# 1953–54 Brentford F.C. season

During the 1953–54 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Second Division. With Brentford in the relegation places, player-manager Tommy Lawton transferred out of the club in September 1953 and his replacement Bill Dodgin Sr. was unable to turn things round, which culminated in relegation to the Third Division South on the final day of the season. Brentford did not return to the second-tier of English football until the 1992–93 season.

## Season summary

Without a transfer budget to speak of, Brentford player-manager Tommy Lawton could not rely entirely on filling his squad with the products of Alf Bew's youth team, which had reached the semi-finals of the inaugural FA Youth Cup during the previous season. Lawton again relied on Wally Bragg and Ken Coote to hold two of the half back berths alongside Tony Harper. He signed ageing forwards Frank Broome and Ian McPherson from his previous club Notts County as replacements for Les Smith and the injured Jimmy D'Arcy.
Six defeats and just one win from the opening 9 Second Division matches saw Tommy Lawton quit the club in favour of a £10,000 transfer to Arsenal, a deal which saw James Robertson arrive at Griffin Park in part-exchange. Full back Fred Monk took over as caretaker manager until the appointment of Bill Dodgin Sr. on 1 October 1953. Dodgin's arrival heralded three consecutive wins, which lifted the Bees out of the relegation places. Ineffective forwards Broome and McPherson were transferred out and replaced by Cardiff City's Johnny Rainford and Frank Dudley. Despite their arrivals, Brentford showed poor form over the Christmas and New Year period and a money-raising FA Cup run ended in a third round replay defeat to Hull City. Gerry Gazzard arrived on loan from West Ham United in January 1954 and despite Gazzard and Dudley forming something of a strike partnership during the final 10 weeks of the season, Brentford were relegated in 21st-place after the club's final match on 24 April.
The solitary away league win during the season tied the club record for fewest away league wins in a season. In addition, Brentford were the joint-lowest scorers in the Second Division during the season. Long-serving trainer Jack Cartmell retired at the end of the season, after over 30 years on the staff at Griffin Park.

## League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 18 | Derby County | 42 | 12 | 11 | 19 | 64 | 82 | 0.780 | 35 | |
| 19 | Plymouth Argyle | 42 | 9 | 16 | 17 | 65 | 82 | 0.793 | 34 | |
| 20 | Swansea Town | 42 | 13 | 8 | 21 | 58 | 82 | 0.707 | 34 | |
| 21 | Brentford (R) | 42 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 40 | 78 | 0.513 | 31 | Relegation to the Third Division South |
| 22 | Oldham Athletic (R) | 42 | 8 | 9 | 25 | 40 | 89 | 0.449 | 25 | Relegation to the Third Division North |

## Results

    Brentford's goal tally listed first.

