1955–56 Brentford F.C. season
1955–56 season | ||
---|---|---|
Chairman | Frank Davis | |
Manager | Bill Dodgin Sr. | |
Stadium | Griffin Park | |
Third Division South | 6th | |
FA Cup | Second round | |
Top goalscorer | League: Towers (21) All: Towers (22) | |
Highest home attendance | 17,847 | |
Lowest home attendance | 5,291 | |
Average home league attendance | 10,302 | |
| ||
During the 1955–56 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division South. A promising 6th-place finish was achieved with a squad mainly drawn from the club's youth system.
Season summary
[edit]After finishing the previous season strongly,[1] Brentford went into the 1955–56 Third Division South season full of optimism.[2] Youth products Jim Towers and Dennis Heath had established themselves in the first team, while George Francis and Gerry Cakebread had also made their debuts.[3] Full backs Alan Bassham, George Lowden and half backs Wally Bragg and George Bristow also made up the ranks of home-grown players in the first team squad and forward John Pearson was another to graduate from the youth team during the 1955–56 season.[3] Chelsea full back Sid Tickridge was manager Bill Dodgin Sr.'s only major signing of the off-season and he replaced Frank Latimer as club captain.[2]
Despite winning more games than they had lost, Brentford hovered in mid-table during the opening three months of the season.[4] Forward Jeff Taylor led the attack and scored 11 goals in as many matches during a five-week period in September and October 1955.[3] Buoyed by four goals in five league matches by Wendell Morgan and news from the boardroom that a £9,000 profit had been made on the year ending in May 1955 (equivalent to £298,300 in 2024),[3] the Bees moved as high as 8th-place in early December, before losing form again later in the month.[1]
Victory over Exeter City on 4 February 1956 was the first win of a strong run which lasted for the remainder of the season and resulted in a 6th-place finish,[4] 11 points behind the top-three clubs.[3] During the season, 22-goal forward Jim Towers and goalkeeper Gerry Cakebread established themselves as two of the best players in the Third Division South.[2] After nearly 27 years as a player, assistant manager and caretaker manager at Griffin Park,[5] long-serving Jimmy Bain retired in May 1956.[6] He received a Long Service Medal from the Football League in recognition and was awarded a testimonial match to be played in October 1956.[5][6]
Brentford's 4–0 defeat at the hands of Millwall on 5 September 1955 ended an 11-match unbeaten run in League London derbies, a club record which stretched back to February 1954.[7] The record was equalled in August 2023.[7]
League table
[edit]
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4 | Southend United | 46 | 21 | 11 | 14 | 88 | 80 | 1.100 | 53 |
5 | Torquay United | 46 | 20 | 12 | 14 | 86 | 63 | 1.365 | 52 |
6 | Brentford | 46 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 69 | 66 | 1.045 | 52 |
7 | Norwich City | 46 | 19 | 13 | 14 | 86 | 82 | 1.049 | 51 |
8 | Coventry City | 46 | 20 | 9 | 17 | 73 | 60 | 1.217 | 49 |
Results
[edit]- Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend
[edit]Win | Draw | Loss |
Football League Third Division South
[edit]No. | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 20 August 1955 | Gillingham | H | 1–4 | 12,247 | Towers (pen) |
2 | 22 August 1955 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 1–1 | 11,688 | Stobbart |
