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1961–62 Brentford F.C. season

Brentford
1961–62 season
ChairmanFrank Davis
(until October 1961)
Jack Dunnett
(from October 1961)
ManagerMalky MacDonald
StadiumGriffin Park
Third Division23rd (relegated)
FA CupThird round
League CupFirst round
Top goalscorerLeague: Francis (14)
All: Francis (15)
Highest home attendance19,700
Lowest home attendance3,600
Average home league attendance8,483

During the 1961–62 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division. Financial cutbacks and a reduction in size of the playing squad led to Brentford's relegation to the Fourth Division for the first time in the club's history.

Season summary

Off-season

After a number of seasons in which Brentford challenged and failed to win promotion from the Third Division with a wafer-thin squad, low attendances and a debt of over £50,000 meant that the 1961 off-season would be a period of turmoil.[1] A threat of a players' strike in support of the removal of the maximum wage during the second half of the previous season was averted and it was revealed that the club had turned down £12,000 and £9,000 bids respectively for prolific strike partners Jim Towers and George Francis during the 1959–60 season – a period when the club was still confident of promotion from the Third Division.[1] With those expectations dampened by mediocre performances in the 1960–61 season, up-and-coming outside left John Docherty was sold for £17,000 during the final months of the campaign.[1] Towers and particularly Francis performed poorly by their standards during the 1960–61 season and consequently bids of a similar amount to that of the previous year failed to materialise.[1]

Future Nottingham Central MP Jack Dunnett joined the board in July 1961 and took over as chairman from Frank Davis three months later.[2] For the first time since relegation to the Third Division South in 1953, Brentford conducted an end-of-season clearout in a bid to reduce the squad size and wage bill.[3] Ken Horne, Billy Goundry, George Bristow, Dennis Heath and Eric Parsons, who had each made over 100 appearances for the club, were released, as were five other bit-part players.[3] Most galling for the Brentford supporters was the sale of forwards Jim Towers and George Francis (who had accounted for 299 goals between them since 1954) to divisional and local rivals Queens Park Rangers for a combined £8,000 fee.[4] £6,000 Cardiff City forward Brian Edgley was signed as a replacement and Ray Reeves and Jimmy Belcher were brought in to strengthen the back lines.[3] The signings took the squad size to just 16 players, six of whom held a part-time status (Cakebread, Dargie, Gelson, Gitsham, Reeves and Ryecraft) and of those, two (Gelson and Ryecraft) were juniors who had yet to make their senior debuts.[3] In addition, assistant trainer Jack Holliday (the club's record goalscorer) was sacked and trainer Fred Monk resigned in April 1962.[3][5]

Season

Brentford had a dreadful start to the 1961–62 season, losing 8 of the first 9 matches in all competitions.[6] The signing of £6,000 former England international forward Johnny Brooks in early September 1961 helped boost the team's morale enough for them to register their first point of the season on 9 September 1961,[3] courtesy of a goalless draw with Southend United at Griffin Park.[6] After another loss and the Bees' first two victories of the season, three successive defeats led manager Malky MacDonald to re-sign forward George Francis from Queens Park Rangers on 6 October.[3] Francis' return helped inspire a victory over Swindon Town 24 hours later, courtesy of a Johnny Rainford goal.[3] The FA Cup provided a welcome distraction from the league, in which Brentford were firmly rooted in the relegation zone.[6] The Bees advanced to the third round of the FA Cup, taking high-flying Second Division club Leyton Orient to a replay before being knocked out.[6] After the defeat, the board again reached for the chequebook and signed outside forward Micky Block from Chelsea for a £5,000 fee.[3]

Poor form in the opening months of 1962 failed to avert the relegation threat and a bid to buy back Jim Towers from Queens Park Rangers failed,[3] but a run of three wins and one draw in late March and early April lifted Brentford to 21st, the club's highest position of the season so far.[6] Of the following four matches, a victory, a draw and two defeats left the Bees' in 23rd place, with their destiny out of their own hands.[6] Victory for 21st-place Barnsley over 20th-place Torquay United on 2 May ended the Bees' hopes of survival.[7] Brentford's 9-year stay in the Third Division officially ended the following day after a 2–0 defeat to Hull City at Boothferry Park.[6] The relegation completed a drop from the First Division in 1947 to the Fourth Division in 1962, a 15-year fall from grace.[3]

