1901–02 Brentford F.C. season explained

Club:Brentford
Season:1901–02
Chairman:Charlie Dorey
Stadium:York Road
League:Southern League First Division
League Result:15th
Cup1:FA Cup
Cup1 Result:Fourth qualifying round
League Topscorer:Shanks (9)
Mgrtitle:Secretary Manager
Season Topscorer:Shanks (11)
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Prevseason:1900–01
Nextseason:1902–03

During the 1901–02 English football season, Brentford competed in the Southern League First Division. After a torrid season, the Bees were spared relegation after Second Division club Grays United forfeited promotion at the end of the campaign.

Season summary

Despite having won election to the Southern League First Division in July 1901, the Brentford committee did not rest on its laurels and quickly realised that the team which finished top of the Second Division during the previous season needed drastic improvement if the club was to retain its First Division status.[1] Almost a whole new XI was signed, which included goalkeeper Tommy Spicer, full back David Robson, half backs Bill Regan, Robert Stormont, Charlie McEleny and three new forwards. Half back Ralph McElhaney and forwards E. Andrews, Roddy McLeod and Peter Turnbull, all lynchpins of the promotion team, would play a part in the upcoming season. In late August, the club was registered as a limited liability company.

Brentford began the season in poor form and it took the signings of forwards Tommy Shanks, Paddy Logan and Tom Grieve to inspire the team to its first league victory of the campaign on 9 November 1901. The result inspired three wins and three draws from a seven-match spell through to January 1902, but the team soon regained the habit of losing. Despite the loss of captain Robert Stormont due to an FA suspension and injury problems in February, Brentford struggled on until mid-April and with two matches to go, were level on points with fellow promotion-relegation test match contenders Watford, New Brompton and Wellingborough near the bottom of the First Division. The Bees closed out the season with 7–1 and 3–0 defeats to Portsmouth and Tottenham Hotspur respectively, the top two sides in the First Division. Brentford's 15th-place finish led to a promotion-relegation test match with Grays United, in which the Second Division side forfeited promotion by refusing to play extra time while the score was at 1–1, which preserved the Bees' First Division status.

One club record was set during the season:

Results

Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend

WinDrawLoss

Southern League First Division

No.DateOpponentVenueResultScorer(s)
17 September 1901Swindon TownA0–0
214 September 1901West Ham UnitedA0–2
321 September 1901KetteringA1–3McLeod
428 September 1901Luton TownH0–1
55 October 1901Millwall AthleticA1–4McSwan
612 October 1901Queens Park RangersH1–1Turnbull
719 October 1901ReadingA0–2
826 October 1901SouthamptonA0–1
99 November 1901New BromptonH3–2McElhaney, Shanks, Logan
1030 November 1901WellingboroughA1–3Crump
117 December 1901WellingboroughH3–0Shanks, Andrews, McEleny
1214 December 1901SouthamptonH1–1Regan
1321 December 1901Swindon TownH2–0Stormont, Andrews
144 January 1902KetteringH1–1Shanks
1511 January 1902Luton TownA1–1Regan
1618 January 1902Millwall AthleticH0–2
1725 January 1902Queens Park RangersA2–3Parkinson, Shanks
181 February 1902ReadingH0–1
1915 February 1902Bristol RoversH2–0Shanks, Jury
2022 February 1902New BromptonA0–2
211 March 1902Northampton TownH4–2Jury, Shanks, Grieve, Regan
223 March 1902West Ham UnitedH0–2
238 March 1902WatfordA1–2Regan (pen)
2415 March 1902Tottenham HotspurH2–1Logan, Shanks
2528 March 1902Bristol RoversA0–5
2629 March 1902PortsmouthH1–4Andrews
271 April 1902Northampton TownA2–2Logan, Shanks
2812 April 1902WatfordH4–3Shanks, Logan, Andrews, Regan (pen)
2919 April 1902PortsmouthA1–7Jury
3026 April 1902Tottenham HotspurA0–3

FA Cup

See main article: 1901–02 FA Cup.

RoundDateOpponentVenueResultScorer(s)
3QR2 November 1901MarlowA3–0McLeod (pen), Broughton, McElhaney
4QR23 November 1901Shepherd's BushH2–3Shanks, Turnbull

Playing squad

Left club during season

Statistics

Goalscorers

Pos.NatPlayerSL1FACTMTotal
FWTommy Shanks92011
HBBill Regan5005
FWE. Andrews4015
FWPaddy Logan4004
FWHorace Jury3003
FWPeter Turnbull1203
DFRalph McElhaney1102
FWRoddy McLeod1102
HBHarry Crump1001
FWTom Grieve1001
HBCharlie McEleny1001
FWRanald McSwan1001
FWJohn Parkinson1001
HBRobert Stormont1001
Total346141

Summary

Games played 33 (30 Southern League First Division, 1 Southern League Test Match, 2 FA Cup)
Games won 8 (7 Southern League First Division, 0 Southern League Test Match, 1 FA Cup)
Games drawn 7 (6 Southern League First Division, 1 Southern League Test Match, 0 FA Cup)
Games lost 18 (17 Southern League First Division, 0 Southern League Test Match, 1 FA Cup)
Goals scored 40 (34 Southern League First Division, 1 Southern League Test Match, 5 FA Cup)
Goals conceded 65 (61 Southern League First Division, 1 Southern League Test Match, 3 FA Cup)
Clean sheets 5 (4 Southern League First Division, 0 Southern League Test Match, 1 FA Cup)
Biggest league win 3–0 versus Wellingborough, 7 December 1901
Worst league defeat7–1 versus Portsmouth, 19 April 1902
Most appearances 29, Charlie McEleny (26 Southern League First Division, 1 Southern League Test Match, 2 FA Cup)
Top scorer (league) 9, Tommy Shanks
Top scorer (all competitions) 10, Tommy Shanks

Notes and References

  1. White, p. 76-78.
  2. Book: Haynes, Graham . A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopedia . 1998 . Yore Publications . 1 874427 57 7 . 117–120.
  3. Match played at Memorial Grounds, Canning Town. With the score at 1–1, Grays United forfeited promotion by refusing to play extra time.
  4. Book: 100 Years Of Brentford . Brentford FC . 1989 . 0951526200 . White . Eric . 356.
  5. Web site: The Football Association – Season 1901–02 – Summary Of Professional Registrations . 1 January 2021 . Sky is Blue – The Chesterfield FC history resource.