3 | 27 August 1955 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | A | 0–0 | 10,451 | |
4 | 30 August 1955 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 2–0 | 12,947 | Towers, Taylor |
5 | 3 September 1955 | Norwich City | H | 1–2 | 12,565 | Dudley |
6 | 5 September 1955 | Millwall | A | 0–4 | 6,911 | |
7 | 10 September 1955 | Colchester United | A | 3–0 | 7,843 | Towers (2), Taylor |
8 | 12 September 1955 | Millwall | H | 2–2 | 7,597 | Taylor, Stobbart |
9 | 17 September 1955 | Leyton Orient | H | 1–0 | 17,847 | Taylor |
10 | 19 September 1955 | Watford | H | 0–0 | 6,864 | |
11 | 24 September 1955 | Exeter City | A | 3–2 | 9,454 | Taylor (3) |
12 | 26 September 1955 | Coventry City | A | 1–2 | 12,584 | Taylor |
13 | 1 October 1955 | Southend United | H | 2–1 | 14,329 | Taylor, Towers |
14 | 8 October 1955 | Aldershot | A | 1–4 | 7,395 | Towers |
15 | 15 October 1955 | Crystal Palace | H | 3–0 | 13,636 | Taylor (2), Towers |
16 | 22 October 1955 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 0–3 | 12,771 | |
17 | 29 October 1955 | Southampton | H | 2–1 | 12,300 | Morgan, Rainford |
18 | 5 November 1955 | Shrewsbury Town | A | 1–1 | 10,551 | Morgan |
19 | 12 November 1955 | Ipswich Town | H | 3–2 | 14,795 | Francis, Morgan, Towers |
20 | 26 November 1955 | Torquay United | H | 1–3 | 11,547 | Heath |
21 | 3 December 1955 | Newport County | A | 2–1 | 8,035 | Morgan, Dudley |
22 | 17 December 1955 | Gillingham | A | 2–1 | 5,867 | Francis, Bristow |
23 | 24 December 1955 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | H | 2–1 | 8,592 | Coote, Taylor |
24 | 26 December 1955 | Reading | H | 2–2 | 12,556 | Robertson, Rainford |
25 | 27 December 1955 | Reading | A | 2–5 | 11,910 | Bragg (pen), Francis |
26 | 31 December 1955 | Norwich City | A | 0–1 | 18,542 | |
27 | 14 January 1956 | Colchester United | H | 2–2 | 8,492 | Rainford, Taylor |
28 | 21 January 1956 | Leyton Orient | A | 1–2 | 14,009 | Morgan |
29 | 4 February 1956 | Exeter City | H | 2–0 | 6,309 | Francis (2) |
30 | 11 February 1956 | Southend United | A | 2–2 | 5,124 | Towers, Stirling (og) |
31 | 18 February 1956 | Aldershot | H | 2–0 | 7,026 | Towers (2) |
32 | 25 February 1956 | Crystal Palace | A | 2–0 | 10,054 | Towers (2) |
33 | 3 March 1956 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 4–2 | 11,061 | Robertson (2), Goundry, Francis |
34 | 10 March 1956 | Southampton | A | 1–1 | 11,678 | Towers |
35 | 12 March 1956 | Swindon Town | H | 1–2 | 7,249 | Towers |
36 | 17 March 1956 | Shrewsbury Town | H | 1–1 | 9,156 | Towers |
37 | 24 March 1956 | Ipswich Town | A | 1–1 | 13,672 | Towers |
38 | 31 March 1956 | Walsall | H | 2–2 | 8,933 | Towers, Coote |
39 | 2 April 1956 | Northampton Town | H | 2–1 | 9,527 | Towers (2) |
40 | 3 April 1956 | Northampton Town | A | 0–1 | 8,248 | |
41 | 7 April 1956 | Torquay United | A | 1–3 | 5,574 | Taylor |
42 | 14 April 1956 | Newport County | H | 1–1 | 5,291 | Towers |
43 | 21 April 1956 | Swindon Town | A | 1–0 | 5,790 | Peplow |
44 | 23 April 1956 | Coventry City | H | 1–1 | 6,078 | Bragg (pen) |
45 | 28 April 1956 | Watford | A | 2–0 | 7,192 | Robinson, Francis |
46 | 3 May 1956 | Walsall | A | 2–1 | 9,033 | Taylor, Newcombe |
FA Cup
[edit]Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1R | 19 November 1955 | March Town United | H | 4–0 | 13,300 | Stobbart (2), Towers (pen), Francis |
2R | 10 December 1955 | Leyton Orient | A | 1–4 | 17,490 | Taylor |
Playing squad
[edit]- Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1955–56 season.
