1956–57 season of Brentford F.C.
Brentford 1956–57 football season
Brentford1956–57 season |
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Chairman | Frank Davis |
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Manager | Bill Dodgin Sr. |
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Stadium | Griffin Park |
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Third Division South | 8th |
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FA Cup | Second round |
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Top goalscorer | League: Francis (23) All: Francis (24) |
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Highest home attendance | 18,760 |
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Lowest home attendance | 6,088 |
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Average home league attendance | 11,482 |
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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.
Season summary
With 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. Frank Latimer and Billy Sperrin were released after many years' service, in addition to more recent signings Leonard Geard, James Robertson and George Stobbart.
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.
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. 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
Source: [citation needed]
Results
- Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend
No. | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) |
1 | 18 August 1956 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 4–1 | 13,710 | Newcombe, Goundry, Taylor, Towers |
2 | 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, Francis |
4 | 29 August 1956 | Swindon Town | A | 3–1 | 11,995 | Taylor (2), Francis |
5 | 1 September 1956 | Watford | H | 1–5 | 18,760 | Towers |
6 | 4 September 1956 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 2–5 | 12,191 | Goundry, Towers |
7 | 8 September 1956 | Shrewsbury Town | A | 2–3 | 8,953 | Francis, Taylor |
8 | 12 September 1956 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 2–1 | 14,317 | Goundry, Francis |
9 | 15 September 1956 | Walsall | H | 6–2 | 11,492 | Taylor (3), Bristow, Goundry, Francis |
10 | 18 September 1956 | Gillingham | H | 3–2 | 15,603 | Francis (3) |
11 | 22 September 1956 | Ipswich Town | A | 0–4 | 12,888 | |
12 | 26 September 1956 | Gillingham | A | 1–2 | 7,903 | Morgan |
13 | 29 September 1956 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | H | 2–2 | 12,604 | Francis, Newcombe |
14 | 6 October 1956 | Northampton Town | H | 2–1 | 10,733 | Coleman (og), Francis |
15 | 13 October 1956 | Southend United | A | 0–1 | 11,463 | |
16 | 20 October 1956 | Crystal Palace | H | 1–1 | 11,345 | Taylor |
17 | 27 October 1956 | Exeter City | A | 1–1 | 8,482 | Francis |
18 | 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 | 7,290 | |
21 | 1 December 1956 | Newport County | H | 0–0 | 11,130 | |
22 | 15 December 1956 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 0–2 | 6,823 | |
23 | 22 December 1956 | Aldershot | H | 2–2 | 7,284 | Parsons, Towers |
24 | 25 December 1956 | Torquay United | H | 0–0 | 9,024 | |
25 | 26 December 1956 | Torquay United | A | 0–2 | 9,540 | |
26 | 29 December 1956 | Watford | A | 1–1 | 8,416 | Dudley |
27 | 12 January 1957 | Shrewsbury Town | H | 3–1 | 8,952 | Rainford, Dudley, Goundry |
28 | 19 January 1957 | Walsall | A | 0–7 | 13,892 | |
29 | 2 February 1957 | Ipswich Town | H | 1–1 | 10,538 | Rees (og) |
30 | 9 February 1957 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | A | 0–3 | 10,898 | |
31 | 16 February 1957 | Northampton Town | A | 0–5 | 9,306 | |
32 | 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, Goundry |
34 | 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), Towers |
36 | 16 March 1957 | Southampton | A | 3–3 | 12,166 | Parsons, Newcombe, Towers |
37 | 18 March 1957 | Millwall | A | 1–1 | 8,726 | Towers |
38 | 23 March 1957 | Coventry City | H | 1–1 | 10,058 | Taylor |
39 | 30 March 1957 | Norwich City | A | 1–1 | 11,685 | McNeil (og) |
40 | 6 April 1957 | Colchester United | H | 1–1 | 12,846 | Taylor |
41 | 13 April 1957 | Newport County | A | 0–3 | 5,415 | |
42 | 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), Francis |
44 | 22 April 1957 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 2–2 | 9,661 | Dargie, Francis |
45 | 27 April 1957 | Norwich City | H | 1–1 | 8,764 | Bragg (pen) |
46 | 1 May 1957 | Reading | A | 0–2 | 4,203 | |
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 | Taylor |
2R (replay) | 12 December 1956 | Crystal Palace | A | 2–3 (a.e.t.) | 23,136 | Towers, Francis |
- Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford,[3] Statto, 11v11
Playing squad
- Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1956–57 season.
- Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford,[3] Timeless Bees[6]
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[3]
Goalscorers
- Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
- Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[3]
Representative caps
Management
Name | Nat | From | To | Record All Comps | Record League |
P | W | D | L | W % | P | W | D | L | W % |
Bill Dodgin Sr. | | 18 August 1956 | 1 May 1957 | 49 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 034.69 | 46 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 034.78 |
Summary
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 1957 |
Worst league defeat | 7–0 versus Walsall, 19 January 1957 |
Most appearances | 47, Ken Coote (44 Third Division South, 3 FA Cup) |
Top scorer (league) | 23, George Francis |
Top scorer (all competitions) | 24, George Francis |
Transfers & loans
References
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Player Appearances and goalscoring records – H". Scottish Football Historical Archive. p. 286. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 18 April 2022.