During the 1928–29 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division South. An unbeaten start to the season was cancelled out by a run of 11 defeats in 12 games which left the Bees bottom of the Football League, but the team recovered to finish in mid-table.
Season summary
Still in search of a winning formula after two mid-table finishes, Brentford manager Harry Curtis elected to add to rather than remodel of his squad during the 1928 off-season. In came goalkeeper Freddie Fox, full back Baden Herod for a £1,500 club record fee, half back Reginald Davies and a number of young forwards. He also brought in his former Gillingham trainer Bob Kane. Youngster Joe Wiggins broke Brentford's outgoing transfer record in May 1928, with Leicester City paying £1,400 for a centre forward who had made just four senior appearances and scored two goals.
Good goalscoring form from Jack Lane and Jack Phillips at the start of the season saw Brentford go seven matches unbeaten and rise to the top of the table.[4] Phillips was then sold to Bristol Rovers and a run of 12 league matches without a win (including a club record-equalling 9 league defeats in a row) plummeted the club to the bottom of the Football League.[6][7] Manager Curtis was offered the manager's job of an unnamed Second Division club in mid-October, but elected to stay at Griffin Park.[8]
In November 1928, Manager Harry Curtis pulled off a crucial £500 signing of Jimmy Bain from Manchester Central and the centre half galvanised the team. Just three defeats in 18 matches between Boxing Day 1928 and April Fools' Day 1929 averted any fears of having to campaign for re-election.[7] Manager Curtis decided to cash in on club record signing Baden Herod, who was sold for a then-club record outgoing fee of £4,000 to Tottenham Hotspur in February 1929. Just one draw from the final five matches of the season dropped Brentford to a final placing of 13th.[7] A minor competition, the London Charity Fund, was won in November 1928 and gold medals were presented to the players involved.[10]
League table
Source:
Results
- Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend
No.
|
Date |
Opponent |
Venue |
Result
|
Attendance |
Scorer(s)
|
1
|
25 August 1928 |
Exeter City |
H |
4–2
|
11,158
|
Phillips (2), Drinnan, Berry
|
2
|
1 September 1928 |
Southend United |
A |
1–1
|
8,082
|
McKinley
|
3
|
3 September 1928 |
Charlton Athletic |
H |
1–0
|
6,850
|
Lane
|
4
|
8 September 1928 |
Merthyr Town
|
H |
2–1
|
9,153
|
Lane, Phillips
|
5
|
10 September 1928 |
Swindon Town |
H |
2–0
|
7,231
|
Lane, Phillips
|
6
|
15 September 1928 |
Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic |
A |
1–1
|
7,573
|
Watkins
|
7
|
22 September 1928 |
Queens Park Rangers |
H |
1–1
|
20,783
|
Lane
|
8
|
29 September 1928 |
Luton Town |
H |
0–1
|
13,758
|
|
9
|
6 October 1928 |
Coventry City
|
A |
0–1
|
16,993
|
|
10
|
13 October 1928 |
Northampton Town
|
H |
2–2
|
9,260
|
Watkins (2)
|
11
|
20 October 1928 |
Bristol Rovers |
A |
0–2
|
9,316
|
|
12
|
27 October 1928 |
Watford |
H |
0–1
|
8,301
|
|
13
|
3 November 1928 |
Walsall
|
A |
0–2
|
7,937
|
|
14
|
10 November 1928 |
Newport County |
H |
1–3
|
5,395
|
Lane
|
15
|
17 November 1928 |
Crystal Palace |
A |
0–1
|
11,323
|
|
16
|
1 December 1928 |
Torquay United
|
A |
1–4
|
4,614
|
Berry
|
17
|
15 December 1928 |
Plymouth Argyle |
A |
0–4
|
10,940
|
|
18
|
22 December 1928 |
Fulham
|
H |
1–2
|
8,876
|
Watkins
|
19
|
25 December 1928 |
Brighton & Hove Albion |
A |
2–3
|
8,600
|
Douglas, Durnion
|
20
|
26 December 1928 |
Brighton & Hove Albion
|
H |
5–1
|
5,117
|
Lane (4), Sherlaw
|
21
|
29 December 1928 |
Exeter City |
A |
3–2
|
6,124
|
Drinnan, Watkins, Sherlaw
|
22
|
5 January 1929 |
Southend United
|
H |
1–0
|
4,588
|
Drinnan
|
23
|
12 January 1929 |
Gillingham |
H |
4–1
|
5,042
|
Douglas (2), Watkins, Sherlaw
|
24
|
19 January 1929 |
Merthyr Town |
A |
2–2
|
2,500
|
Drinnan, Sherlaw
|
25
|
26 January 1929 |
Gillingham |
A |
2–1
|
3,756
|
Watkins, Douglas
|
26
|
2 February 1929 |
Queens Park Rangers |
A |
2–2
|
10,590
|
Sherlaw (2)
|
27
|
9 February 1929 |
Luton Town |
A |
1–2
|
8,148
|
Lawson
|
28
|
16 February 1929 |
Coventry City |
H |
1–0
|
3,950
|
Watkins
|
29
|
23 February 1929 |
