During the 1954–55 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division South. In the club's first season back in the third-tier since 1932–33, the Bees finished in mid-table. The season was memorable for the debuts of youth products Jim Towers and George Francis, who went on to dominate Brentford's goalscoring charts until 1961.
Brentford drew four of the first six matches of the season and Bees slowly pulled away from the relegation places, before moving into the top 10 after three wins in a four match spell in late September 1954.[4] An uneven period followed through to February 1955, with the club drifting slowly towards the re-election places (the £10,000 sale of forward Billy Dare to West Ham United was offset by the emergence of youth product Jim Towers),[2] before rising back to an 11th-place finish after just three defeats in the final 18 matches of the season.[4]Frank Dudley (20, George Stobbart (19) and Jim Towers (16) led the club's goalscoring chart,[3] but while 82 league goals were scored, 82 were also conceded, which was amongst the highest in the Third Division South.[5]
The FA Cup proved to be an entertaining distraction, with Brentford entering at the first round stage for the first time since the 1932–33 season.[4]Non-League clubs Nuneaton Borough and Crook Town were beaten in the first two rounds and it took two replays to get past Bradford City in the third.[4] The Bees fell to Newcastle United at St James' Park in the fourth round, but they gave their First Division hosts a scare with goals from George Stobbart and Johnny Rainford in the 3–2 defeat.[3]
A number of club records were set or equalled during the season:
Most home league goals conceded in a season: 36[6]
Highest away league aggregate score: 10 (4–6 versus Southampton, 21 August 1954)[7]
Most league games without a clean sheet: 20 (25 September 1954 – 19 February 1955)[7]
Quickest league goalscorer: 10 seconds – George Stobbart (versus Aldershot, 6 November 1954)[19]
^Ken Moffitt at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database
April 14, 2024
1954, brentford, season, during, 1954, english, football, season, brentford, competed, football, league, third, division, south, club, first, season, back, third, tier, since, 1932, bees, finished, table, season, memorable, debuts, youth, products, towers, geo. During the 1954 55 English football season Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division South In the club s first season back in the third tier since 1932 33 the Bees finished in mid table The season was memorable for the debuts of youth products Jim Towers and George Francis who went on to dominate Brentford s goalscoring charts until 1961 Brentford1954 55 seasonChairmanFrank DavisManagerBill Dodgin Sr StadiumGriffin ParkThird Division South11thFA CupFourth roundTop goalscorerLeague Dudley 18 All Dudley 20 Highest home attendance18 756Lowest home attendance4 960Average home league attendance11 077Home colours 1953 541955 56 Contents 1 Season summary 2 League table 3 Results 3 1 Legend 3 2 Football League Third Division South 3 3 FA Cup 4 Playing squad 5 Coaching staff 6 Statistics 6 1 Appearances and goals 6 2 Goalscorers 6 3 Representative appearances 6 4 Management 6 5 Summary 7 Transfers amp loans 8 Notes 9 ReferencesSeason summary editThe 1954 55 Third Division South