# 1917–18 Brentford F.C. season

During the 1917–18 English football season, Brentford competed in the London Combination, due to the cessation of competitive football for the duration of the First World War. In a patchy season, the Bees finished in mid-table.

## Season summary

The wartime London Combination was streamlined for the 1917–18 season, with the clubs voting to expel Portsmouth, Watford, Southampton and Luton Town, which would reduce travelling expenses on Britain's congested railways. Despite the entry of the United States into the First World War in April 1917, Britain was still mired in war and manager Fred Halliday again had trouble securing players to play. Of Brentford's squad, goalkeeper Ted Price, defenders Jack Peart, Dusty Rhodes and forwards Albert Chester, Patsy Hendren and Henry White would appear in the majority of the matches during the season. Half back Bill Stanton, previously with Watford, was a rare wartime signing and he too would be regularly available.
Manager Fred Halliday struggled to field a settled side during the opening months of the season and Brentford suffered six defeats in eight matches between mid-September and mid-November 1917. In late November, Halliday pulled off a transfer coup, re-signing former Brentford forward Jack Cock as a guest from Huddersfield Town, to whom he had transferred in April 1914. Cock went on to score 27 goals in 23 appearances, which included two hattricks and a five-goal haul versus rivals Queens Park Rangers on the final day of the season. Henry White, frequently Brentford's top scorer during the First World War, supported ably with 17 goals. The season was notable for some high scoring wins (4–0, 6–2, 6–1 versus Queens Park Rangers; 5–0 versus Clapton Orient and 5–2 versus Tottenham Hotspur) and crushing defeats (7–1 versus Millwall, 6–1 versus Tottenham Hotspur; 8–3, 7–3, 7–2 versus West Ham United and 4–0 on two occasions).
A number of former Brentford players were killed during the season:
* Lance sergeant Richard Kemp, served with the King's Royal Rifle Corps and died at Dörnitz Altengrabow prisoner-of-war camp on 17 August 1917.
* Private James Greechan, died of wounds suffered during the Battle of Langemarck on 25 August 1917, while serving with the Highland Light Infantry.
* Company Sergeant Major George Kennedy DCM MM, died of wounds suffered during the Battle of Passchendaele on 16 November 1917, while serving with the Canadian Infantry Corps.
* Private William Kirby, killed at Polygon Wood during the Battle of Passchendaele on 3 October 1917, while serving with the Royal Engineers. He had appeared as a guest during the 1916–17 season.
* Bombardier William Allwright, served with the Royal Field Artillery and died of a stroke in Britain on 12 April 1918, having returned to convalesce.
* Private Harry Dutfield, served with the Leicestershire Regiment and was killed near Voormezeele, West Flanders on 6 June 1918.

## League table
### London Combination

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GR | Pts |
| 5 | Arsenal | 36 | 16 | 5 | 15 | 76 | 57 | 1.333 | 37 |
| 6 | Brentford | 36 | 16 | 3 | 17 | 81 | 94 | 0.862 | 35 |
| 7 | Crystal Palace | 36 | 13 | 4 | 19 | 54 | 83 | 0.651 | 30 |

## Results

    Brentford's goal tally listed first.

