During the 1956–57 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division South. Despite topping the table early in the season, a poor run of form dropped the club to the lower reaches of mid-table by February 1957. A strong final two months of the season lifted the Bees to an 8th-place finish.
Brentford had a dream start to the 1956–57 season, winning the opening four matches and sitting atop the table.[2] Three subsequent defeats dropped the Bees to as low as 13th-place, before top spot was again reached after another three wins in September 1956.[2]ForwardsJeff Taylor and George Francis (supported by Jim Towers) were in imperious form, with Taylor having scored 9 goals and Francis 8 goals after 10 matches.[3] A 4–0 defeat away to Ipswich Town on 22 September ended the run and Brentford won just three of next 20 league matches,[2] with Taylor and Francis completely losing form and Towers spending periods out injured.[3] The signing of Chelsea forward Eric Parsons had little impact.[1]
The Bees reached their nadir on 19 January 1957, losing 7–0 to Walsall, a scoreline which equalled the club's record defeat.[4] Three matches later, Brentford lost 5–1 to Northampton Town and completed a slide from 1st position on 18 September 1956 to 17th on 16 February 1957.[2] Jim Towers' return to full fitness coincided with the team's return to form in March, with George Francis scoring five goals amidst a run of four consecutive wins.[3] After victory over Southend United on 12 March, chairman Frank Davis announced that manager Bill Dodgin Sr. would be leaving Griffin Park at the end of the campaign.[1] Brentford lost just two of the remaining 11 matches of the season and battled to an 8th-place finish.[2]
A number of club records were set or equalled during the season:
Record league defeat: 0–7 versus Walsall, 19 January 1957[4]
Consecutive away league wins: 5 (21 April – 29 August 1956)[5]
Consecutive league draws: 5 (16 March – 6 April 1957)[5]
Most home league games without a clean sheet: 16 (3 March – 20 October 1956)[5]
^"Player Appearances and goalscoring records – H". Scottish Football Historical Archive. p. 286. from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
1956, brentford, season, during, 1956, english, football, season, brentford, competed, football, league, third, division, south, despite, topping, table, early, season, poor, form, dropped, club, lower, reaches, table, february, 1957, strong, final, months, se. During the 1956 57 English football season Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division South Despite topping the table early in the season a poor run of form dropped the club to the lower reaches of mid table by February 1957 A strong final two months of the season lifted the Bees to an 8th place finish Brentford1956 57 seasonChairmanFrank DavisManagerBill Dodgin Sr StadiumGriffin ParkThird Division South8thFA CupSecond roundTop goalscorerLeague Francis 23 All Francis 24 Highest home attendance18 760Lowest home attendance6 088Average home league attendance11 482Home colours 1955 561957 58 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 caps 6 4 Management 6 5 Summary 7 Transfers amp loans 8 ReferencesSeason summary editWith Brentford having failed to challenge for promotion since relegation to the Third Division South in 1954 reduced attendances at Griffin Park meant that manager Bill Dodgin Sr again had little to spend in the transfer market with his lone acquisition being full back Sid Russell from local Sunday league football 1 Frank Latimer and Billy Sperrin were released after many years service in addition to more recent signings Leonard Geard James Robertson and George Stobbart 1 Brentford had a dream start to the 1956 57 season winning the opening four matches and sitting atop the table 2 Three subsequent