League table

Main article: 1961–62 Football League Third Division

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Promotion or relegation
20 Barnsley 46 13 12 21 71 95 0.747 38
21 Torquay United 46 15 6 25 76 100 0.760 36 Relegated
22 Lincoln City 46 9 17 20 57 87 0.655 35
23 Brentford 46 13 8 25 53 93 0.570 34
24 Newport County 46 7 8 31 46 102 0.451 22
Source: [citation needed]

Results

Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend

Win Draw Loss

Football League Third Division

No. Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorer(s)
1 19 August 1961 Queens Park Rangers A 0–3 16,790
2 22 August 1961 Halifax Town H 0–2 7,509
3 26 August 1961 Reading H 1–2 9,630 Spiers (og)
4 28 August 1961 Halifax Town A 0–1 7,603
5 2 September 1961 Newport County A 1–6 5,757 Edgley
6 5 September 1961 Grimsby Town A 0–1 8,800
7 9 September 1961 Southend United H 0–0 7,100
8 16 September 1961 Notts County A 1–3 7,977 Edgley
9 19 September 1961 Coventry City H 2–1 6,100 Higginson, Belcher
10 23 September 1961 Shrewsbury Town H 4–0 7,000 Edgley (2), Brooks, Rainford
11 25 September 1961 Coventry City A 0–2 10,243
12 30 September 1961 Peterborough United A 0–6 12,654
13 3 October 1961 Bristol City A 0–3 10,700
14 7 October 1961 Swindon Town H 1–0 7,500 Rainford
15 10 October 1961 Bristol City H 0–2 8,569
16 14 October 1961 Torquay United A 0–3 4,836
17 21 October 1961 Portsmouth H 3–2 9,600 Brooks, Edgley, Francis
18 28 October 1961 Barnsley A 2–2 6,478 Summers, Edgley
19 11 November 1961 Watford A 1–2 8,333 Francis
20 18 November 1961 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic H 2–2 9,600 Francis, Edgley
21 2 December 1961 Lincoln City H 1–0 7,980 Summers
22 9 December 1961 Northampton Town A 0–5 10,339
23 16 December 1961 Queens Park Rangers H 1–4 11,800 Francis
24 23 December 1961 Reading A 0–4 7,211
25 26 December 1961 Bradford Park Avenue H 2–0 5,100 Edgley (pen), Francis
26 13 January 1962 Newport County H 3–1 7,750 Francis, Higginson, McLeod
27 20 January 1962 Southend United A 0–0 6,835
28 27 January 1962 Crystal Palace A 2–2 19,323 Brooks, Block
39 2 February 1962 Notts County H 0–1 9,200
30 10 February 1962 Shrewsbury Town A 3–1 6,037 Brooks, Francis, McLeod
31 17 February 1962 Peterborough United H 2–0 11,000 Brooks (pen), McLeod
32 23 February 1962 Swindon Town A 2–5 7,089 Summers, Francis
33 3 March 1962 Torquay United H 0–2 7,450
34 10 March 1962 Portsmouth A 0–4 15,256
35 17 March 1962 Barnsley H 1–1 6,050 Francis
36 24 March 1962 Hull City A 0–3 3,432
37 30 March 1962 Watford H 3–0 6,450 Francis (2), Summers
38 4 April 1962 Bradford Park Avenue A 2–1 4,812 Francis, Summers
39 7 April 1962 Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic A 1–1 10,736 Block
40 13 April 1962 Crystal Palace H 4–2 9,900 Brooks (2, 1 pen), Francis, Wood (og)
41 20 April 1962 Port Vale H 1–2 11,160 Brooks (pen)
42 21 April 1962 Lincoln City A 3–3 5,402 Summers (2), Gelson
43 23 April 1962 Port Vale A 0–3 5,871
44 27 April 1962 Northampton Town H 3–0 6,750 Francis, Brooks, Summers
45 1 May 1962 Grimsby Town H 0–2 18,126
46 3 May 1962 Hull City H 0–2 3,600