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### London Combination

| No. | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorer(s) |
| 1 | 1 September 1917 | Clapton Orient | H | 1–0 | Keenor |
| 2 | 8 September 1917 | Millwall | A | 3–1 | Hendren, Gregson (2) |
| 3 | 15 September 1917 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 5–2 | Hendren (2), White (3) |
| 4 | 22 September 1917 | Chelsea | A | 1–3 | Hendren |
| 5 | 29 September 1917 | Crystal Palace | A | 0–4 | |
| 6 | 6 October 1917 | Arsenal | H | 2–2 | Gregson, Sloley |
| 7 | 13 October 1917 | West Ham United | A | 3–8 | Heydenrick, Green, Stanton |
| 8 | 20 October 1917 | Fulham | H | 1–3 | Chester |
| 9 | 27 October 1917 | Clapton Orient | A | 3–1 | White (2), Stanton |
| 10 | 3 November 1917 | Millwall | H | 0–4 | |
| 11 | 10 November 1917 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 1–6 | Chester |
| 12 | 17 November 1917 | Chelsea | H | 1–0 | Hooper |
| 13 | 24 November 1917 | Crystal Palace | H | 3–0 | Cock (3) |
| 14 | 1 December 1917 | Arsenal | A | 1–4 | Cock |
| 15 | 8 December 1917 | West Ham United | H | 3–2 | Cock, Denyer, White |
| 16 | 15 December 1917 | Fulham | H | 0–2 | |
| 17 | 22 December 1917 | Clapton Orient | H | 5–0 | Edwards, White, Cock (2), Hendren |
| 18 | 25 December 1917 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 1–1 | Cock |
| 19 | 26 December 1917 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 4–0 | Hendren, Hanney, Stanton, White |
| 20 | 29 December 1917 | Millwall | A | 1–7 | Cock |
| 21 | 5 January 1918 | Tottenham Hotspur | H | 2–3 | White, Cock |
| 22 | 12 January 1918 | Chelsea | A | 1–4 | Cock |
| 23 | 19 January 1918 | Crystal Palace | A | 4–3 | Chester, E. Rhodes (3) |
| 24 | 26 January 1918 | Arsenal | H | 3–2 | Cock (2), White |
| 25 | 2 February 1918 | West Ham United | A | 2–7 | Corless, Chester |
| 26 | 9 February 1918 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 6–1 | White (2), Cock (3), Hooper (pen) |
| 27 | 16 February 1918 | Clapton Orient | A | 1–1 | Cock |
| 28 | 23 February 1918 | Millwall | H | 3–1 | Cock (2), Sloley |
| 29 | 2 March 1918 | Tottenham Hotspur | A | 0–3 | |
| 30 | 9 March 1918 | Chelsea | H | 0–1 | |
| 31 | 16 March 1918 | Crystal Palace | H | 0–2 | |
| 32 | 23 March 1918 | Arsenal | A | 3–1 | Cock, Chalmers, Cockerill (og) |
| 33 | 29 March 1918 | Fulham | H | 2–3 | Chester, Hooper |
| 34 | 30 March 1918 | West Ham United | H | 3–7 | White (2, 1 pen), Chester |
| 35 | 1 April 1918 | Fulham | A | 6–4 | Cock (2), Allwright, White (2), Chester |
| 36 | 6 April 1918 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 6–2 | Cock (5), White |
* Source: 100 Years Of Brentford

