1904–05 Brentford F.C. season

During the 1904–05 English football season, Brentford competed in the Southern League First Division. In its first season at Griffin Park, the club finished in 14th place.

Brentford
1904–05 season
ChairmanCharlie Dorey
Secretary ManagerDick Molyneux
StadiumGriffin Park
Southern League First Division14th
FA CupIntermediate round
Top goalscorerLeague: Shanks (7)
All: Shanks (7)

Season summary
Signed from Darwen during the 1904 off-season, Jimmy Tomlinson would go on to be a mainstay at centre half until his departure in 1908.

It was a summer of fundraising for the Brentford board during the 1904 off-season, with the club needing to raise money for the work being undertaken at its new Griffin Park ground.[1] £600 was raised (equivalent to £68,800 in 2023) to pay summer wages for the squad and manager Dick Molyneux was once again able to sign new players soon after the end of the 1903–04 season, with goalkeeper Walter Whittaker, half back Jimmy Tomlinson and forwards John Boag, Fred Hobson, Frank Oliver, Alex Walker and Joe Warrington being signings of note.[1] Molyneux's biggest transfer coup was that of forward Tommy Shanks, who returned to Brentford after 18 months away and off the back of a season in which he had scored 25 goals in Woolwich Arsenal's Football League Second Division triumph.[1] The summer wages allowed full backs Jock Watson, Tommy Davidson and half backs James Bellingham, Jimmy Jay and George Parsonage to be retained, which on paper made the Bees' 1904–05 Southern League First Division squad arguably the club's strongest yet.[1]

Though the season proved to be a slight improvement on the previous one, with two more points won, but finishing one place lower in 14th, Brentford's first season at Griffin Park was a disappointment.[1] Though he finished the season as top scorer and became Brentford's second international player,[1] forward Tommy Shanks could not recreate his prolific form of the previous season and scored just seven goals.[2] The Bees reached the intermediate round of the FA Cup for the third successive season, but could not find a way past fellow First Division club Reading.[2]

Two club records were set during the season:[3]

  • Most Southern League draws in a season: 9
  • Most Southern League home draws in a season: 7

League table
Main article: 1904–05 Southern Football League § Division One

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts
12 Brighton & Hove Albion 34 13 6 15 44 45 0.978 32
13 Northampton Town 34 12 8 14 43 54 0.796 32
14 Brentford 34 10 9 15 33 38 0.868 29
15 Millwall 34 11 7 16 38 47 0.809 29
16 Swindon Town 34 12 5 17 41 59 0.695 29
Source: [4]
Rules for classification: The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up 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 3 September 1904West Ham UnitedH0–0
2 10 September 1904ReadingA0–1
3 17 September 1904 Bristol Rovers H 0–1
4 24 September 1904Northampton TownA2–3Warrington, Boag
5 1 October 1904PortsmouthH1–3Warrington
6 8 October 1904Brighton & Hove Albion A1–0Shanks (pen)
7 15 October 1904 Queens Park Rangers A 2–3 Shanks, Gates
8 22 October 1904MillwallH2–0Hobson (2)
9 29 October 1904Tottenham HotspurA1–1Shanks
10 5 November 1904 Luton Town H 3–0 Shanks (3)
11 12 November 1904Swindon TownA3–1Oliver (2), Hobson
12 19 November 1904New Brompton H0–2
13 3 December 1904 Southampton H 0–1
14 17 December 1904 Watford H 1–1 Jay
15 24 December 1904 Plymouth Argyle A 0–1
16 31 December 1904West Ham UnitedA1–0Oliver
17 7 January 1905 Reading H 0–0
18 21 January 1905 Northampton Town H 3–4 Jay, Fletcher (2)
19 28 January 1905 Portsmouth A 0–5
20 4 February 1905 Brighton & Hove Albion H 1–0 Shinner
21 11 February 1905 Queens Park Rangers H 0–0
22 18 February 1905Millwall A1–1Parsonage
23 25 February 1905 Tottenham Hotspur H 0–0
24 4 March 1905Luton Town A0–1
25 11 March 1905 Swindon Town H 1–1 Warrington
26 18 March 1905New Brompton A1–0Gates
27 25 March 1905 Wellingborough H 3–0 Parsonage, Fletcher, Warrington
28 27 March 1905 Wellingborough A 4–0 Hobson (3), Shinner
29 1 April 1905Southampton A0–2
30 8 April 1905 Fulham H 1–1 Gates
31 15 April 1905 Watford A 0–1
32 22 April 1905 Plymouth Argyle H 1–0 Shanks (pen)
33 25 April 1905 Bristol Rovers A 0–3
34 29 April 1905 Fulham A 0–1