season marked Brentford s fall from the top flight to the basement in just seven years 1 It was the Bees first Third Division South season since 1932 33 and though he had a limited budget 1 manager Bill Dodgin Sr did not conduct a fire sale and managed to keep his squad intact 2 Forwards George Stobbart Jeff Taylor and goalkeeper Sonny Feehan were the only players to arrive at Griffin Park 2 Ageing full back Fred Monk was released goalkeeper Alf Jefferies transferred to Torquay United and the 10 000 fee from the sale of Jimmy Bloomfield to Arsenal was spent on relieving the club s debts 2 The products of Alf Bew s youth team were to be given more of a chance than in the previous Second Division seasons 3 Brentford drew four of the first six matches of the season and Bees slowly pulled away from the relegation places before moving into the top 10 after three wins in a four match spell in late September 1954 4 An uneven period followed through to February 1955 with the club drifting slowly towards the re election places the 10 000 sale of forward Billy Dare to West Ham United was offset by the emergence of youth product Jim Towers 2 before rising back to an 11th place finish after just three defeats in the final 18 matches of the season 4 Frank Dudley 20 George Stobbart 19 and Jim Towers 16 led the club s goalscoring chart 3 but while 82 league goals were scored 82 were also conceded which was amongst the highest in the Third Division South 5 The FA Cup proved to be an entertaining distraction with Brentford entering at the first round stage for the first time since the 1932 33 season 4 Non League clubs Nuneaton Borough and Crook Town were beaten in the first two rounds and it took two replays to get past Bradford City in the third 4 The Bees fell to Newcastle United at St James Park in the fourth round but they gave their First Division hosts a scare with goals from George Stobbart and Johnny Rainford in the 3 2 defeat 3 A number of club records were set or equalled during the season Most home league goals conceded in a season 36 6 Highest away league aggregate score 10 4 6 versus Southampton 21 August 1954 7 Most league games without a clean sheet 20 25 September 1954 19 February 1955 7 Quickest league goalscorer 10 seconds George Stobbart versus Aldershot 6 November 1954 19 League table editMain article 1954 55 Football League Third Division South Pos Teamvte Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts9 Coventry City 46 18 11 17 67 59 1 136 4710 Southend United 46 17 12 17 83 80 1 038 4611 Brentford 46 16 14 16 82 82 1 000 4611 Norwich City 46 18 10 18 60 60 1 000 4613 Northampton Town 46 19 8 19 73 81 0 901 46Source rsssf comResults editBrentford s goal tally listed first Legend edit Win Draw LossFootball League Third Division South edit No Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorer s 1 21 August 1954 Southampton A 4 6 21 454 Robertson 2 Dudley Stobbart2 26 August 1954 Shrewsbury Town H 2 2 12 743 Dudley Maloney og 3 28 August 1954 Coventry City H 2 3 13 057 Stobbart McDonnell og 4 30 August 1954 Shrewsbury Town A 2 2 8 352 Stobbart Towers5 4 September 1954 Queens Park Rangers H 1 1 18 756 Heath6 8 September 1954 Reading A 0 0 9 6927 11 September 1954 Brighton amp Hove Albion A 4 3 17 361 Towers Heath Robertson Dudley8 16 September 1954 Reading H 2 2 9 639 Dudley