## Playing squad

    Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1917–18 season.
| Pos. | Name | Nat. | Date of birth (age) | Signed from | Signed in | Notes |
| Goalkeepers |||||||
| GK | Ted Price | | (1883-06-13)13 June 1883 (aged 34) | Croydon Common | 1912 | |
| Defenders |||||||
| DF | Alf Amos | | (1893-02-09)9 February 1893 (aged 24) | Old Kingstonians | 1913 | |
| DF | Jack Peart | | (1884-10-13)13 October 1884 (aged 32) | Croydon Common | 1916 | |
| DF | Frank Price | | (1885-02-28)28 February 1885 (aged 32) | Shepherds Bush | 1914 | |
| DF | Dusty Rhodes (c) | | (1882-08-16)16 August 1882 (aged 35) | Sunderland | 1908 | Trainer |
| Midfielders |||||||
| HB | Charles Allwright | | (1888-06-11)11 June 1888 (aged 29) | Kingston upon Thames | 1914 | |
| HB | George Curtis | | (1888-10-22)22 October 1888 (aged 28) | Kingston upon Thames | 1914 | |
| HB | Mick O'Brien | | (1893-08-10)10 August 1893 (aged 24) | Celtic | 1915 | |
| HB | Bill Stanton | | (1890-05-09)9 May 1890 (aged 27) | Watford | 1917 | |
| Forwards |||||||
| FW | Albert Chester | | (1886-03-17)17 March 1886 (aged 31) | Millwall | 1916 | |
| FW | Patsy Hendren | | (1889-02-05)5 February 1889 (aged 28) | Queens Park Rangers | 1911 | Played when his cricket commitments allowed |
| FW | Richard Sloley | | (1891-08-20)20 August 1891 (aged 26) | Cambridge University | 1914 | Amateur |
| FW | Henry White | | (1895-08-08)8 August 1895 (aged 22) | Whamcliffe Athletic | 1913 | Amateur |
| Guest players |||||||
| GK | Fred Craig | | (1891-01-16)16 January 1891 (aged 26) | Plymouth Argyle | 1917 | Guest from Plymouth Argyle |
| GK | W. Griffiths | n/a | n/a | West Ham United | 1917 | Guest from West Ham United |
| GK | Jimmy Morris | | n/a | Clapton Orient | 1917 | Guest from Clapton Orient |
| GK | Walter Scott | | (1886-01-21)21 January 1886 (aged 31) | Worksop Town | 1917 | Guest from Worksop Town |
| DF | Fred Bullock | | (1886-07-01)1 July 1886 (aged 31) | Huddersfield Town | 1917 | Guest from Huddersfield Town |
| HB | Sam Blott | | (1886-06-19)19 June 1886 (aged 31) | Plymouth Argyle | 1917 | Guest from Plymouth Argyle |
| HB | Jimmy Brandham | | (1890-01-22)22 January 1890 (aged 27) | Fulham | 1918 | Guest from Fulham |
| HB | Walter Frisby | | (1893-03-08)8 March 1893 (aged 24) | Southampton | 1917 | Guest from Southampton |
| HB | Ted Hanney | | (1889-01-19)19 January 1889 (aged 28) | Manchester City | 1917 | Guest from Manchester City |
| HB | E. Heydenrick | | n/a | Unattached | 1917 | Guest |
| HB | Bill Hooper | | (1884-02-20)20 February 1884 (aged 33) | Southport Central | 1917 | Guest from Southport Central |
| HB | George Hunter | | (1885-06-01)1 June 1885 (aged 32) | Manchester United | 1917 | Guest from Manchester United |
| HB | James Lockwood | | (1887-02-20)20 February 1887 (aged 30) | Queens Park Rangers | 1918 | Guest from Queens Park Rangers |
| HB | Mansell | | n/a | The Wednesday | 1917 | Guest from The Wednesday |
| HB | J. Mee | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1917 | Guest |
| HB | Sam Morris | | (1886-10-20)20 October 1886 (aged 30) | Bristol Rovers | 1917 | Guest from Bristol Rovers |
| HB | Robert Nash | | n/a | Unattached | 1917 | Guest |
| HB | Cecil Rhodes | | (1894-04-01)1 April 1894 (aged 23) | Stockton | 1918 | Guest |
| HB | T. Roberts | n/a | n/a | Luton Town | 1917 | Guest from Luton Town |
| HB | T. Smith | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1917 | Guest |
| HB | Talbot | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1918 | Guest |
| HB | Maurice Woodward | | (1891-10-12)12 October 1891 (aged 25) | Southend United | 1917 | Guest from Southend United |
| HB | Billy Yenson | | 1880 (aged 36–37) | Croydon Common | 1917 | Guest from Croydon Common |
| FW | Billy Brawn | | (1878-08-01)1 August 1878 (aged 39) | Unattached | 1917 | Guest |
| FW | David Chalmers | | (1891-07-22)22 July 1891 (aged 26) | Grimsby Town | 1918 | Guest from Grimsby Town |
| FW | Jack Cock | | (1893-11-14)14 November 1893 (aged 23) | Huddersfield Town | 1917 | Guest from Huddersfield Town |
| FW | Albert Corless | | (1886-04-25)25 April 1886 (aged 31) | West Ham United | 1918 | Guest from West Ham United |
| FW | Jack Curtis | | (1888-12-13)13 December 1888 (aged 28) | Stockport County | 1917 | Guest from Stockport County |
| FW | A. Davis | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1917 | Guest |
| FW | Bertie Denyer | | (1893-04-09)9 April 1893 (aged 24) | Swindon Town | 1917 | Guest from Swindon Town |
| FW | James Dillimore | | (1894-12-19)19 December 1894 (aged 22) | n/a | 1917 | Guest |
| FW | Billy Edwards | | (1895-10-24)24 October 1895 (aged 21) | n/a | 1917 | Guest |
| FW | W. Elliott | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1918 | Guest |
| FW | Thomas Graham | | (1887-07-20)20 July 1887 (aged 30) | Castleford Town | 1917 | Guest from Castleford Town |
| FW | John Green | | (1893-10-04)4 October 1893 (aged 23) | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1917 | Guest from Wolverhampton Wanderers |
| FW | Alf Gregson | | (1889-03-02)2 March 1889 (aged 28) | Grimsby Town | 1917 | Guest from Grimsby Town |
| FW | W. Harrison | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1917 | Guest |
| FW | H. James | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1918 | Guest |
| FW | A. Jones | n/a | n/a | Unattached | 1917 | Guest |
| FW | Fred Keenor | | (1894-07-31)31 July 1894 (aged 23) | Cardiff City | 1917 | Guest from Cardiff City |
| FW | W. Ramsay | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1917 | Guest |
| FW | B. N. Sidney | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1917 | Guest |
* Sources: 100 Years of Brentford, Timeless Bees, Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939