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League Second Division

| No. | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) |
| 1 | 19 August 1953 | Stoke City | A | 1–1 | 22,413 | Broome |
| 2 | 22 August 1953 | Derby County | A | 1–4 | 18,927 | Lawton |
| 3 | 27 August 1953 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 1–4 | 16,682 | Ledgerton |
| 4 | 29 August 1953 | Fulham | H | 2–1 | 21,689 | Monk (pen), Goodwin |
| 5 | 31 August 1953 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 2–2 | 11,793 | Dare (2) |
| 6 | 5 September 1953 | Bristol Rovers | H | 0–3 | 21,158 | |
| 7 | 10 September 1953 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 1–4 | 14,047 | Lawton |
| 8 | 12 September 1953 | Lincoln City | A | 1–2 | 16,592 | Harper |
| 9 | 16 September 1953 | Doncaster Rovers | A | 0–3 | 19,463 | |
| 10 | 19 September 1953 | Notts County | H | 0–0 | 12,770 | |
| 11 | 26 September 1953 | Hull City | A | 0–2 | 19,501 | |
| 12 | 3 October 1953 | Everton | H | 1–0 | 17,367 | Dare |
| 13 | 10 October 1953 | West Ham United | A | 1–0 | 24,934 | Bloomfield |
| 14 | 17 October 1953 | Leeds United | H | 2–1 | 18,329 | Dare, Bloomfield |
| 15 | 24 October 1953 | Birmingham City | A | 1–5 | 23,582 | Dare |
| 16 | 31 October 1953 | Nottingham Forest | H | 1–1 | 15,384 | Rainford |
| 17 | 7 November 1953 | Luton Town | A | 1–1 | 15,167 | Robertson |
| 18 | 14 November 1953 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 1–0 | 17,327 | Dare |
| 19 | 21 November 1953 | Swansea Town | A | 0–1 | 16,627 | |
| 20 | 28 November 1953 | Rotherham United | H | 0–1 | 16,740 | |
| 21 | 5 December 1953 | Leicester City | A | 0–6 | 24,036 | |
| 22 | 12 December 1953 | Stoke City | H | 0–0 | 11,848 | |
| 23 | 19 December 1953 | Derby County | H | 0–0 | 10,652 | |
| 24 | 25 December 1953 | Oldham Athletic | H | 3–1 | 15,309 | Rainford, Dudley, Bloomfield |
| 25 | 26 December 1953 | Oldham Athletic | A | 0–2 | 14,414 | |
| 26 | 2 January 1954 | Fulham | A | 1–4 | 24,372 | Dudley |
| 27 | 16 January 1954 | Bristol Rovers | A | 0–0 | 20,541 | |
| 28 | 23 January 1954 | Lincoln City | H | 0–1 | 11,431 | |
| 29 | 30 January 1954 | Bury | A | 1–1 | 9,035 | Robertson |
| 30 | 6 February 1954 | Notts County | A | 0–2 | 10,507 | |
| 31 | 13 February 1954 | Hull City | H | 2–2 | 11,522 | Gazzard (2) |
| 32 | 24 February 1954 | Everton | A | 1–6 | 23,145 | Gazzard |
| 33 | 27 February 1954 | West Ham United | H | 3–1 | 16,458 | Gazzard, Dudley, Dare |
| 34 | 6 March 1954 | Leeds United | A | 0–4 | 16,501 | |
| 35 | 13 March 1954 | Birmingham City | H | 2–0 | 12,584 | Dudley (2) |
| 36 | 20 March 1954 | Nottingham Forest | A | 1–2 | 15,700 | Dudley |
| 37 | 27 March 1954 | Swansea Town | H | 3–1 | 14,023 | Gazzard, Robertson, Dudley |
| 38 | 3 April 1954 | Rotherham United | A | 1–1 | 9,198 | Bragg |
| 39 | 10 April 1954 | Luton Town | H | 0–1 | 14,204 | |
| 40 | 16 April 1954 | Bury | H | 2–1 | 15,768 | Gazzard (pen), Dudley |
| 41 | 17 April 1954 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 2–3 | 23,405 | Dudley, Robertson |
| 42 | 24 April 1954 | Leicester City | H | 1–3 | 22,845 | Dudley |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorer(s) |
| 3R | 9 January 1954 | Hull City | H | 0–0 | 16,000 | |
| 3R (replay) | 14 January 1954 | Hull City | A | 2–2 | 16,000 | Dudley, Rainford |
| 3R (2nd replay) | 18 January 1954 | Hull City | N | 2–5 | 10,150 | Bly (og), Sperrin |
* Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford, Statto, 11v11