Northampton Town |
A |
1–1
|
8,555
|
Watkins
|
30
|
2 March 1929 |
Bristol Rovers |
H |
2–0
|
6,991
|
Sherlaw, Drinnan
|
31
|
9 March 1929 |
Watford |
A |
0–2
|
10,453
|
|
32
|
13 March 1929 |
Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic |
H |
0–0
|
3,366
|
|
33
|
16 March 1929 |
Walsall |
H |
1–0
|
7,111
|
Douglas
|
34
|
23 March 1929 |
Newport County |
A |
1–1
|
3,090
|
Douglas
|
35
|
29 March 1929 |
Norwich City |
H |
4–0
|
10,049
|
Stone (2), Watkins (2)
|
36
|
30 March 1929 |
Crystal Palace |
H |
2–4
|
13,314
|
Watkins, Berry
|
37
|
1 April 1929 |
Norwich City |
A |
4–2
|
9,713
|
Berry (2), Watkins (2)
|
38
|
6 April 1929 |
Swindon Town
|
A |
1–3
|
3,107
|
Gamble
|
39
|
13 April 1929 |
Torquay United |
H |
0–0
|
4,507
|
|
40
|
22 April 1929 |
Charlton Athletic |
A |
0–1
|
8,017
|
|
41
|
27 April 1929 |
Plymouth Argyle |
H |
0–2
|
6,532
|
|
42
|
4 May 1929 |
Fulham |
A |
0–1
|
16,524
|
|
FA Cup
Playing squad
- Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1928–29 season.
- Sources: Timeless Bees,[11] Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939,[12] 100 Years Of Brentford[4]
Coaching staff
Statistics
Appearances and goals
Brentford's highest appearance-makers in each position during the Football League season.
- Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
- Source: 100 Years of Brentford[4]
Goalscorers
- Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
- Source: 100 Years of Brentford[4]
Amateur international caps
Management
Name
|
Nat
|
From
|
To
|
Record All Comps
|
Record League
|
P |
W |
D |
L |
W % |
P |
W |
D |
L |
W %
|
Harry Curtis
|
|
25 August 1928
|
4 May 1929
|
44
|
15
|
10
|
19
|
034.09 |
42
|
14
|
10
|
18
|
033.33
|
Summary
Games played |
44 (42 Third Division South, 2 FA Cup)
|
Games won |
15 (14 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup)
|
Games drawn |
10 (10 Third Division South, 0 FA Cup)
|
Games lost |
19 (18 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup)
|
Goals scored |
60 (56 Third Division South, 4 FA Cup)
|
Goals conceded |
62 (60 Third Division South, 2 FA Cup)
|
Clean sheets |
9 (9 Third Division South, 0 FA Cup)
|
Biggest league win |
4–0 versus Norwich City, 29 March 1929; 5–1 versus Brighton & Hove Albion, 26 December 1928
|
Worst league defeat |
4–0 versus Plymouth Argyle, 15 December 1928
|
Most appearances |
38, Reginald Davies, Ernie Watkins (36 Third Division South, 2 FA Cup)
|
Top scorer (league) |
14, Ernie Watkins
|
Top scorer (all competitions) |
14, Ernie Watkins
|
Transfers & loans
- Cricketers are not included in this list.
References
- ^ a b c d e White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 370. ISBN 0951526200.
- ^ Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopedia. Harefield, Middlesex: Yore Publications. p. 79. ISBN 1 874427 57 7.
- ^ a b c "Brentford results for the 1928-1929 season". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 23 March 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
- ^ "Brentford's Secretary Manager – Offer By Second Division Club". The Brentford & Chiswick Times. 19 October 1928.
- ^ Argus (16 November 1928). "A Changed Brentford". The Brentford & Chiswick Times.
- ^ Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Yore Publications. ISBN 978-0955294914.
- ^ Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. ISBN 190589161X.
- ^ "Forgotten Glories – British Amateur Internationals 1901–1974" (PDF). p. 81. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
- ^ a b "Brentford's New Players – Charlton Outside Right Secured As Professional". The Brentford & Chiswick Times. 11 May 1928.
- ^ "Swindon Town FC – Profile – Baden Herod". TownEnders.com. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
- ^ a b Dorey, F.W. (1928). Brentford Football Club Season 1928–29 Official Handbook. pp. 21–23.
- ^ Argus (2 November 1928). "The London Cup". The Brentford & Chiswick Times.
- ^ "Brentford Player Dead. Frank Marshall Succumbs To Long Illness In Scotland". The Brentford & Chiswick Times. 20 July 1928.
- ^ "By mutual consent the agreement between A. Heeps and Brentford has been cancelled". The Athletic News. 4 February 1929.
- ^ "On This Day..." www.gillinghamfootballclub.com. Retrieved 14 November 2022.