# 1927–28 Brentford F.C. season

During the 1927–28 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division South. A season of transition saw the Bees finish in mid-table and score 76 goals, which was at that time the club's best goalscoring tally since joining the Football League in 1920.

## Season summary

Despite a sizeable amount of money in the bank after the previous season's cup exploits and big money sales of Jack Allen, Archie Clark and George Anderson, Brentford manager Harry Curtis elected to add to, rather than rebuild, his squad for the 1927–28 season. He invested in Scottish youngsters John Cairns, Jimmy Drinnan, William Hodge, Alexander Stevenson, Samuel Ward and English teenager Joe Wiggins.
Three defeats in the opening 10 matches of the season put the Bees as high as second place, with off-season signing Jack Phillips scoring 9 goals, Herbert Lawson five and Ernie Watkins four. By mid-October 1927, the goals had dried up and the club dropped to mid-table. During this period, Brentford suffered a club record 7–1 FA Cup defeat to Manchester United. A 3–2 victory over Walsall at Griffin Park on 5 December (one of just two wins in the midst of the bad run) was witnessed by 2,024, the club record lowest for a home Football League match. The Bees' form picked up again late January 1928 and the team secured a 12th-place finish. Jack Phillips finished the season as he began it, with 9 goals in 10 matches, to finish as top-scorer with 18 goals. Brentford's 76 goals was the highest since joining the Football League in 1920 and the club finished the season £171 in profit (equivalent to £13,000 in 2024).

## League table

| Pos | Team v t e | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
| 10 | Queens Park Rangers | 42 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 72 | 71 | 1.014 | 43 |
| 11 | Charlton Athletic | 42 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 60 | 70 | 0.857 | 43 |
| 12 | Brentford | 42 | 16 | 8 | 18 | 76 | 74 | 1.027 | 40 |
| 13 | Luton Town | 42 | 16 | 7 | 19 | 94 | 87 | 1.080 | 39 |
| 14 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | 42 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 72 | 79 | 0.911 | 38 |

## Results

    Brentford's goal tally listed first.