defeats dropped the Bees to as low as 13th place before top spot was again reached after another three wins in September 1956 2 Forwards Jeff Taylor and George Francis supported by Jim Towers were in imperious form with Taylor having scored 9 goals and Francis 8 goals after 10 matches 3 A 4 0 defeat away to Ipswich Town on 22 September ended the run and Brentford won just three of next 20 league matches 2 with Taylor and Francis completely losing form and Towers spending periods out injured 3 The signing of Chelsea forward Eric Parsons had little impact 1 The Bees reached their nadir on 19 January 1957 losing 7 0 to Walsall a scoreline which equalled the club s record defeat 4 Three matches later Brentford lost 5 1 to Northampton Town and completed a slide from 1st position on 18 September 1956 to 17th on 16 February 1957 2 Jim Towers return to full fitness coincided with the team s return to form in March with George Francis scoring five goals amidst a run of four consecutive wins 3 After victory over Southend United on 12 March chairman Frank Davis announced that manager Bill Dodgin Sr would be leaving Griffin Park at the end of the campaign 1 Brentford lost just two of the remaining 11 matches of the season and battled to an 8th place finish 2 A number of club records were set or equalled during the season Record league defeat 0 7 versus Walsall 19 January 1957 4 Consecutive away league wins 5 21 April 29 August 1956 5 Consecutive league draws 5 16 March 6 April 1957 5 Most home league games without a clean sheet 16 3 March 20 October 1956 5 League table editMain article 1956 57 Football League Third Division South Pos Teamvte Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts6 Brighton amp Hove Albion 46 19 14 13 86 65 1 323 527 Southend United 46 18 12 16 73 65 1 123 488 Brentford 46 16 16 14 78 76 1 026 489 Shrewsbury Town 46 15 18 13 72 79 0 911 4810 Queens Park Rangers 46 18 11 17 61 60 1 017 47Source citation needed Results 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 18 August 1956 Plymouth Argyle H 4 1 13 710 Newcombe Goundry Taylor Towers2 21 August 1956 Swindon Town H 4 1 13 510 Towers Taylor 2 Bragg pen 3 25 August 1956 Aldershot A 2 0 7 043 Towers Francis4 29 August 1956 Swindon Town A 3 1 11 995 Taylor 2 Francis5 1 September 1956 Watford H 1 5 18 760 Towers6 4 September 1956 Brighton amp Hove Albion H 2 5 12 191 Goundry Towers7 8 September 1956 Shrewsbury Town A 2 3 8 953 Francis Taylor8 12 September 1956 Brighton amp Hove Albion A 2 1 14 317 Goundry Francis9 15 September 1956 Walsall H 6 2 11 492 Taylor 3 Bristow Goundry Francis10 18 September 1956 Gillingham H 3 2 15 603 Francis 3 11 22 September 1956 Ipswich Town A 0 4 12 88812 26 September 1956 Gillingham A 1 2 7 903 Morgan13 29 September 1956 Bournemouth amp Boscombe Athletic H 2 2 12 604 Francis Newcombe14 6 October 1956 Northampton Town H 2 1 10 733 Coleman og Francis15 13 October 1956 Southend United A 0 1 11 46316 20 October 1956 Crystal Palace H 1 1 11 345 Taylor17 27 October 1956 Exeter City A 1 1 8 482 Francis18 3 November 1956 Southampton H 4 0 14 198 Francis 4 19 10 November 1956 Coventry City A 1 1 9 884 Peplow pen 20 24 November 1956 Colchester United A 0 1 7 29021 1 December 1956 Newport County H 0 0 11 13022 15 December 1956 Plymouth Argyle A 0 2 6 82323 22 December 1956 Aldershot H 2 2 7 284 Parsons Towers24 25 December 1956 Torquay United H 0 0 9 02425 26 December 1956 Torquay United A 0 2 9 54026 29 December 1956 Watford A 1 1 8 416 Dudley27 12 January 1957 Shrewsbury Town H 3 1 8 952 Rainford Dudley Goundry28 19 January 1957 Walsall A 0 7 13 89229 2 February 1957 Ipswich Town H 1 1 10 538 Rees og 30 9 February 1957 Bournemouth amp Boscombe Athletic A 0 3 10 89831 16 February 1957 Northampton Town A 0 5 9 30632 2 March 1957 Crystal Palace A 2 0 11 679 