## Coaching staff

| Name | Role |
| Fred Halliday | Secretary-Manager |
| Dusty Rhodes | Trainer |

## Statistics
### Appearances and goals

| Pos | Nat | Name | Total | Total |
| Pos | Nat | Name | Apps | Goals |
| GK | | Ted Price | 20 | 0 |
| DF | | Alf Amos | 8 | 0 |
| DF | | Jack Peart | 26 | 0 |
| DF | | Frank Price | 1 | 0 |
| DF | | Dusty Rhodes | 23 | 3 |
| HB | | Charles Allwright | 3 | 1 |
| HB | | George Curtis | 1 | 0 |
| HB | | Mick O'Brien | 2 | 0 |
| HB | | Bill Stanton | 25 | 3 |
| FW | | Albert Chester | 30 | 7 |
| FW | | Patsy Hendren | 34 | 6 |
| FW | | Richard Sloley | 1 | 0 |
| FW | | Henry White | 24 | 17 |
| Players guested during the season |||||
| GK | | Fred Craig | 1 | 0 |
| GK | n/a | W. Griffiths | 1 | 0 |
| GK | | Jimmy Morris | 11 | 0 |
| GK | | Walter Scott | 3 | 0 |
| DF | | Fred Bullock | 6 | 0 |
| HB | | Sam Blott | 1 | 0 |
| HB | | Jimmy Brandham | 9 | 0 |
| HB | | Walter Frisby | 2 | 0 |
| HB | | Ted Hanney | 10 | 1 |
| HB | | E. Heydenrick | 1 | 1 |
| HB | | Bill Hooper | 22 | 3 |
| HB | | George Hunter | 17 | 0 |
| HB | | James Lockwood | 1 | 0 |
| HB | | Mansell | 1 | 0 |
| HB | n/a | J. Mee | 1 | 0 |
| HB | | Sam Morris | 5 | 0 |
| HB | | Robert Nash | 1 | 0 |
| HB | | Cecil Rhodes | 1 | 0 |
| HB | n/a | T. Roberts | 1 | 0 |
| HB | n/a | T. Smith | 1 | 0 |
| HB | n/a | Talbot | 1 | 0 |
| HB | | Maurice Woodward | 7 | 0 |
| HB | | Billy Yenson | 15 | 0 |
| FW | | Billy Brawn | 1 | 0 |
| FW | | David Chalmers | 1 | 1 |
| FW | | Jack Cock | 23 | 27 |
| FW | | Albert Corless | 2 | 1 |
| FW | | Jack Curtis | 3 | 0 |
| FW | n/a | A. Davis | 1 | 0 |
| FW | | Bertie Denyer | 2 | 1 |
| FW | | James Dillimore | 1 | 0 |
| FW | | Billy Edwards | 10 | 1 |
| FW | n/a | W. Elliott | 1 | 0 |
| FW | | Thomas Graham | 1 | 0 |
| FW | | John Green | 9 | 1 |
| FW | | Alf Gregson | 5 | 3 |
| FW | n/a | W. Harrison | 1 | 0 |
| FW | n/a | H. James | 2 | 0 |
| FW | n/a | A. Jones | 1 | 0 |
| FW | | Fred Keenor | 9 | 1 |
| FW | n/a | W. Ramsay | 1 | 0 |
| FW | n/a | B. N. Sidney | 1 | 0 |
* Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
* Source: 100 Years of Brentford

### Goalscorers

| Pos. | Nat | Player | Total |
| FW | | Jack Cock | 27 |
| FW | | Henry White | 17 |
| FW | | Albert Chester | 7 |
| FW | | Patsy Hendren | 6 |
| FW | | Alf Gregson | 3 |
| HB | | Bill Hooper | 3 |
| DF | | Dusty Rhodes | 3 |
| HB | | Bill Stanton | 3 |
| HB | | Charles Allwright | 1 |
| FW | | David Chalmers | 1 |
| FW | | Albert Corless | 1 |
| FW | | Bertie Denyer | 1 |
| FW | | Billy Edwards | 1 |
| FW | | John Green | 1 |
| HB | | Ted Hanney | 1 |
| HB | | E. Heydenrick | 1 |
| FW | | Fred Keenor | 1 |
| Opponents | Opponents | Opponents | 1 |
| Total | Total | Total | 81 |
* Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
* Source: 100 Years of Brentford

### Management

| Name | Nat | From | To | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record |
| Name | Nat | From | To | P | W | D | L | W % |
| Fred Halliday | | 1 September 1917 | 6 April 1918 | 36 | 16 | 3 | 17 | 044.44 |

### Summary

| Games played | 36 |
| Games won | 16 |
| Games drawn | 3 |
| Games lost | 17 |
| Goals scored | 81 |
| Goals conceded | 94 |
| Clean sheets | 5 |
| Biggest win | 5–0 versus Clapton Orient, 22 December 1917 |
| Worst defeat | 7–1 versus Millwall, 29 December 1917 |
| Most appearances | 39, Patsy Hendren |
| Top scorer | 27, Jack Cock |