Pos. | Name | Nat. | Date of birth (age) | Signed from | Signed in | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Goalkeepers | ||||||
GK | Gerry Cakebread | ![]() |
1 April 1936 (aged 19) | Youth | 1954 | |
GK | Reg Newton | ![]() |
30 June 1926 (aged 29) | Leyton Orient | 1949 | |
Defenders | ||||||
DF | Alan Bassham | ![]() |
3 October 1933 (aged 21) | Youth | 1953 | |
DF | Ken Horne | ![]() |
25 June 1926 (aged 29) | Blackpool | 1950 | |
DF | George Lowden | ![]() |
2 March 1933 (aged 22) | Unattached | 1951 | |
DF | Sid Tickridge (c) | ![]() |
10 April 1923 (aged 32) | Chelsea | 1955 | |
Midfielders | ||||||
HB | Wally Bragg | ![]() |
8 July 1929 (aged 26) | Twickenham Celtic | 1946 | |
HB | George Bristow | ![]() |
25 June 1933 (aged 22) | Youth | 1950 | |
HB | Ken Coote | ![]() |
19 May 1928 (aged 27) | Wembley | 1949 | |
HB | Ian Dargie | ![]() |
3 October 1931 (aged 23) | Tonbridge | 1952 | |
HB | Leonard Geard | ![]() |
12 February 1934 (aged 21) | Fulham | 1953 | |
HB | Frank Latimer | ![]() |
3 October 1923 (aged 31) | Snowdown Colliery Welfare | 1945 | |
HB | Johnny Rainford | ![]() |
11 December 1930 (aged 24) | Cardiff City | 1953 | |
HB | Terry Robinson | ![]() |
8 November 1929 (aged 25) | Loughborough College | 1954 | Amateur |
HB | Len Roe | ![]() |
11 January 1932 (aged 23) | Ruislip Manor | 1951 | |
Forwards | ||||||
FW | Frank Dudley | ![]() |
9 May 1925 (aged 30) | Cardiff City | 1953 | |
FW | George Francis | ![]() |
4 February 1934 (aged 21) | Youth | 1955 | |
FW | Billy Goundry | ![]() |
28 March 1934 (aged 21) | Huddersfield Town | 1955 | |
FW | Dennis Heath | ![]() |
28 September 1934 (aged 20) | Youth | 1954 | |
FW | Wendell Morgan | ![]() |
22 April 1935 (aged 20) | Cardiff City | 1954 | |
FW | Len Newcombe | ![]() |
28 February 1931 (aged 24) | Fulham | 1956 | |
FW | John Pearson | ![]() |
23 April 1935 (aged 20) | Youth | 1955 | |
FW | Ron Peplow | ![]() |
4 May 1935 (aged 20) | Southall | 1955 | |
FW | James Robertson | ![]() |
20 February 1929 (aged 26) | Arsenal | 1953 | |
FW | Billy Sperrin | ![]() |
9 April 1922 (aged 33) | Guildford City | 1949 | |
FW | George Stobbart | ![]() |
9 January 1921 (aged 34) | Millwall | 1954 | |
FW | Jeff Taylor | ![]() |
20 September 1930 (aged 24) | Fulham | 1954 | |
FW | Jim Towers | ![]() |
15 April 1933 (aged 22) | Youth | 1954 |
Coaching staff
[edit]Name | Role |
---|---|
![]() |
Manager |
![]() |
Assistant manager |
![]() |
Trainer |
![]() |
Assistant trainer |
Statistics
[edit]Appearances and goals
[edit]Pos | Nat | Name | League | FA Cup | Total | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
GK | ![]() |
Gerry Cakebread | 45 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 47 | 0 |
GK | ![]() |
Reg Newton | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
DF | ![]() |
Alan Bassham | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
DF | ![]() |
Ken Horne | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
DF | ![]() |
George Lowden | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
DF | ![]() |
Sid Tickridge | 39 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 41 | 0 |
HB | ![]() |
Wally Bragg | 29 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 2 |
HB | ![]() |
George Bristow | 27 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 1 |
HB | ![]() |
Ken Coote | 45 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 47 | 2 |
HB | ![]() |
Ian Dargie | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
HB | ![]() |
Leonard Geard | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
HB | ![]() |
Frank Latimer | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
HB | ![]() |
Johnny Rainford | 37 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 3 |
HB | ![]() |
Terry Robinson | 15 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 1 |
HB | ![]() |
Len Roe | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
FW | ![]() |
Frank Dudley | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 2 |
FW | ![]() |
George Francis | 17 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 8 |
FW | ![]() |
Billy Goundry | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 1 |
FW | ![]() |
Dennis Heath | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 1 |
FW | ![]() |
Wendell Morgan | 16 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 5 |
FW | ![]() |
Len Newcombe | 3 | 1 | — | 3 | 1 | |
FW | ![]() |
John Pearson | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
FW | ![]() |
Ron Peplow | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
FW | ![]() |
James Robertson | 22 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 3 |
FW | ![]() |
Billy Sperrin | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
FW | ![]() |
George Stobbart | 12 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 4 |
FW | ![]() |
Jeff Taylor | 43 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 45 | 16 |
FW | ![]() |
Jim Towers | 39 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 41 | 22 |
- Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
- Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[3]