Stobbart9 18 September 1954 Torquay United H 4 2 13 552 Towers Heath Stobbart Webber og 10 23 September 1954 Gillingham H 3 0 9 241 Dudley 2 Heath11 25 September 1954 Bristol City A 1 2 28 980 Dudley12 29 September 1954 Gillingham A 1 2 8 202 Towers13 2 October 1954 Walsall H 0 2 12 58414 9 October 1954 Exeter City A 2 3 9 700 Robertson Rainford15 16 October 1954 Colchester United H 3 2 10 218 Robertson Stobbart Rainford16 23 October 1954 Norwich City A 0 1 20 14817 30 October 1954 Bournemouth amp Boscombe Athletic H 1 3 12 037 Towers18 6 November 1954 Aldershot A 3 2 7 178 Stobbart Towers Heath19 13 November 1954 Swindon Town H 4 2 10 634 Stobbart 2 Heath Towers20 27 November 1954 Northampton Town H 1 3 10 029 Croy og 21 4 December 1954 Watford A 2 2 10 438 Towers 2 22 18 December 1954 Southampton H 0 3 9 31823 25 December 1954 Millwall H 3 1 13 591 Stobbart 2 Towers24 27 December 1954 Millwall A 2 2 20 034 Anslow og Hurley og 25 1 January 1955 Coventry City A 0 1 14 48126 15 January 1955 Queens Park Rangers A 1 1 9 835 Dudley27 22 January 1955 Brighton amp Hove Albion H 2 3 10 173 Stobbart Bristow28 5 February 1955 Torquay United A 2 4 6 117 Dudley Sperrin29 12 February 1955 Bristol City H 2 2 11 563 Rainford Robertson30 19 February 1955 Walsall A 2 2 9 028 Robertson Francis31 26 February 1955 Exeter City H 1 0 7 454 Stobbart32 5 March 1955 Colchester United A 2 3 8 254 Francis Dudley33 12 March 1955 Norwich City H 1 0 11 155 Stobbart34 19 March 1955 Bournemouth amp Boscombe Athletic A 2 1 8 241 Coote Taylor35 26 March 1955 Aldershot H 1 1 8 755 Taylor36 2 April 1955 Swindon Town A 1 1 5 924 Taylor37 8 April 1955 Leyton Orient H 2 0 18 093 Dudley Towers pen 38 9 April 1955 Crystal Palace H 3 0 12 013 Towers Dudley 2 39 11 April 1955 Leyton Orient A 1 0 9 529 Dudley40 16 April 1955 Northampton Town A 2 1 6 980 Taylor Towers41 21 April 1955 Newport County A 1 3 7 926 Rainford42 23 April 1955 Watford H 3 2 9 394 Dudley Towers 2 1 pen 43 27 April 1955 Crystal Palace A 1 1 8 170 Andrews og 44 30 April 1955 Southend United A 2 3 6 464 Dudley 2 45 2 May 1955 Newport County H 1 0 4 960 Stobbart46 5 May 1955 Southend United H 2 2 5 812 Heath DudleyFA Cup edit Main article 1954 55 FA Cup Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorer s Notes1R 20 November 1954 Nuneaton Borough H 2 1 13 180 Dare Stobbart2R 11 December 1954 Crook Town H 4 1 14 300 Rainford Stobbart 2 Towers3R 8 January 1955 Bradford City H 1 1 12 120 Dudley3R replay 12 January 1955 Bradford City A 2 2 a e t 7 963 Dare Dudley3R 2nd replay 20 January 1955 Bradford City N 1 0 5 961 Dare nb 1 4R 29 January 1955 Newcastle United A 2 3 46 574 Stobbart RainfordSources 100 Years Of Brentford 3 Statto 11v11Playing squad editPlayers ages are as of the opening day of the 1954 55 season Pos Name Nat Date of birth age Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepersGK Gerry Cakebread nbsp 1936 04 01 1 April 1936 aged 18 Youth 1954 AmateurGK Sonny Feehan nbsp 1926 09 17 17 September 1926 aged 27 Northampton Town 1954GK Reg Newton nbsp 1926 06 30 30 June 1926 aged 28 Leyton Orient 1949DefendersDF Alan Bassham nbsp 1933 10 03 3 October 1933 aged 20 Youth 1953DF Ken Coote nbsp 1928 05 19 19 May 1928 aged 26 Wembley 1949DF Ken Horne nbsp 1926 06 25 25 June 1926 aged 28 Blackpool 1950DF George Lowden nbsp 1933 03 02 2 March 1933 aged 