FA Cup

Main article: 1961–62 FA Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorer(s)
1R 4 November 1961 Oxford United H 3–0 13,500 Summers, Edgley (2)
2R 25 November 1961 Aldershot A 2–2 12,846 Edgley, Francis
2R (replay) 28 November 1961 Aldershot H 2–0 17,800 Edgley, Brooks
3R 6 January 1962 Leyton Orient H 1–1 19,700 Summers
3R (replay) 8 January 1962 Leyton Orient A 1–2 22,690 Higginson

Football League Cup

Main article: 1961–62 Football League Cup
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Attendance Scorer
1R 13 September 1961 Leeds United A 1–4 4,500 McLeod

Playing squad

Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1961–62 season.
Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in Notes
Goalkeepers
GK Gerry Cakebread England (1936-04-01)1 April 1936 (aged 25) Youth 1954
Defenders
DF Ken Coote (c) England (1928-05-19)19 May 1928 (aged 33) Wembley 1949
DF Jimmy Gitsham England (1942-05-12)12 May 1942 (aged 19) Youth 1959
DF Ray Reeves England (1931-08-12)12 August 1931 (aged 30) Reading 1961
DF Tom Wilson England (1930-07-03)3 July 1930 (aged 31) Fulham 1957
Midfielders
HB Jimmy Belcher England (1932-10-31)31 October 1932 (aged 28) Ipswich Town 1961
HB Ian Dargie England (1931-10-03)3 October 1931 (aged 29) Tonbridge 1952
HB Peter Gelson England (1941-10-18)18 October 1941 (aged 19) Youth 1961
HB Tommy Higginson Scotland (1937-01-06)6 January 1937 (aged 24) Kilmarnock 1959
Forwards
FW Micky Block England (1940-01-28)28 January 1940 (aged 21) Chelsea 1962
FW Johnny Brooks England (1931-12-23)23 December 1931 (aged 29) Chelsea 1961
FW Brian Edgley England (1937-08-26)26 August 1937 (aged 23) Cardiff City 1961
FW George Francis England (1934-02-04)4 February 1934 (aged 27) Queens Park Rangers 1961
FW Johnny Hales Scotland (1940-05-15)15 May 1940 (aged 21) St Roch's 1958
FW George McLeod Scotland (1932-11-30)30 November 1932 (aged 28) Luton Town 1958
FW Danny O'Donnell Scotland (1939-02-27)27 February 1939 (aged 22) Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 1960
FW George Summers Scotland (1941-07-30)30 July 1941 (aged 20) Shawfield 1959
Players who left the club mid-season
FW Johnny Rainford England (1930-12-11)11 December 1930 (aged 30) Cardiff City 1953 Transferred to Tonbridge
  • Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford,[8] Timeless Bees[9]

Coaching staff

Name Role
Scotland Malky MacDonald Manager
England Fred Monk Trainer

Statistics

Appearances and goals

Brentford's highest appearance-makers in each position during the Football League season.
Pos Nat Name League FA Cup League Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK England Gerry Cakebread 46 0 5 0 1 0 52 0
DF England Ken Coote 45 0 5 0 1 0 51 0
DF England Jimmy Gitsham 34 0 5 0 0 0 39 0
DF England Ray Reeves 5 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
DF England Tom Wilson 16 0 0 0 1 0 17 0
HB England Jimmy Belcher 30 1 5 0 1 0 36 1
HB England Ian Dargie 35 0 1 0 1 0 37 0
HB England Peter Gelson 24 1 4 0 0 0 28 1
HB Scotland Tommy Higginson 46 2 5 1 1 0 52 3
FW England Micky Block 20 2 — — 20 2
FW England Johnny Brooks 38 10 5 1 0 0 43 11
FW England Brian Edgley 27 8 5 4 1 0 33 12
FW England George Francis 32 14 5 1 — 37 15
FW Scotland Johnny Hales 8 0 0 0 1 0 9 0
FW Scotland George McLeod 46 3 5 0 1 1 52 4
FW Scotland Danny O'Donnell 9 0 0 0 0 0 9 0
FW England Johnny Rainford 15 2 1 0 1 0 17 2
FW Scotland George Summers 30 8 4 2 1 0 35 10
  • Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
  • Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[8]

