1902–03 Brentford F.C. season

During the 1902–03 English football season, Brentford competed in the Southern League First Division. An appalling season led to a bottom-place finish in the First Division, but the Bees retained their First Division status with a victory over Second Division champions Fulham in a promotion-relegation test match.

Brentford
1902–03 season
ChairmanCharlie Dorey
StadiumYork Road
Southern League First Division16th
FA CupIntermediate round
Top goalscorerLeague: Maher,
Underwood (3)
All: Shanks (9)

Season summary
Tommy Shanks' eighth goal in seven FA Cup appearances came against Woolwich Arsenal, who signed him in part-exchange for Joe Connor in January 1903.

After a rude awakening to the Southern League First Division during the previous season and despite having become a professional club in 1900, the Brentford committee continued with an amateur attitude with regards to the running of first team affairs.[1] Despite almost all of the First Division clubs utilising a first team manager, the committee would continue to run first team affairs.[1] Had Brentford been relegated at the end of the previous season, the £557 loss on the season (equivalent to £64,300 in 2023) would have spelt the end of the club, but attendances had almost doubled at York Road and gate receipts of £1,244 were taken (£143,700 in 2023).[1] Frustratingly, Brentford's promotion to the First Division had necessitated a trebling of the wage bill, which offset the increased gate receipts.[1] To increase revenue, the club would also enter into the London League and Western League during the season and the squad was expanded to 26 professionals, which led to a 60% expansion of the wage bill.[1] Previous regulars Grieve, Logan, McEleny, McElhaney and captain Stormont all left the club and were replaced by full backs Gilson, Nidd, half backs Green, Newsome and forwards Maher, Pickering, Turner and Underwood.[1]

Brentford began the First Division season in even worse form than it had the last, losing the first 9 matches.[2] Bristol City trainer Bob Crone was brought in to replace Tom King and while the team's fitness improved, its form did not.[1] The FA Cup provided a welcome distraction and the team's form belied that of in the league, scoring 16 goals in six matches to advance from the third qualifying round to the intermediate round and a matchup with Football League First Division club Woolwich Arsenal.[2] The Bees took the Gunners to a replay at the Manor Ground, but the run ended with a 5–0 defeat.[2] While the cup exploits had inspired Brentford to a first league victory of the season on 22 November 1902, it had raised the profile of forward Tommy Shanks, who had scored in 9 goals in a 10-match spell through November and December 1902.[1]

1903 began with the shock transfer of Tommy Shanks to Woolwich Arsenal, with Brentford receiving £200 and forward Joe Connor, who on 21 March 1903 would become Brentford's first international player when he played and scored for Ireland in a 2–0 victory over Scotland.[1] The Bees took just 3 points from a possible 34 during the rest of the season and finished bottom of the First Division, which led to a promotion-relegation test match versus Second Division champions Fulham on 28 April.[2] The team put in its best performance of the season to run out 7–2 victors, with Joe Connor scoring four goals.[2]

Statistically, 1902–03 was Brentford's worst Southern League season, winning just twice and drawing once.[3] A number of club records were set or equalled during the season:

  • Most Southern League home defeats in a season: 12
  • Most Southern League away defeats in a season: 0
  • Least Southern League wins in a season: 2
  • Least Southern League home wins in a season: 2
  • Least Southern League away wins in a season: 0
  • Least Southern League draws in a season: 1
  • Least Southern League home draws in a season: 1
  • Least Southern League away draws in a season: 0
  • Most FA Cup goals in a season: 8 – Tommy Shanks[1]

League table
Main article: 1902–03 Southern Football League § Division One

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts Qualification
12 Swindon Town 30 10 7 13 38 46 0.826 27
13 Kettering 30 8 11 11 33 40 0.825 27
14 Wellingborough 30 11 3 16 36 56 0.643 25
15 Watford 30 6 4 20 35 87 0.402 16 Relegation test matches
16 Brentford 30 2 1 27 16 84 0.190 5
Source: rsssf.com
Rules for classification: The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used until the 1976-77 season. The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.

Results
Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend
Win Draw Loss

Southern League First Division
No. DateOpponentVenueResultScorer(s)
1 6 September 1902SouthamptonA0–6
2 13 September 1902Wellingborough A0–3
3 20 September 1902Bristol RoversH0–2
4 27 September 1902Northampton TownA0–2
5 4 October 1902WatfordH2–3Pickering (2)
6 11 October 1902 Millwall Athletic A 1–3 Regan (pen)
7 18 October 1902Tottenham HotspurA1–3Regan (pen)
8 25 October 1902West Ham UnitedH0–3
9 8 November 1902New BromptonH1–2Shanks
10 22 November 1902 Kettering H 2–0 Maher (2)
11 6 December 1902ReadingH0–3
12 20 December 1902 Southampton H 0–4
13 27 December 1902Wellingborough H1–2Warren
14 3 January 1903 Bristol Rovers A 0–2
15 10 January 1903 Northampton Town H 0–2
16 17 January 1903 Watford A 1–3 Connor
17 24 January 1903 Millwall Athletic H 1–4 Connor
18 31 January 1903 Tottenham Hotspur H 1–1 Warren
19 7 February 1903 West Ham United A 0–2
20 14 February 1903 Portsmouth H 0–5
21 21 February 1903 New Brompton A 0–4
22 28 February 1903Swindon Town H1–0Underwood
23 4 March 1903Queens Park Rangers A0–3
24 7 March 1903Kettering A2–3Warren, Turner
25 14 March 1903Luton Town H1–3Maher
26 21 March 1903 Reading A 0–5
27 28 March 1903 Queens Park Rangers H 0–2
28 11 April 1903 Portsmouth A 1–4 Underwood
29 14 April 1903 Luton Town A 0–2
30 18 April 1903 Swindon Town A 0–3