21 Unattached 1951MidfieldersHB Wally Bragg nbsp 1929 07 08 8 July 1929 aged 25 Twickenham Celtic 1946HB George Bristow nbsp 1933 06 25 25 June 1933 aged 21 Youth 1950HB Ian Dargie nbsp 1931 10 03 3 October 1931 aged 22 Tonbridge 1952HB Leonard Geard nbsp 1934 02 12 12 February 1934 aged 20 Fulham 1953HB Tony Harper nbsp 1925 05 26 26 May 1925 aged 29 Headington United 1948HB Roy Hart nbsp 1933 05 30 30 May 1933 aged 21 Youth 1955HB Frank Latimer c nbsp 1923 10 03 3 October 1923 aged 30 Snowdown Colliery Welfare 1945HB Terry Robinson nbsp 1929 11 08 8 November 1929 aged 24 Loughborough College 1954 AmateurForwardsFW Frank Dudley nbsp 1925 05 09 9 May 1925 aged 29 Cardiff City 1953FW George Francis nbsp 1934 02 04 4 February 1934 aged 20 Youth 1955FW Dennis Heath nbsp 1934 09 28 28 September 1934 aged 19 Youth 1954FW Johnny Rainford nbsp 1930 12 11 11 December 1930 aged 23 Cardiff City 1953FW James Robertson nbsp 1929 02 20 20 February 1929 aged 25 Arsenal 1953FW Len Roe nbsp 1932 01 11 11 January 1932 aged 22 Ruislip Manor 1951FW Billy Sperrin nbsp 1922 04 09 9 April 1922 aged 32 Guildford City 1949FW George Stobbart nbsp 1921 01 09 9 January 1921 aged 33 Millwall 1954FW Jeff Taylor nbsp 1930 09 20 20 September 1930 aged 23 Fulham 1954FW Jim Towers nbsp 1933 04 15 15 April 1933 aged 21 Youth 1954Players who left the club mid seasonFW Billy Dare nbsp 1927 02 14 14 February 1927 aged 27 Hendon 1948 Transferred to West Ham UnitedSources 100 Years Of Brentford 3 Timeless Bees 8 Coaching staff editName Role nbsp Bill Dodgin Sr Manager nbsp Jimmy Bain Assistant Manager nbsp Tommy Eggleston TrainerStatistics editAppearances and goals edit nbsp FeehanHorneLatimer c DargieHarperCooteRainfordTowersHeathRobertsonStobbartBrentford s highest appearance makers in each position during the Football League season Pos Nat Name League FA Cup TotalApps Goals Apps Goals Apps GoalsGK nbsp Gerry Cakebread 3 0 0 0 3 0GK nbsp Sonny Feehan 25 0 6 0 31 0GK nbsp Reg Newton 18 0 0 0 18 0DF nbsp Alan Bassham 17 0 0 0 17 0DF nbsp Ken Coote 37 1 6 0 43 1DF nbsp Ken Horne 35 0 6 0 41 0DF nbsp George Lowden 10 0 0 0 10 0HB nbsp Wally Bragg 9 0 0 0 9 0HB nbsp George Bristow 30 1 5 0 35 1HB nbsp Ian Dargie 20 0 2 0 22 0HB nbsp Leonard Geard 1 0 0 0 1 0HB nbsp Tony Harper 26 0 5 0 31 0HB nbsp Roy Hart 2 0 0 0 2 0HB nbsp Frank Latimer 28 0 5 0 33 0HB nbsp Terry Robinson 8 0 1 0 9 0FW nbsp Billy Dare 8 0 3 3 11 3FW nbsp Frank Dudley 34 18 4 2 38 20FW nbsp George Francis 3 2 0 0 3 2FW nbsp Dennis Heath 35 7 4 0 39 7FW nbsp Johnny Rainford 33 4 6 2 39 6FW nbsp James Robertson 31 7 1 0 32 7FW nbsp Len Roe 1 0 0 0 1 0FW nbsp Billy Sperrin 3 1 0 0 3 1FW nbsp George Stobbart 45 15 6 4 51 19FW nbsp Jeff Taylor 13 4 0 0 13 4FW nbsp Jim Towers 31 15 6 1 37 16Players listed in italics left the club mid season Source 100 Years Of Brentford 3 Goalscorers edit Pos Nat Player FL3 FAC TotalFW nbsp Frank Dudley 18 2 20FW nbsp George Stobbart 15 4 19FW nbsp Jim Towers 15 1 16FW nbsp Dennis Heath 7 0 7FW nbsp James Robertson 7 0 7FW nbsp Johnny Rainford 4 2 6FW nbsp Jeff Taylor 4 0 4FW nbsp Billy Dare 0 3 3FW nbsp George Francis 2 0 2HB nbsp George Bristow 1 0 1DF nbsp Ken Coote 1 0 1FW nbsp Billy Sperrin 1 0 1Opponents 7 0 7Total 82 12 94Players listed in italics left the club mid season Source 100 Years Of Brentford 3 Representative appearances