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League Third Division South

| No. | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) |
| 1 | 27 August 1927 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 2–5 | 13,164 | Phillips, Drinnan |
| 2 | 29 August 1927 | Northampton Town | H | 3–0 | 8,280 | Phillips (3) |
| 3 | 3 September 1927 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | H | 2–1 | 11,108 | Fletcher, Douglas |
| 4 | 5 September 1927 | Northampton Town | A | 2–3 | 7,220 | Lane, Watkins |
| 5 | 10 September 1927 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 3–2 | 18,826 | Watkins, Phillips, Lane |
| 6 | 14 September 1927 | Bristol Rovers | A | 3–1 | 2,578 | Phillips, Lawson, Watkins |
| 7 | 17 September 1927 | Luton Town | A | 2–5 | 9,182 | Lawson (2) |
| 8 | 24 September 1927 | Millwall | H | 6–1 | 12,513 | Douglas, Watkins (pen), Lawson (2), Phillips |
| 9 | 1 October 1927 | Crystal Palace | A | 2–0 | 11,552 | Phillips, Lane |
| 10 | 8 October 1927 | Exeter City | H | 1–1 | 11,326 | Lawson |
| 11 | 15 October 1927 | Torquay United | A | 1–2 | 4,185 | Lawson |
| 12 | 22 October 1927 | Coventry City | H | 4–1 | 4,666 | Craddock (2), Hodge, Lane |
| 13 | 29 October 1927 | Newport County | A | 0–3 | 5,790 | |
| 14 | 5 November 1927 | Swindon Town | H | 1–4 | 9,527 | Lane |
| 15 | 12 November 1927 | Gillingham | A | 1–2 | 3,293 | Lawson |
| 16 | 3 December 1927 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 0–2 | 7,537 | |
| 17 | 5 December 1927 | Walsall | H | 3–2 | 2,024 | Watkins, Dearn (pen), Lane |
| 18 | 10 December 1927 | Merthyr Town | A | 1–3 | 2,465 | Craddock |
| 19 | 17 December 1927 | Charlton Athletic | H | 1–1 | 5,245 | Berry |
| 20 | 24 December 1927 | Watford | A | 1–1 | 5,226 | Craddock |
| 21 | 26 December 1927 | Southend United | A | 2–3 | 3,540 | Craddock (2) |
| 22 | 31 December 1927 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 1–3 | 6,061 | Lane |
| 23 | 7 January 1928 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | A | 0–1 | 4,796 | |
| 24 | 21 January 1928 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 0–3 | 10,430 | |
| 25 | 28 January 1928 | Luton Town | H | 4–2 | 3,291 | Watkins (4) |
| 26 | 4 February 1928 | Millwall | A | 0–3 | 16,885 | |
| 27 | 11 February 1928 | Crystal Palace | H | 2–1 | 7,580 | Beacham, Drinnan |
| 28 | 18 February 1928 | Exeter City | A | 1–0 | 7,420 | Drinnan |
| 29 | 25 February 1928 | Torquay United | H | 1–2 | 8,355 | Lane |
| 30 | 3 March 1928 | Coventry City | A | 0–0 | 8,188 | |
| 31 | 10 March 1928 | Newport County | H | 3–1 | 5,759 | Berry (2), Phillips |
| 32 | 17 March 1928 | Swindon Town | A | 1–1 | 6,500 | Phillips |
| 33 | 24 March 1928 | Gillingham | H | 2–0 | 6,107 | Lane (2) |
| 34 | 31 March 1928 | Walsall | A | 2–4 | 4,750 | Phillips, Drinnan |
| 35 | 6 April 1928 | Norwich City | H | 3–1 | 11,814 | Berry, Price, Wiggins |
| 36 | 7 April 1928 | Bristol Rovers | H | 5–1 | 7,894 | Wiggins, Cairns, Drinnan (2), Lawson |
| 37 | 9 April 1928 | Norwich City | A | 1–1 | 10,848 | Berry (pen) |
| 38 | 14 April 1928 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 0–1 | 5,940 | |
| 39 | 21 April 1928 | Merthyr Town | H | 4–0 | 4,583 | Phillips (2), Berry, Lane |
| 40 | 23 April 1928 | Southend United | H | 2–2 | 4,889 | Phillips (2) |
| 41 | 28 April 1928 | Charlton Athletic | A | 2–3 | 7,122 | Watkins, Phillips |
| 42 | 5 May 1928 | Watford | H | 1–1 | 4,775 | Phillips |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) |
| 3R | 14 January 1928 | Manchester United | A | 1–7 | 18,538 | Jones (og) |
* Sources: Statto, 11v11, 100 Years of Brentford

