1917–18 Brentford F.C. season
1917–18 season of Brentford F.C.
Brentford 1917–18 football season
During the 1917–18 English football season, Brentford competed in the London Combination , due to the cessation of competitive football for the duration of the First World War . In a patchy season, the Bees finished in mid-table.
Season summary
Former Brentford half back George Kennedy was killed on the Western Front in November 1917. The wartime London Combination was streamlined for the 1917–18 season, with the clubs voting to expel Portsmouth , Watford , Southampton and Luton Town , which would reduce travelling expenses on Britain 's congested railways. Despite the entry of the United States into the First World War in April 1917, Britain was still mired in war and manager Fred Halliday again had trouble securing players to play. Of Brentford 's squad, goalkeeper Ted Price , defenders Jack Peart , Dusty Rhodes and forwards Albert Chester , Patsy Hendren and Henry White would appear in the majority of the matches during the season.[ 2] Half back Bill Stanton , previously with Watford, was a rare wartime signing and he too would be regularly available.
Manager Fred Halliday struggled to field a settled side during the opening months of the season and Brentford suffered six defeats in eight matches between mid-September and mid-November 1917. In late November, Halliday pulled off a transfer coup, re-signing former Brentford forward Jack Cock as a guest from Huddersfield Town , to whom he had transferred in April 1914. Cock went on to score 27 goals in 23 appearances, which included two hattricks and a five-goal haul versus rivals Queens Park Rangers on the final day of the season.[ 2] [ 2] Clapton Orient and 5–2 versus Tottenham Hotspur ) and crushing defeats (7–1 versus Millwall , 6–1 versus Tottenham Hotspur; 8–3, 7–3, 7–2 versus West Ham United and 4–0 on two occasions).[ 2]
A number of former Brentford players were killed during the season:[ 4]
Lance sergeant Richard Kemp, served with the King's Royal Rifle Corps and died at Dörnitz Altengrabow prisoner-of-war camp on 17 August 1917.[ 5] Private James Greechan , died of wounds suffered during the Battle of Langemarck on 25 August 1917, while serving with the Highland Light Infantry .[ 6] [ 7] Company Sergeant Major George Kennedy DCM MM Battle of Passchendaele on 16 November 1917, while serving with the Canadian Infantry Corps .[ 8] Private William Kirby , killed at Polygon Wood during the Battle of Passchendaele on 3 October 1917, while serving with the Royal Engineers .[ 9] 1916–17 season.[ 10]
Bombardier William Allwright, served with the Royal Field Artillery and died of a stroke in Britain on 12 April 1918, having returned to convalesce.[ 11] Private Harry Dutfield , served with the Leicestershire Regiment and was killed near Voormezeele, West Flanders on 6 June 1918.[ 12]
League table
London Combination
Results
Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend
London Combination
No.
Date
Opponent
Venue
Result
Scorer(s)
1
1 September 1917
Clapton Orient H
1–0
Keenor
2
8 September 1917
Millwall A
3–1
Hendren , Gregson (2)
3
15 September 1917
Tottenham Hotspur H
5–2
Hendren (2), White (3)
4
22 September 1917
Chelsea A
1–3
Hendren
5
29 September 1917
Crystal Palace
A
0–4
6
6 October 1917
Arsenal H
2–2
Gregson , Sloley
7
13 October 1917
West Ham United
A
3–8
Heydenrick, Green , Stanton
8
20 October 1917
Fulham
H
1–3
Chester
9
27 October 1917
Clapton Orient A
3–1
White (2), Stanton
10
3 November 1917
Millwall
H
0–4
11
10 November 1917
Tottenham Hotspur
A
1–6
Chester
12
17 November 1917
Chelsea
H
1–0
Hooper
13
24 November 1917
Crystal Palace H
3–0
Cock (3)
14
1 December 1917
Arsenal A
1–4
Cock
15
8 December 1917
West Ham United H
3–2
Cock , Denyer , White
16
15 December 1917
Fulham H
0–2
17
22 December 1917
Clapton Orient H
5–0
Edwards , White , Cock (2), Hendren
18
25 December 1917
Queens Park Rangers H
1–1
Cock
19
26 December 1917
Queens Park Rangers
A
4–0
Hendren , Hanney , Stanton , White
20
29 December 1917
Millwall A
1–7
Cock
21
5 January 1918
Tottenham Hotspur H
2–3
White , Cock
22
12 January 1918
Chelsea A
1–4
Cock
23
19 January 1918
Crystal Palace
A
4–3
Chester , E. Rhodes (3)
24
26 January 1918
Arsenal H
3–2
Cock (2), White
25
2 February 1918
West Ham United A
2–7
Corless, Chester
26
9 February 1918
Queens Park Rangers H
6–1
White (2), Cock (3), Hooper (pen )
27
16 February 1918
Clapton Orient A
1–1
Cock
28
23 February 1918
Millwall H
3–1
Cock (2), Sloley
29
2 March 1918
Tottenham Hotspur
A
0–3
30
9 March 1918
Chelsea H
0–1
31
16 March 1918
Crystal Palace H
0–2
32
23 March 1918
Arsenal
A
3–1
Cock , Chalmers , Cockerill (og )
33
29 March 1918
Fulham H
2–3
Chester , Hooper
34
30 March 1918
West Ham United H
3–7
White (2, 1 pen ), Chester
35
1 April 1918
Fulham
A
6–4
Cock (2), Allwright , White (2), Chester
36
6 April 1918
Queens Park Rangers A
6–2
Cock (5), White
Source: 100 Years Of Brentford [ 2]
Playing squad
Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1917–18 season. Sources: 100 Years of Brentford,[ 2] [ 13] [ 14]
Coaching staff
Statistics
Appearances and goals
Brentford's highest appearance-makers in each position during the London Combination season.
Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford [ 2]
Goalscorers
Players listed in italics left the club mid-season. Source: 100 Years of Brentford [ 2]
Management
Name
Nat
From
To
Record
P
W
D
L
W %
Fred Halliday
1 September 1917
6 April 1918
36
16
3
17
0 44.44
Summary
Games played
36
Games won
16
Games drawn
3
Games lost
17
Goals scored
81
Goals conceded
94
Clean sheets
5
Biggest win
5–0 versus Clapton Orient , 22 December 1917
Worst defeat
7–1 versus Millwall , 29 December 1917
Most appearances
39, Patsy Hendren
Top scorer
27, Jack Cock
Guest players' arrival and departure dates correspond to their first and last appearances of the season.
References
