the club, he was replaced by William Brown in mid-February, who took charge of Brentford's FA Cup third round tie at Anfield. After a week of hard training on Southport beach, the Bees produced a creditable performance in a 2–0 defeat and finally received national attention. The end of the cup run left Brentford with the league season to play out and despite never falling below 7th position between December and mid-April, five defeats from the final six matches dropped the club to a 9th-place finish. Former manager Dick Molyneux's contract was cancelled in May and he returned to Liverpool, where he died shortly after.

League table

Results Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend WinDrawLoss

Southern League First Division No.DateOpponentVenueResultScorer(s)12 September 1905SouthamptonA1–0Underwood29 September 1905ReadingH2–1Shanks (pen), Underwood316 September 1905WatfordA0–1423 September 1905Brighton & Hove AlbionH2–0Shanks, Hartley530 September 1905West Ham UnitedA0–267 October 1905FulhamH0–2714 October 1905Queens Park RangersA2–1Corbett, Underwood821 October 1905Bristol RoversH1–0Cross928 October 1905New BromptonA1–2Corbett104 November 1905PortsmouthH1–1Parsonage1111 November 1905Swindon TownA1–1Hobson1218 November 1905MillwallH1–1Corbett1325 November 1905Luton TownA2–0Hobson, Corbett142 December 1905Tottenham HotspurH0–31516 December 1905Norwich CityA1–1Hartley1623 December 1905Plymouth ArgyleH1–0Underwood1730 December 1905SouthamptonH2–1Hartley, Corbett186 January 1906ReadingA2–2Corbett, Hartley1920 January 1906WatfordH3–0McCartney (og), Shanks, Jay2027 January 1906Brighton & Hove AlbionA2–3Shanks, Corbett2110 February 1906FulhamA0–22217 February 1906Queens Park RangersH2–2Greaves, Hartley233 March 1906New BromptonH3–2Shanks (2, 1 pen), Greaves2410 March 1906PortsmouthA0–52512 March 1906Northampton TownH2–1Corbett, Hobson2617 March 1906Swindon TownH3–1Corbett, Shanks (2)2724 March 1906MillwallA1–1Underwood2831 March 1906Luton TownH2–1Corbett (2)297 April 1906Tottenham HotspurA1–4Shanks3014 April 1906Northampton TownA0–43121 April 1906Norwich CityH0–23223 April 1906West Ham UnitedH3–1Shanks, Hobson (2)3328 April 1906Plymouth ArgyleA0–23430 April 1906Bristol RoversA1–2Greaves

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultScorer(s)4QR9 December 1905Wycombe WanderersH4–0Corbett, Hobson, Hartley, Shanks1R13 January 1906Bristol CityH2–1Corbett (2)2R3 February 1906Lincoln CityH3–0Parsonage, Underwood, Corbett3R24 February 1906LiverpoolA0–2 Source: 100 Years of Brentford

Playing squad

Left club during season

Source: 100 Years of Brentford

Coaching staff

Dick Molyneux (2 September 1905 – January 1906) NameRole Dick MolyneuxSecretary Manager Bob CroneTrainer

Bob Crone (January – February 1906) NameRole Bob CroneCaretaker Manager

William Brown (February – 30 April 1906) NameRole William BrownSecretary Manager Bob CroneTrainer

Statistics Appearances

Goalscorers Pos.NatPlayerSL1FACTotalFWFred Corbett11415FWTommy Shanks10111FWJimmy Hartley516FWFred Hobson516FWTosher Underwood516FWDavid Greaves303HBGeorge Parsonage112FWWillie Cross101HBJimmy Jay101Opponents101Total43952 Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years Of Brentford

Summary Games played 38 (34 Southern League First Division, 4 FA Cup)Games won 17 (14 Southern League First Division, 3 FA Cup)Games drawn 7 (7 Southern League First Division, 0 FA Cup)Games lost 14 (13 Southern League First Division, 1 FA Cup)Goals scored 42 (33 Southern League First Division, 9 FA Cup)Goals conceded 46 (43 Southern League First Division, 3 FA Cup)Clean sheets 8 (6 Southern League First Division, 2 FA Cup)Biggest league win 3–0 versus Watford, 20 January 1906Worst league defeat5–0 versus Portsmouth, 10 March 1906Most appearances 38, Tosher Underwood (34 Southern League First Division, 4 FA Cup)Top scorer (league) 11, Fred CorbettTop scorer (all competitions) 15, Fred Corbett

References