## Playing squad

    Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1953–54 season.
| Pos. | Name | Nat. | Date of birth (age) | Signed from | Signed in | Notes |
| Goalkeepers | Goalkeepers | Goalkeepers | Goalkeepers | Goalkeepers | Goalkeepers | |
| GK | Alf Jefferies | | (1922-02-09)9 February 1922 (aged 31) | Oxford City | 1945 | |
| GK | Reg Newton | | (1926-06-30)30 June 1926 (aged 27) | Leyton Orient | 1949 | |
| Defenders | Defenders | Defenders | Defenders | Defenders | Defenders | |
| DF | Alan Bassham | | (1933-10-03)3 October 1933 (aged 19) | Youth | 1953 | |
| DF | Ken Horne | | (1926-06-25)25 June 1926 (aged 27) | Blackpool | 1950 | |
| DF | Frank Latimer | | (1923-10-03)3 October 1923 (aged 29) | Snowdown Colliery Welfare | 1945 | |
| DF | George Lowden | | (1933-03-02)2 March 1933 (aged 20) | Unattached | 1951 | |
| DF | Fred Monk (c) | | (1920-10-09)9 October 1920 (aged 32) | Guildford City | 1948 | Caretaker manager |
| Midfielders | Midfielders | Midfielders | Midfielders | Midfielders | Midfielders | |
| HB | Wally Bragg | | (1929-07-08)8 July 1929 (aged 24) | Twickenham Celtic | 1946 | |
| HB | George Bristow | | (1933-06-25)25 June 1933 (aged 20) | Youth | 1950 | |
| HB | Ken Coote | | (1928-05-19)19 May 1928 (aged 25) | Wembley | 1949 | |
| HB | Ian Dargie | | (1931-10-03)3 October 1931 (aged 21) | Tonbridge | 1952 | |
| HB | Tony Harper | | (1925-05-26)26 May 1925 (aged 28) | Headington United | 1948 | |
| Forwards | Forwards | Forwards | Forwards | Forwards | Forwards | |
| FW | Vernon Avis | | (1935-10-24)24 October 1935 (aged 17) | Youth | 1952 | |
| FW | Jimmy Bloomfield | | (1934-02-15)15 February 1934 (aged 19) | Hayes | 1952 | |
| FW | Billy Dare | | (1927-02-14)14 February 1927 (aged 26) | Hendon | 1948 | |
| FW | Frank Dudley | | (1925-05-09)9 May 1925 (aged 28) | Cardiff City | 1953 | |
| FW | Gerry Gazzard | | (1925-03-15)15 March 1925 (aged 28) | West Ham United | 1954 | On loan from West Ham United |
| FW | Jackie Goodwin | | (1920-09-29)29 September 1920 (aged 32) | Birmingham City | 1949 | |
| FW | Terry Ledgerton | | (1930-10-07)7 October 1930 (aged 22) | Huyton | 1950 | |
| FW | Johnny Rainford | | (1930-12-11)11 December 1930 (aged 22) | Cardiff City | 1953 | |
| FW | James Robertson | | (1929-02-20)20 February 1929 (aged 24) | Arsenal | 1953 | |
| FW | Billy Sperrin | | (1922-04-09)9 April 1922 (aged 31) | Guildford City | 1949 | |
| Players who left the club mid-season |||||||
| FW | Frank Broome | | (1915-06-11)11 June 1915 (aged 38) | Notts County | 1953 | Transferred to Crewe Alexandra |
| FW | Tommy Lawton (c) | | (1919-10-06)6 October 1919 (aged 33) | Notts County | 1952 | Manager, transferred to Arsenal |
| FW | Ian McPherson | | (1920-07-26)26 July 1920 (aged 33) | Notts County | 1953 | Transferred to Bedford Town |
* Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford, Timeless Bees

## Coaching staff
### Tommy Lawton (19 August – September 1953)

| Name | Role |
| Tommy Lawton | Player-Manager |
| Jimmy Bain | Assistant Manager |
| David Richards | Trainer |
| Jack Cartmell | Assistant Trainer |

### Fred Monk ( – 1 September October 1953)

| Name | Role |
| Fred Monk | Player-Manager |
| Jimmy Bain | Assistant Manager |
| David Richards | Trainer |
| Jack Cartmell | Assistant Trainer |

### Bill Dodgin Sr. (1 October 1953 – 24 April 1954)

| Name | Role |
| Bill Dodgin Sr. | Manager |
| Jimmy Bain | Assistant Manager |
| David Richards | Trainer |
| Jack Cartmell | Assistant 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 | | Alf Jefferies | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| GK | | Reg Newton | 39 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 42 | 0 |
| DF | | Alan Bassham | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| DF | | Ken Horne | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| DF | | Frank Latimer | 36 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 39 | 0 |
| DF | | George Lowden | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| DF | | Fred Monk | 23 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 1 |
| HB | | Wally Bragg | 41 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 44 | 1 |
| HB | | George Bristow | 24 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
| HB | | Ken Coote | 40 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 43 | 0 |
| HB | | Ian Dargie | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| HB | | Tony Harper | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 1 |
| FW | | Vernon Avis | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| FW | | Jimmy Bloomfield | 27 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 29 | 3 |
| FW | | Frank Broome | 6 | 1 | — | — | 6 | 1 |
| FW | | Billy Dare | 38 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 7 |
| FW | | Frank Dudley | 20 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 23 | 11 |
| FW | | Jackie Goodwin | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 1 |
| FW | | Tommy Lawton | 6 | 2 | — | — | 6 | 2 |
| FW | | Terry Ledgerton | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
| FW | | Ian McPherson | 4 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| FW | | Johnny Rainford | 29 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 32 | 3 |
| FW | | James Robertson | 31 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 4 |
| FW | | Billy Sperrin | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Players loaned in during the season |||||||||
| FW | | Gerry Gazzard | 13 | 6 | — | — | 13 | 6 |
* Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
* Source: 100 Years Of Brentford