Goalscorers
[edit]Pos. | Nat | Player | FL3 | FAC | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
FW | ![]() |
Jim Towers | 21 | 1 | 22 |
FW | ![]() |
Jeff Taylor | 15 | 1 | 16 |
FW | ![]() |
George Francis | 7 | 1 | 8 |
FW | ![]() |
Wendell Morgan | 5 | 0 | 5 |
FW | ![]() |
George Stobbart | 2 | 2 | 4 |
HB | ![]() |
Johnny Rainford | 3 | 0 | 3 |
FW | ![]() |
James Robertson | 3 | 0 | 3 |
HB | ![]() |
Wally Bragg | 2 | 0 | 2 |
HB | ![]() |
Ken Coote | 2 | 0 | 2 |
FW | ![]() |
Frank Dudley | 2 | 0 | 2 |
FW | ![]() |
Len Newcombe | 1 | — | 1 |
HB | ![]() |
George Bristow | 1 | 0 | 1 |
FW | ![]() |
Billy Goundry | 1 | 0 | 1 |
FW | ![]() |
Dennis Heath | 1 | 0 | 1 |
FW | ![]() |
Ron Peplow | 1 | 0 | 1 |
HB | ![]() |
Terry Robinson | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Opponents | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||
Total | 69 | 5 | 74 |
- Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
- Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[3]
Amateur international caps
[edit]Pos. | Nat | Player | Caps | Goals | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
HB | ![]() |
Terry Robinson | 2 | 0 | [9] |
Management
[edit]Name | Nat | From | To | Record All Comps | Record League | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
P | W | D | L | W % | P | W | D | L | W % | ||||
Bill Dodgin Sr. | ![]() |
20 August 1955 | 3 May 1956 | 48 | 20 | 14 | 14 | 41.67 | 46 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 41.30 |
Summary
[edit]Games played | 48 (46 Third Division South, 2 FA Cup) |
Games won | 20 (19 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup) |
Games drawn | 14 (14 Third Division South, 0 FA Cup) |
Games lost | 14 (13 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup) |
Goals scored | 74 (69 Third Division South, 5 FA Cup) |
Goals conceded | 70 (66 Third Division South, 4 FA Cup) |
Clean sheets | 12 (11 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup) |
Biggest league win | 3–0 on two occasions |
Worst league defeat | 4–0 versus Millwall, 5 September 1955 |
Most appearances | 47, Gerry Cakebread, Ken Coote (45 Third Division South, 2 FA Cup) |
Top scorer (league) | 21, Jim Towers |
Top scorer (all competitions) | 22, Jim Towers |
Transfers & loans
[edit]Players transferred in | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Pos. | Name | Previous Club | Fee | Ref. |
May 1955 | FW | ![]() |
![]() |
Free | [10] |
July 1955 | DF | ![]() |
![]() |
n/a | [11] |
August 1955 | FW | ![]() |
![]() |
n/a | [12] |
August 1955 | FW | ![]() |
![]() |
n/a | [13] |
April 1956 | FW | ![]() |
![]() |
n/a | [14] |
Players transferred out | |||||
Date | Pos. | Name | Subsequent club | Fee | Ref. |
October 1955 | FW | ![]() |
![]() |
n/a | [12] |
April 1956 | DF | ![]() |
![]() |
n/a | [15] |
Players released | |||||
Date | Pos. | Name | Subsequent club | Join date | Ref. |
May 1956 | HB | ![]() |
![]() |
August 1956 | [16] |
May 1956 | HB | ![]() |
![]() |
July 1956 | [17] |
May 1956 | FW | ![]() |
![]() |
July 1956 | [17] |
May 1956 | FW | ![]() |
![]() |
1956 | [18] |
May 1956 | FW | ![]() |
![]() |
1956 | [19] |
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Brentford results for the 1954–1955 season". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 23 November 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ^ a b c White 1989, p. 218-220.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 383. ISBN 0951526200.
- ^ a b "Brentford results for the 1955–1956 season". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 24 November 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ a b Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 14-15.
- ^ a b "Testimonial Game For Jimmy Bain" (PDF). Brentford Football Club Official Programme v. Swindon Town. 21 August 1956. p. 5. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
- ^ a b Richardson, David. "Fulham 0–3 Brentford: Tim Ream sent off as Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo strike again for Bees". Sky Sports. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
- ^ Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Yore Publications. ISBN 978-0955294914.
- ^ "England Matches – The Amateurs 1947–1962". www.englandfootballonline.com. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ^ "Billy Goundry". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ^ "Sid Tickridge". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ^ a b "Ken Morgan". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ^ "Ron Peplow". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ^ "Len Newcombe". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ^ "Player Appearances and goalscoring records – M". Scottish Football Historical Archive. p. 443. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
- ^ "Len Geard Goes To Kettering". The Brentford & Chiswick Times. 3 August 1956.
- ^ a b "It's Goodbye To Frank And Jimmy". The Brentford & Chiswick Times. 17 August 1956.
- ^ Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 152.
- ^ Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 155.