1951–52_Brentford_F.C._season

1951–52 Brentford F.C. season

1951–52 Brentford F.C. season

1951–52 season of Brentford F.C.

During the 1951–52 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Second Division. The Bees secured a third-consecutive top 10 finish and reached the fourth round of the FA Cup, taking Luton Town to two replays before being knocked out.

Quick Facts Chairman, Secretary-Manager ...

Season summary

After two consecutive 9th-place finishes in the Second Division, Brentford manager Jackie Gibbons elected to keep his squad together for the 1951–52 season, with former Brighton & Hove Albion utility player Frank Morrad being his only first team signing.[1]

Aided by the goalscoring of full back-cum-centre forward Fred Monk, Brentford showed excellent form in the first half of the season and just five losses in the opening 21 matches put the club into the promotion places.[2] The push for promotion was derailed during the Christmas period, after consecutive defeats to Southampton on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.[3] A dressing room ruckus ensued between manager Gibbons on one side and half backs Ron Greenwood and Jimmy Hill on the other.[4] The bust-up resulted in Greenwood and Hill requesting transfers, with Hill eventually moving to local rivals Fulham in March 1952 in exchange for inside forward Jimmy Bowie.[4]

Centre forward Billy Dare came into goalscoring in the second half of the season,[5] but the disruption to the Harper-Hill-Greenwood half back line (Greenwood later rescinded his transfer request) led to an increase in the number of goals conceded and Brentford drifted out of contention for promotion to finish in 10th place.[2] Amid much fanfare, former England international Tommy Lawton was signed for a club record £16,000 fee in March 1952,[6] but he managed to contribute only two goals in his 10 appearances.[5] In 2010, full back Ken Horne commented that "I'm sure we could have gone up that year but the spirit completely went out the team. We'd got by on spirit. The team had been kept together for so long that they had been fighting for each other".[3]

The end of the season saw the retirement of Brentford's final two players signed prior to the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939 – goalkeeper Ted Gaskell and utility man Tom Manley.[7] Both received a joint-testimonial in April 1954.[7]

League table

Main article: 1951–52 Football League Second Division

More information Pos, Pld ...
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored

Results

Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League Second Division

More information No., Date ...

FA Cup

Main article: 1951–52 FA Cup
More information Round, Date ...

Playing squad

Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1951–52 season.
More information Pos., Name ...
  • Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford,[5] Timeless Bees[8]

Coaching staff

More information Name, Role ...

Statistics

Appearances and goals

Brentford's highest appearance-makers in each position during the Football League season.
More information Pos, Nat ...
  • Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
  • Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[5]

Goalscorers

More information Pos., Nat ...
  • Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
  • Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[5]

Amateur international caps

More information Pos., Nat ...

Management

More information Name, Nat ...

Summary

Games played46 (42 Second Division, 4 FA Cup)
Games won16 (15 Second Division, 1 FA Cup)
Games drawn14 (12 Second Division, 2 FA Cup)
Games lost16 (15 Second Division, 1 FA Cup)
Goals scored61 (54 Second Division, 7 FA Cup)
Goals conceded61 (55 Second Division, 6 FA Cup)
Clean sheets11 (10 Second Division, 1 FA Cup)
Biggest league win4–0 on two occasions
Worst league defeat3–0 versus Blackburn Rovers, 8 December 1951; 4–1 versus Hull City, 19 April 1952; 5–2 versus Notts County, 16 February 1952
Most appearances46, Billy Dare (42 Second Division, 4 FA Cup)
Top scorer (league)14, Billy Dare
Top scorer (all competitions)16, Billy Dare

Transfers & loans

More information Players transferred in, Date ...

Notes

  1. [N 1]
    The original fixture on 29 March 1952 was abandoned at half time due to snow, with the score at 1–1.
  2. [N 2]
    Match played at Arsenal Stadium, London.

References

  1. [1]
    Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 110-111.
  2. [2]
    "Brentford results for the 1951–1952 season". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 10 September 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  3. [3]
    Bruzon, Nick. "Where Are They Now? Ken Horne – Part 2". Archived from the original on 15 February 2018. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  4. [4]
    White 1989, p. 202-207.
  5. [5]
    White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 381. ISBN 0951526200.
  6. [6]
    Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 95-96.
  7. [7]
    Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 99-100.
  8. [8]
    Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Yore Publications. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  9. [9]
    "England Matches – The Amateurs 1947–1962". www.englandfootballonline.com. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  10. [10]
    Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 98.
  11. [11]
    "Mike Skivington". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  12. [12]
    "Dave Jones". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  13. [13]
    Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 146.
  14. [14]
    Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 45.
  15. [15]
    Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 67.
  16. [16]
    "Player Appearances and goalscoring records – N". Scottish Football Historical Archive. p. 577. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  17. [17]
    Lane, David (2005). Cult Bees & Legends: Volume Two. Hampton Hill: Legends Publishing. pp. 98–115. ISBN 0954368282.
  18. [18]
    Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 91.
  19. [19]
    "Tommy Mycock". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
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