Parsons 2 33 4 March 1957 Millwall H 5 0 6 088 Taylor Towers Francis Coote Goundry34 9 March 1957 Reading H 4 0 10 223 Francis 2 Taylor McLaren og 35 12 March 1957 Southend United H 3 2 11 941 Francis 2 Towers36 16 March 1957 Southampton A 3 3 12 166 Parsons Newcombe Towers37 18 March 1957 Millwall A 1 1 8 726 Towers38 23 March 1957 Coventry City H 1 1 10 058 Taylor39 30 March 1957 Norwich City A 1 1 11 685 McNeil og 40 6 April 1957 Colchester United H 1 1 12 846 Taylor41 13 April 1957 Newport County A 0 3 5 41542 19 April 1957 Queens Park Rangers H 2 0 13 841 Towers 2 43 20 April 1957 Exeter City H 3 0 9 262 Taylor Harvey og Francis44 22 April 1957 Queens Park Rangers A 2 2 9 661 Dargie Francis45 27 April 1957 Norwich City H 1 1 8 764 Bragg pen 46 1 May 1957 Reading A 0 2 4 203FA Cup edit Main article 1956 57 FA Cup Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorer s 1R 17 November 1956 Guildford City H 3 0 13 450 Morton og Taylor Beale og 2R 8 December 1956 Crystal Palace H 1 1 16 750 Taylor2R replay 12 December 1956 Crystal Palace A 2 3 a e t 23 136 Towers FrancisSources 100 Years Of Brentford 3 Statto 11v11Playing squad editPlayers ages are as of the opening day of the 1956 57 season Pos Name Nat Date of birth age Signed from Signed in NotesGoalkeepersGK Gerry Cakebread nbsp 1936 04 01 1 April 1936 aged 20 Youth 1954GK Sonny Feehan nbsp 1926 09 17 17 September 1926 aged 29 Northampton Town 1954DefendersDF Alan Bassham nbsp 1933 10 03 3 October 1933 aged 22 Youth 1953DF Wally Bragg nbsp 1929 07 08 8 July 1929 aged 27 Twickenham Celtic 1946DF Ken Horne nbsp 1926 06 25 25 June 1926 aged 30 Blackpool 1950DF George Lowden nbsp 1933 03 02 2 March 1933 aged 23 Unattached 1951DF Sid Russell nbsp 1937 10 04 4 October 1937 aged 18 Jolly X 1956MidfieldersHB George Bristow nbsp 1933 06 25 25 June 1933 aged 23 Youth 1950HB Ken Coote nbsp 1928 05 19 19 May 1928 aged 28 Wembley 1949HB Ian Dargie nbsp 1931 10 03 3 October 1931 aged 24 Tonbridge 1952HB Wendell Morgan nbsp 1935 04 22 22 April 1935 aged 21 Cardiff City 1954HB Ron Peplow nbsp 1935 05 04 4 May 1935 aged 21 Southall 1955HB Terry Robinson nbsp 1929 11 08 8 November 1929 aged 26 Loughborough College 1954 AmateurHB Len Roe nbsp 1932 01 11 11 January 1932 aged 24 Ruislip Manor 1951ForwardsFW Vernon Avis nbsp 1935 10 24 24 October 1935 aged 20 Youth 1952FW Billy Bloomfield nbsp 1939 08 25 25 August 1939 aged 16 Youth 1956FW Frank Dudley nbsp 1925 05 09 9 May 1925 aged 31 Cardiff City 1953FW George Francis nbsp 1934 02 04 4 February 1934 aged 22 Youth 1955FW Billy Goundry nbsp 1934 03 28 28 March 1934 aged 22 Huddersfield Town 1955FW Dennis Heath nbsp 1934 09 28 28 September 1934 aged 21 Youth 1954FW Len Newcombe nbsp 1931 02 28 28 February 1931 aged 25 Fulham 1956FW Eric Parsons nbsp 1923 11 09 9 November 1923 aged 32 Chelsea 1956FW John Pearson nbsp 1935 04 23 23 April 1935 aged 21 Youth 1955FW Johnny Rainford nbsp 1930 12 11 11 December 1930 aged 25 Cardiff City 1953FW Jeff Taylor nbsp 1930 09 20 20 September 1930 aged 25 Fulham 1954FW Jim Towers nbsp 1933 04 15 15 April 1933 aged 23 Youth 1954Players who left the club mid seasonGK Reg Newton nbsp 1926 06 30 30 June 1926 aged 30 Leyton Orient 1949 Transferred to Tunbridge Wells UnitedDF Sid Tickridge c nbsp 1923 04 10 10 April 1923 aged 33 Chelsea 1955 RetiredSources 100 Years Of Brentford 3 Timeless Bees 6 Coaching staff editName Role nbsp Bill Dodgin Sr Manager nbsp Tom Egglestone Trainer nbsp Jack Holliday Assistant TrainerStatistics editAppearances and goals edit nbsp CakebreadBraggRussellDargieBristowCooteTaylorTowersParsonsNewcombeFrancisBrentford 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 38 0 3 0 41 0GK nbsp Sonny Feehan 3 0 0 0 3 0GK nbsp Reg Newton 5 0 0 0 5 0DF nbsp Alan Bassham 12 0 2 0 14 0DF nbsp Wally Bragg 33 1 1 0 34 1DF nbsp