Goalscorers

Pos. Nat Player FL3 FAC FLC Total
FW England George Francis 14 1 — 15
FW England Brian Edgley 8 4 0 12
FW England Johnny Brooks 10 1 0 11
FW Scotland George Summers 8 2 0 10
FW Scotland George McLeod 3 0 1 4
HB Scotland Tommy Higginson 2 1 0 3
FW England Micky Block 2 — — 2
FW England Johnny Rainford 2 0 0 2
HB England Jimmy Belcher 1 0 0 1
HB England Peter Gelson 1 0 0 1
Opponents 2 0 0 2
Total 53 9 1 63
  • Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
  • Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[8]

Management

Name Nat From To Record All Comps Record League
P W D L W % P W D L W %
Malky MacDonald Scotland 19 August 1961 3 May 1962 52 15 10 27 028.85 46 13 8 25 028.26

Summary

Games played 52 (46 Third Division, 5 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)
Games won 15 (13 Third Division, 2 FA Cup, 0 League Cup)
Games drawn 10 (8 Third Division, 2 FA Cup, 0 League Cup)
Games lost 27 (25 Third Division, 1 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)
Goals scored 63 (53 Third Division, 9 FA Cup, 1 League Cup)
Goals conceded 102 (93 Third Division, 5 FA Cup, 4 League Cup)
Clean sheets 12 (10 Third Division, 2 FA Cup, 0 League Cup)
Biggest league win 4–0 versus Shrewsbury Town, 23 September 1961
Worst league defeat 6–0 versus Peterborough United, 30 September 1961
Most appearances 52, Gerry Cakebread, Tommy Higginson, George McLeod (46 Third Division, 2 FA Cup, 3 League Cup)
Top scorer (league) 14, George Francis
Top scorer (all competitions) 15, George Francis

Transfers & loans

Players transferred in
Date Pos. Name Previous Club Fee Ref.
5 June 1961 FW England Brian Edgley Wales Cardiff City £6,000 [10]
July 1961 HB England Jimmy Belcher England Ipswich Town n/a [11]
July 1961 DF England Ray Reeves England Reading n/a [12]
2 September 1961 FW Scotland Dick Lowrie Scotland St Roch's n/a [13]
2 September 1961 FW Scotland Hugh McLaughlin Scotland St Roch's n/a [13]
September 1961 FW England Johnny Brooks England Chelsea £6,000 [14]
6 October 1961 FW England George Francis England Queens Park Rangers n/a [4]
December 1961 DF England Tom Anthony n/a n/a [15]
1961 DF England Tim Soutar n/a n/a [16]
January 1962 FW England Micky Block England Chelsea £5,000 [3]
Players transferred out
Date Pos. Name Subsequent club Fee Ref.
31 May 1961 FW England George Francis England Queens Park Rangers £4,000 [17]
31 May 1961 FW England Jim Towers England Queens Park Rangers £4,000 [17]
1962 FW England Johnny Rainford England Tonbridge Free [3]
Players released
Date Pos. Name Subsequent club Join date Ref.
May 1962 HB England Jimmy Belcher England Margate 1962 [11]
May 1962 DF England Ray Reeves England Dover 1962 [12]
May 1962 DF England Tom Wilson England Folkestone Town 1962 [18]

Awards

References

  1. ^ a b c d White 1989, p. 240-241.
  2. ^ Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopaedia. Yore Publications. p. 27. ISBN 1 874427 57 7.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m White 1989, p. 242-245.
  4. ^ a b Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 186-188.
  5. ^ White 1989, p. 246.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Brentford results for the 1961–1962 season". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 1 December 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  7. ^ "Torquay United results for the 1961–1962 season". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 1 December 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  8. ^ a b c d White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 386. ISBN 0951526200.
  9. ^ Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Yore Publications. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  10. ^ Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 52.
  11. ^ a b Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 18-19.
  12. ^ a b Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 132.
  13. ^ a b "Player Transfers 1958–1978 – 1961". Scottish Football Historical Archive. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  14. ^ White 1989, p. 28.
  15. ^ "Tom Anthony". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  16. ^ Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 152.
  17. ^ a b "Seasonal Stats – 1961–62". QPRnet. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  18. ^ Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 170-171.
  19. ^ Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 41.
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