FA Cup
Main article: 1904–05 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResult Scorer(s)
6QR 10 December 1904 Queens Park Rangers A 2–1 Archer (og), Swarbrick
IR 14 January 1905 Reading H 1–1 Warrington
IR (replay)18 January 1905 Reading A0–2
  • 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 United States USA William McBride
— GK England ENG Walter Whittaker
— DF Scotland SCO Tommy Davidson
— DF England ENG Thomas Howarth
— DF Scotland SCO Jock Watson
— MF Scotland SCO James Bellingham
— MF Scotland SCO Jimmy Jay
— MF England ENG George Parsonage (c)
— MF England ENG Jimmy Tomlinson
— FW Scotland SCO John Boag
— FW England ENG Chris Duffy
No. Pos. Nation Player
— FW England ENG Harry Fletcher
— FW England ENG George Gates
— FW England ENG Fred Hobson
— FW England ENG John Moulder
— FW England ENG Frank Oliver
— FW Ireland EIR Tommy Shanks
— FW England ENG James Shinner
— FW England ENG James Swarbrick
— FW England ENG Tosher Underwood
— FW Scotland SCO Alex Walker
— FW England ENG Joe Warrington
  • Source: 100 Years of Brentford[2]

Coaching staff
Name Role
England Dick Molyneux Secretary Manager
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 Total
FW Ireland Tommy Shanks 7 0 7
FW England Fred Hobson 6 0 6
HB England Joe Warrington 4 1 5
FW England Harry Fletcher 3 0 3
FW England George Gates303
FW England Frank Oliver 3 0 3
FW England James Shinner 2 — 2
HB England Jimmy Jay 2 0 2
HB England George Parsonage 2 0 2
FW Scotland John Boag 1 0 1
FW England James Swarbrick 0 1 1
Opponents 0 1 1
Total33336
  • 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 Tommy Shanks 1 0 [5]

Management
Name Nat From To Record All Comps Record League
PWDLW %PWDLW %
Dick Molyneux England 3 September 1904 29 April 1905 37 11 10 16 029.73 34 10 9 15 029.41

Summary
Games played37 (34 Southern League First Division, 3 FA Cup)
Games won11 (10 Southern League First Division, 1 FA Cup)
Games drawn10 (9 Southern League First Division, 1 FA Cup)
Games lost16 (15 Southern League First Division, 1 FA Cup)
Goals scored36 (33 Southern League First Division, 3 FA Cup)
Goals conceded42 (38 Southern League First Division, 4 FA Cup)
Clean sheets13 (13 Southern League First Division, 0 FA Cup)
Biggest league win4–0 versus Wellingborough, 27 March 1905
Worst league defeat 5–0 versus Portsmouth, 28 January 1905
Most appearances37, George Parsonage (34 Southern League First Division, 3 FA Cup)
Top scorer (league)7, Tommy Shanks
Top scorer (all competitions)7, Tommy Shanks

References
  1. White, p. 82-85.
  2. White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 358. ISBN 0951526200.
  3. Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopedia. Yore Publications. pp. 117–120. ISBN 1 874427 57 7.
  4. "England - Southern League Final Tables". rsssf.org. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  5. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "England vs. Northern Ireland (1:1)". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
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