Southern League Test Match
DateOpponentVenueResult Scorer(s) Notes
28 April 1903 Fulham N7–2 Connor (3, 1 pen), Turner (2), Pickering [nb 1]

FA Cup
Main article: 1902–03 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResult Scorer(s) Notes
3QR 1 November 1902 Oxford City A 2–2 Regan (pen), Shanks
3QR (replay) 5 November 1902 Oxford City H 5–4 Maher (2), Shanks (2), Pickering
4QR 15 November 1902 Southall H 5–0 Shanks (4), Green (pen)
5QR 29 November 1902 Shepherd's Bush H 2–2 Green, Maher
5QR (replay) 3 December 1902 Shepherd's Bush A 1–1 Maher
5QR (2nd replay) 8 December 1902 Shepherd's Bush N 1–0 Turner [nb 2]
IR 13 December 1902 Woolwich Arsenal H 1–1 Shanks
IR (replay)17 December 1902 Woolwich Arsenal A0–5
  • Source: 100 Years of Brentford[2]

Playing squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK Scotland SCO John Bishop
— GK England ENG Billy Green
— GK England ENG Tommy Spicer
— DF   Ball
— DF Ireland EIR Bob Crone
— DF England ENG Harry Dutfield
— DF England ENG Alf Gilson
— DF Scotland SCO William Halley
— DF England ENG Fred Nidd
— MF England ENG Ellis Green (c)
— MF England ENG William Hainsworth
— MF England ENG Harry Harris
— MF England ENG Bill Keech
— MF England ENG Arthur Newsome
— MF England ENG Bill Regan
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF   E. Roberts
— MF England ENG Thomas Shufflebotham
— MF England ENG Frederick Williams
— FW England ENG E. Andrews
— FW Scotland SCO John Bayne
— FW England ENG Charles Carr
— FW England ENG William Childs
— FW Ireland EIR Joe Connor
— FW Ireland EIR Frederick Jordan
— FW England ENG Horace Jury
— FW England ENG Davie Maher
— FW England ENG George Pickering
— FW England ENG Percy Turner
— FW England ENG Tosher Underwood
— FW England ENG Leonard Walker

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— FW Ireland EIR Tommy Shanks (to Woolwich Arsenal)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— FW England ENG Arnold Warren (to Ripley Town)
  • Source: 100 Years of Brentford,[2] The Football Association[4]

Coaching staff
Name Role
Ireland Bob Crone Trainer

Statistics

Appearances
Brentford's highest appearance-makers in each position during the Southern League season.

Goalscorers
Pos. Nat Player SL1 FAC TM Total
FW Ireland Tommy Shanks18 — 9
FW England Davie Maher 3 4 0 7
FW Ireland Joe Connor 2 0 4 6
FW England George Pickering 2 1 1 4
FW England Percy Turner 1 1 2 4
FW England Tosher Underwood 3 0 0 3
HB England Bill Regan 2 1 0 3
FW England Arnold Warren 2 0 — 2
HB England Ellis Green 0 2 0 2
Total1617 740
  • Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
  • Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[2]

International caps
Pos. Nat Player Caps Goals Ref
FW Ireland Joe Connor 2 1 [1]

Management
Name From To Record All Comps Record League
PWDLW %PWDLW %
Committee 6 September 1902 28 April 1903 39 6 5 28 015.38 30 2 1 27 006.67

Summary
Games played39 (30 Southern League First Division, 1 Southern League Test Match, 8 FA Cup)
Games won6 (2 Southern League First Division, 1 Southern League Test Match, 3 FA Cup)
Games drawn5 (1 Southern League First Division, 0 Southern League Test Match, 4 FA Cup)
Games lost28 (27 Southern League First Division, 0 Southern League Test Match, 1 FA Cup)
Goals scored40 (16 Southern League First Division, 7 Southern League Test Match, 17 FA Cup)
Goals conceded101 (84 Southern League First Division, 2 Southern League Test Match, 15 FA Cup)
Clean sheets4 (2 Southern League First Division, 0 Southern League Test Match, 2 FA Cup)
Biggest league win2–0 versus Kettering, 22 November 1902
Worst league defeat 6–0 versus Southampton, 6 September 1902
Most appearances38, Davie Maher (29 Southern League First Division, 1 Southern League Test Match, 8 FA Cup)
Top scorer (league)3, Davie Maher, Tosher Underwood
Top scorer (all competitions)9, Tommy Shanks

Notes
  1. Match played at Wormholt Farm, Shepherd's Bush.
  2. Match played at Kensal Rise.

References
  1. White, p. 78-80.
  2. White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 357. ISBN 0951526200.
  3. Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopedia. Yore Publications. pp. 117–120. ISBN 1 874427 57 7.
  4. "The Football Association – Season 1902–03 – Summary Of Professional Registrations". Sky is Blue – The Chesterfield FC history resource. Archived from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
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