Ken Horne 5 0 0 0 5 0DF nbsp George Lowden 3 0 0 0 3 0DF nbsp Sid Russell 22 0 0 0 22 0DF nbsp Sid Tickridge 23 0 3 0 26 0HB nbsp George Bristow 16 1 0 0 16 1HB nbsp Ken Coote 44 1 3 0 47 1HB nbsp Ian Dargie 27 1 3 0 30 1HB nbsp Wendell Morgan 26 1 1 0 27 1HB nbsp Ron Peplow 14 1 3 0 17 1HB nbsp Terry Robinson 12 0 0 0 12 0HB nbsp Len Roe 2 0 0 0 2 0FW nbsp Vernon Avis 1 0 0 0 1 0FW nbsp Billy Bloomfield 1 0 0 0 1 0FW nbsp Frank Dudley 4 2 0 0 4 2FW nbsp George Francis 41 23 3 1 44 24FW nbsp Billy Goundry 31 6 2 0 33 6FW nbsp Dennis Heath 3 0 1 0 4 0FW nbsp Len Newcombe 43 3 3 0 46 3FW nbsp Eric Parsons 27 4 2 0 29 4FW nbsp John Pearson 1 0 0 0 1 0FW nbsp Johnny Rainford 7 1 0 0 7 1FW nbsp Jeff Taylor 38 15 2 2 40 17FW nbsp Jim Towers 24 12 1 1 25 13Players listed in italics left the club mid season Source 100 Years Of Brentford 3 Goalscorers edit Pos Nat Player FL3 FAC TotalFW nbsp George Francis 23 1 24FW nbsp Jeff Taylor 15 2 17FW nbsp Jim Towers 12 1 13FW nbsp Billy Goundry 6 0 6FW nbsp Eric Parsons 4 0 4FW nbsp Len Newcombe 3 0 3FW nbsp Frank Dudley 2 0 2DF nbsp Wally Bragg 1 0 1HB nbsp George Bristow 1 0 1HB nbsp Ken Coote 1 0 1HB nbsp Ian Dargie 1 0 1HB nbsp Wendell Morgan 1 0 1HB nbsp Ron Peplow 1 0 1FW nbsp Johnny Rainford 1 0 1Opponents 5 2 7Total 78 6 84Players listed in italics left the club mid season Source 100 Years Of Brentford 3 Representative caps edit Pos Nat Player Team Caps Goals RefHB nbsp Terry Robinson nbsp Great Britain 8 0 7 Management edit Name Nat From To Record All Comps Record LeagueP W D L W P W D L W Bill Dodgin Sr nbsp 18 August 1956 1 May 1957 49 17 17 15 0 34 69 46 16 16 14 0 34 78Summary edit Games played 49 46 Third Division South 3 FA Cup Games won 17 16 Third Division South 1 FA Cup Games drawn 17 16 Third Division South 1 FA Cup Games lost 15 14 Third Division South 1 FA Cup Goals scored 84 78 Third Division South 6 FA Cup Goals conceded 80 76 Third Division South 4 FA Cup Clean sheets 10 9 Third Division South 1 FA Cup Biggest league win 5 0 versus Millwall 4 March 1957Worst league defeat 7 0 versus Walsall 19 January 1957Most appearances 47 Ken Coote 44 Third Division South 3 FA Cup Top scorer league 23 George FrancisTop scorer all competitions 24 George FrancisTransfers amp loans editPlayers transferred inDate Pos Name Previous Club Fee Ref August 1956 DF nbsp Sid Russell nbsp Jolly X Free 8 November 1956 FW nbsp Eric Parsons nbsp Chelsea n a 8 Players loaned inDate from Pos Name From Date to Ref August 1956 FW nbsp Tommy Henaughan nbsp Kilmarnock n a 9 Players transferred outDate Pos Name Subsequent club Fee Ref February 1957 GK nbsp Reg Newton nbsp Tunbridge Wells Rangers n a 10 Players releasedDate Pos Name Subsequent club Join date Ref January 1957 DF nbsp Sid Tickridge Retired 11 May 1957 HB nbsp Wally Bragg Retired 12 References edit a b c d White 1989 p 221 224 a b c d e Brentford results for the 1956 1957 season Statto com Archived from the original on 25 November 2016 Retrieved 23 November 2016 a b c d e f g White Eric ed 1989 100 Years Of Brentford Brentford FC p 384 ISBN 0951526200 a b Haynes Graham 1998 A Z Of Bees Brentford Encyclopedia Yore Publications p 42 ISBN 1 874427 57 7 a b c Brentford scoring and sequence records Statto com Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 23 November 2016 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 7 August 2016 a b Haynes amp Coumbe 2006 p 139 140 Player Appearances and goalscoring records H Scottish Football Historical Archive p 286 Archived from the original on 17 December 2021 Retrieved 18 April 2022 Haynes amp Coumbe 2006 p 116 Haynes amp Coumbe 2006 p 161 Haynes amp Coumbe 2006 p 25 26 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1956 57 Brentford F C season amp oldid 1215158995, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