## Playing squad

    Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1927–28 season.
| Pos. | Name | Date of birth (age) | Signed from | Signed in | Notes |
| Goalkeepers |||||||
| GK | Henry Bailey | (1897-12-02)2 December 1897 (aged 29) | Exeter City | 1927 | |
| Defenders |||||||
| DF | Charlie Butler | (1897-10-10)10 October 1897 (aged 29) | Gillingham | 1926 | |
| DF | James Donnelly | (1893-12-18)18 December 1893 (aged 33) | Southend United | 1925 | |
| DF | Dick Hendrie | (1895-11-22)22 November 1895 (aged 31) | Grays Thurrock United | 1927 | Assistant trainer |
| DF | Alexander Stevenson | (1903-10-24)24 October 1903 (aged 23) | Armadale | 1927 | |
| DF | Ted Winship | 1900 (aged 26–27) | Kidderminster Harriers | 1926 | |
| Midfielders |||||||
| HB | Jack Beacham | (1902-08-15)15 August 1902 (aged 25) | Weymouth | 1925 | |
| HB | Stephen Dearn (c) | March 1901 (aged 26) | Portsmouth | 1926 | |
| HB | Albert Fletcher | 1898 (aged 28–29) | West Ham United | 1927 | |
| HB | William Hodge | (1904-08-31)31 August 1904 (aged 22) | Rangers | 1927 | |
| HB | Samuel Ward | (1906-06-01)1 June 1906 (aged 21) | Morton | 1927 | |
| Forwards |||||||
| FW | Bill Berry | (1904-08-18)18 August 1904 (aged 23) | Gillingham | 1926 | |
| FW | John Cairns | (1902-11-14)14 November 1902 (aged 24) | Charlton Athletic | 1927 | |
| FW | Alfred Douglas | (1899-03-26)26 March 1899 (aged 28) | Washington Colliery | 1925 | |
| FW | Jimmy Drinnan | (1906-05-28)28 May 1906 (aged 21) | Newport County | 1927 | |
| FW | Jack Lane | (1898-05-29)29 May 1898 (aged 29) | Chesterfield | 1925 | |
| FW | Herbert Lawson | (1905-04-12)12 April 1905 (aged 22) | Arsenal | 1927 | |
| FW | Jim McCafferty | November 1900 (aged 26) | Halifax Town | 1927 | |
| FW | Jack Phillips | (1903-05-28)28 May 1903 (aged 24) | Merthyr Town | 1927 | |
| FW | William Price | (1903-12-04)4 December 1903 (aged 23) | Woking Town | 1928 | Amateur |
| FW | Ernie Watkins | (1898-04-03)3 April 1898 (aged 29) | Southend United | 1926 | |
| FW | Joe Wiggins | (1909-04-01)1 April 1909 (aged 18) | Grays Thurrock United | 1927 | |
| Players who left the club mid-season |||||||
| GK | Jim Ferguson | (1896-08-30)30 August 1896 (aged 30) | St Roch's | 1926 | Transferred to Notts County |
| FW | Joe Craddock | (1902-08-03)3 August 1902 (aged 25) | Gillingham | 1926 | Transferred to Dundee |
* Sources: Timeless Bees, Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939, 100 Years Of Brentford

## Coaching staff

| Name | Role |
| Harry Curtis | Manager |
| Dick Hendrie | Assistant manager |
| Jack Cartmell | Trainer |

## Statistics
### Appearances and goals

| Pos | Nat | Name | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | Total | Total |
| Pos | Nat | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| GK | | Henry Bailey | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| GK | | Jim Ferguson | 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| DF | | Charlie Butler | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 0 |
| DF | | James Donnelly | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| DF | | Dick Hendrie | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| DF | | Alexander Stevenson | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| DF | | Ted Winship | 41 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 0 |
| HB | | Jack Beacham | 29 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 1 |
| HB | | Stephen Dearn | 40 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 1 |
| HB | | Albert Fletcher | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 1 |
| HB | | William Hodge | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 1 |
| HB | | Samuel Ward | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| FW | | Bill Berry | 25 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 6 |
| FW | | John Cairns | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| FW | | Joe Craddock | 11 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 6 |
| FW | | Alfred Douglas | 24 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 2 |
| FW | | Jimmy Drinnan | 18 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 6 |
| FW | | Jack Lane | 37 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 11 |
| FW | | Herbert Lawson | 34 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 9 |
| FW | | Jim McCafferty | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| FW | | Jack Phillips | 23 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 18 |
| FW | | William Price | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| FW | | Ernie Watkins | 29 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 10 |
| FW | | Joe Wiggins | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
* Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
* Source: 100 Years of Brentford

### Goalscorers

| Pos. | Nat | Player | FL3 | FAC | Total |
| FW | | Jack Phillips | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| FW | | Jack Lane | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| FW | | Ernie Watkins | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| FW | | Herbert Lawson | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| FW | | Bill Berry | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| FW | | Joe Craddock | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| FW | | Jimmy Drinnan | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| FW | | Alfred Douglas | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| FW | | Joe Wiggins | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| HB | | Jack Beacham | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| FW | | John Cairns | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| HB | | Stephen Dearn | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| HB | | Albert Fletcher | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| HB | | William Hodge | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| FW | | William Price | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Opponent | Opponent | Opponent | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | Total | Total | 76 | 1 | 77 |
* Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
* Source: 100 Years of Brentford