### Goalscorers

| Pos. | Nat | Player | FL2 | FAC | Total |
| FW | | Frank Dudley | 10 | 1 | 11 |
| FW | | Billy Dare | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| FW | | Gerry Gazzard | 6 | — | 6 |
| FW | | James Robertson | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| FW | | Jimmy Bloomfield | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| FW | | Johnny Rainford | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| FW | | Tommy Lawton | 2 | — | 2 |
| FW | | Frank Broome | 1 | — | 1 |
| HB | | Wally Bragg | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| FW | | Jackie Goodwin | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| HB | | Tony Harper | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| FW | | Terry Ledgerton | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| DF | | Fred Monk | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| FW | | Billy Sperrin | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Opponents | Opponents | Opponents | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | Total | Total | 40 | 4 | 44 |
* 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 % |
| Tommy Lawton | | 19 August 1953 | 16 September 1953 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 011.11 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 011.11 |
| Fred Monk (caretaker) | | 19 September 1953 | 26 September 1953 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 000.00 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 000.00 |
| Bill Dodgin Sr. | | 3 October 1953 | 24 April 1954 | 34 | 9 | 10 | 15 | 026.47 | 31 | 9 | 8 | 14 | 029.03 |

### Summary

| Games played | 45 (42 Second Division, 3 FA Cup) |
| Games won | 10 (10 Second Division, 0 FA Cup) |
| Games drawn | 13 (11 Second Division, 2 FA Cup) |
| Games lost | 22 (21 Second Division, 1 FA Cup) |
| Goals scored | 44 (40 Second Division, 4 FA Cup) |
| Goals conceded | 85 (78 Second Division, 7 FA Cup) |
| Clean sheets | 9 (8 Second Division, 1 FA Cup) |
| Biggest league win | 2–0 versus Birmingham City, 13 March 1954; 3–1 on three occasions |
| Worst league defeat | 6–0 versus Leicester City, 5 December 1953 |
| Most appearances | 44, Wally Bragg (41 Second Division, 3 FA Cup) |
| Top scorer (league) | 10, Frank Dudley |
| Top scorer (all competitions) | 11, Frank Dudley |

## Transfers & loans

Players transferred in :
| Date | Pos. | Name | Previous Club | Fee | Ref. |
| July 1953 | FW | Frank Broome | Notts County | n/a | |
| July 1953 | FW | Ian McPherson | Notts County | n/a | |
| August 1953 | DF | Ken Moffitt | Berwick Rangers | n/a | |
| September 1953 | FW | James Robertson | Arsenal | Part-exchange | |
| October 1953 | FW | Johnny Rainford | Cardiff City | n/a | |
| December 1953 | FW | Frank Dudley | Cardiff City | n/a | |
| Players loaned in ||||||
| Date from | Pos. | Name | From | Date to | Ref. |
| January 1954 | FW | Gerry Gazzard | West Ham United | End of season | |
| Players transferred out ||||||
| Date | Pos. | Name | Subsequent club | Fee | Ref. |
| 3 June 1953 | FW | Micky Bull | Swindon Town | n/a | |
| July 1953 | GK | Dave Jones | Reading | n/a | |
| July 1953 | DF | Tecwyn Jones | Wrexham | n/a | |
| August 1953 | FW | Les Smith | Kidderminster Harriers | n/a | |
| September 1953 | FW | Tommy Lawton | Arsenal | £10,000 | |
| October 1953 | FW | Frank Broome | Crewe Alexandra | n/a | |
| 1953 | FW | Ian McPherson | Bedford Town | n/a | |
| Players released ||||||
| Date | Pos. | Name | Subsequent club | Join date | Ref. |
| January 1954 | FW | Jimmy D'Arcy | Retired | | |
| April 1954 | FW | Verdi Godwin | Southport | July 1954 | |
| April 1954 | FW | Jackie Goodwin | Dartford | n/a | |
| April 1954 | DF | Fred Monk | Aldershot | July 1954 | |