## Transfers & loans

    Guest players' arrival and departure dates correspond to their first and last appearances of the season.
Players transferred in :
| Date | Pos. | Name | Previous Club | Fee | Ref. |
| 1 September 1917 | HB | Bill Stanton | Watford | Free | |
| Guest players in ||||||
| Date from | Pos. | Name | Previous Club | Date to | Ref. |
| 1 September 1917 | DF | Fred Bullock | Huddersfield Town | 6 October 1917 | |
| 1 September 1917 | FW | Jack Curtis | Stockport County | 24 November 1917 | |
| 1 September 1917 | FW | Alf Gregson | Grimsby Town | 6 October 1917 | |
| 1 September 1917 | DF | Ted Hanney | Manchester City | End of season | |
| 1 September 1917 | HB | George Hunter | Manchester United | 19 January 1918 | |
| 1 September 1917 | FW | Fred Keenor | Cardiff City | 23 March 1918 | |
| 1 September 1917 | GK | Jimmy Morris | Clapton Orient | 1 April 1918 | |
| 22 September 1917 | FW | John Green | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 5 January 1918 | |
| 22 September 1917 | FW | A. Jones | Unattached | 22 September 1917 | |
| 22 September 1917 | HB | T. Roberts | Luton Town | 22 September 1917 | |
| 22 September 1917 | GK | Walter Scott | Worksop Town | 6 October 1917 | |
| 13 October 1917 | GK | W. Griffiths | West Ham United | 13 October 1917 | |
| 13 October 1917 | HB | E. Heydenrick | Unattached | 13 October 1917 | |
| 13 October 1917 | HB | J. Mee | n/a | 13 October 1917 | |
| 13 October 1917 | FW | B. N. Sidney | n/a | 13 October 1917 | |
| 13 October 1917 | HB | T. Smith | n/a | 13 October 1917 | |
| 20 October 1917 | HB | Sam Morris | Bristol Rovers | 26 December 1917 | |
| 20 October 1917 | HB | Maurice Woodward | Southend United | End of season | |
| 3 November 1917 | FW | Billy Brawn | Unattached | 3 November 1917 | |
| 3 November 1917 | FW | W. Harrison | n/a | 3 November 1917 | |
| 3 November 1917 | HB | Mansell | The Wednesday | 3 November 1917 | |
| 3 November 1917 | HB | Robert Nash | Unattached | 3 November 1917 | |
| 10 November 1917 | HB | Sam Blott | Plymouth Argyle | 10 November 1917 | |
| 10 November 1917 | GK | Fred Craig | Plymouth Argyle | 10 November 1917 | |
| 10 November 1917 | FW | James Dillimore | n/a | 10 November 1917 | |
| 10 November 1917 | FW | W. Ramsay | n/a | 10 November 1917 | |
| 17 November 1917 | FW | Bertie Denyer | Swindon Town | 8 December 1917 | |
| 17 November 1917 | FW | Thomas Graham | Castleford Town | 17 November 1917 | |
| 17 November 1917 | FW | Bill Hooper | Southport Central | End of season | |
| 24 November 1917 | FW | Jack Cock | Huddersfield Town | End of season | |
| 24 November 1917 | HB | Billy Yenson | Croydon Common | 30 March 1918 | |
| 1 December 1917 | FW | A. Davis | n/a | 1 December 1917 | |
| 8 December 1917 | HB | Walter Frisby | Southampton | 15 December 1917 | |
| 15 December 1917 | FW | Billy Edwards | n/a | 23 March 1918 | |
| 5 January 1918 | FW | H. James | n/a | End of season | |
| 12 January 1918 | HB | Cecil Rhodes | Stockton | 12 January 1918 | |
| 19 January 1918 | HB | Talbot | n/a | 19 January 1918 | |
| 2 February 1918 | FW | Albert Corless | West Ham United | 16 February 1918 | |
| 2 February 1918 | FW | W. Elliott | n/a | 2 February 1918 | |
| 16 February 1918 | HB | Jimmy Brandham | Fulham | 1 April 1918 | |
| 23 February 1918 | HB | James Lockwood | Queens Park Rangers | 23 February 1918 | |
| 23 March 1918 | FW | David Chalmers | Grimsby Town | 23 March 1918 | |
| Guest players out ||||||
| Date from | Pos. | Name | To | Date to | Ref. |
| 1917 | HB | Jimmy Kennedy | Airdrieonians | 1918 | |