### Management

| Name | Nat | From | To | Record All Comps | Record All Comps | Record All Comps | Record All Comps | Record All Comps | Record League | Record League | Record League | Record League | Record League |
| Name | Nat | From | To | P | W | D | L | W % | P | W | D | L | W % |
| Harry Curtis | | 27 August 1927 | 5 May 1928 | 43 | 16 | 8 | 19 | 037.21| | 42 | 16 | 8 | 18 | 038.10 |

### Summary

| Games played | 43 (42 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup) |
| Games won | 16 (16 Third Division South, 0 FA Cup) |
| Games drawn | 8 (8 Third Division South, 0 FA Cup) |
| Games lost | 19 (18 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup) |
| Goals scored | 77 (76 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup) |
| Goals conceded | 81 (74 Third Division South, 7 FA Cup) |
| Clean sheets | 6 (6 Third Division South, 0 FA Cup) |
| Biggest league win | 6–1 versus Millwall, 24 September 1927 |
| Worst league defeat | 3–0 on two occasions; 4–1 versus Swindon Town, 5 November 1927; 5–2 on two occasions |
| Most appearances | 42, Ted Winship (41 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup) |
| Top scorer (league) | 18, Jack Phillips |
| Top scorer (all competitions) | 18, Jack Phillips |

## Transfers & loans

    Cricketers are not included in this list.
Players transferred in :
| Date | Pos. | Name | Previous Club | Fee | Ref. |
| July 1927 | FW | Jack Phillips | Merthyr Town | Free | |
| August 1927 | HB | William Hodge | Rangers | Free | |
| 1 September 1927 | HB | Stewart Low | Montrose | Free | |
| 1927 | GK | Henry Bailey | Exeter City | Free | |
| 1927 | FW | John Cairns | Charlton Athletic | Free | |
| 1927 | DF | Bill Dempsey | London Prison OS | Free | |
| 1927 | FW | Jimmy Drinnan | Newport County | Exchange | |
| 1927 | HB | Albert Fletcher | West Ham United | Free | |
| 1927 | FW | Dick Hendrie | Grays Thurrock United | Free | |
| 1927 | FW | Jim McCafferty | Halifax Town | Free | |
| 1927 | DF | Alexander Stevenson | Armadale | Free | |
| 1927 | HB | Samuel Ward | Morton | Free | |
| 1927 | FW | Joe Wiggins | Grays Thurrock United | n/a | |
| March 1928 | FW | Thomas Brennan | Longriggend Rob Roy | n/a | |
| March 1928 | FW | Andy Durnion | St Joseph's | n/a | |
| March 1928 | GK | Freddie Fox | Halifax Town | n/a | |
| March 1928 | FW | Len Ramsell | Chatham Town | n/a | |
| March 1928 | HB | Teddy Ware | Chatham Town | Amateur | |
| 1928 | FW | William Price | Woking Town | Amateur | |
| Players transferred out ||||||
| Date | Pos. | Name | Subsequent club | Fee | Ref. |
| May 1927 | FW | George Anderson | Chelsea | n/a | |
| May 1927 | HB | Archie Clark | Arsenal | £700 | |
| 24 November 1927 | HB | Harry Rae | Hamilton Academical | n/a | |
| January 1928 | HB | Evan Evans | Chatham Town | n/a | |
| 11 February 1928 | FW | Joe Craddock | Dundee | n/a | |
| March 1928 | GK | Jim Ferguson | Notts County | n/a | |
| Players released ||||||
| Date | Pos. | Name | Subsequent club | Join date | Ref. |
| May 1928 | DF | Charlie Butler | Montreal Carsteel | 1928 | |
| May 1928 | FW | John Cairns | Leicester City | 1928 | |
| May 1928 | DF | Bill Dempsey | Queens Park Rangers | 1928 | |
| May 1928 | DF | James Donnelly | Thames | 1928 | |
| May 1928 | HB | Albert Fletcher | Norwich City | 1928 | |
| May 1928 | HB | Stewart Low | n/a | | |
| May 1928 | FW | William Price | Fulham | June 1928 | |
| May 1928 | HB | Samuel Ward | Retired | | |