edit Pos Nat Player Team Caps Goals RefHB nbsp Johnny Rainford Third Division South 1 1 2 Management edit Name Nat From To Record All Comps Record LeagueP W D L W P W D L W Bill Dodgin Sr nbsp 21 August 1954 5 May 1955 52 19 16 17 0 36 54 46 16 14 16 0 34 78Summary edit Games played 52 46 Third Division South 6 FA Cup Games won 19 16 Third Division South 3 FA Cup Games drawn 16 14 Third Division South 2 FA Cup Games lost 17 16 Third Division South 1 FA Cup Goals scored 94 82 Third Division South 12 FA Cup Goals conceded 90 82 Third Division South 8 FA Cup Clean sheets 9 8 Third Division South 1 FA Cup Biggest league win 3 0 on two occasionsWorst league defeat 3 0 versus Southampton 18 December 1954Most appearances 51 George Stobbart 45 Third Division South 6 FA Cup Top scorer league 18 Frank DudleyTop scorer all competitions 20 Frank DudleyTransfers amp loans editPlayers transferred inDate Pos Name Previous Club Fee Ref May 1954 FW nbsp George Stobbart nbsp Millwall Exchange 9 June 1954 FW nbsp Wendell Morgan nbsp Cardiff City Free 10 August 1954 GK nbsp Sonny Feehan nbsp Northampton Town Free 11 August 1954 FW nbsp Jeff Taylor nbsp Fulham n a 12 September 1954 HB nbsp Terry Robinson nbsp Loughborough College Amateur 13 Players transferred outDate Pos Name Subsequent club Fee Ref May 1954 FW nbsp Terry Ledgerton nbsp Millwall Exchange 9 June 1954 GK nbsp Alf Jefferies nbsp Torquay United n a 14 July 1954 FW nbsp Jimmy Bloomfield nbsp Arsenal 10 000 15 January 1955 FW nbsp Billy Dare nbsp West Ham United 10 000 2 Players releasedDate Pos Name Subsequent club Join date Ref May 1955 HB nbsp Tony Harper nbsp Headington United 1955 16 May 1955 HB nbsp Roy Hart n a n a 17 May 1955 DF nbsp Ken Moffitt nbsp Berwick Rangers 1955 18 Notes edit Match played at Arsenal Stadium London References edit a b Brentford Complete History Statto com Archived from the original on 15 September 2016 Retrieved 22 November 2016 a b c d e f White 1989 p 215 217 a b c d e f g White Eric ed 1989 100 Years Of Brentford Brentford FC p 383 ISBN 0951526200 a b c d Brentford results for the 1954 1955 season Statto com Archived from the original on 23 November 2016 Retrieved 22 November 2016 Brentford League Table 1954 1955 Statto com Archived from the original on 26 November 2016 Retrieved 22 November 2016 Haynes Graham 1998 A Z Of Bees Brentford Encyclopedia Yore Publications pp 78 79 ISBN 1 874427 57 7 a b Brentford scoring and sequence records Statto com Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 22 November 2016 Haynes Graham Coumbe Frank 2006 Timeless Bees Brentford F C Who s Who 1920 2006 Yore Publications ISBN 978 0955294914 a b Haynes amp Coumbe 2006 p 155 Wendell Morgan Barry Hugman s Footballers Retrieved 22 November 2016 Haynes amp Coumbe 2006 p 55 Jeff Taylor Barry Hugman s Footballers Retrieved 21 November 2016 Terry Robinson Barry Hugman s Footballers Retrieved 21 November 2016 Alf Jefferies Barry Hugman s Footballers Retrieved 21 November 2016 Jimmy Bloomfield Arsenal com Retrieved 21 November 2016 Haynes amp Coumbe 2006 p 72 Haynes amp Coumbe 2006 p 73 Ken Moffitt at Post War English amp Scottish Football League A Z Player s Transfer Database Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1954 55 Brentford F C season amp oldid 1215158668, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
