1958–59 Brentford F.C. season
During the 1958–59 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division. Despite 32 goals from Jim Towers and 22 from George Francis, a number of defeats to low-placed clubs early in the season prevented the Bees from finishing higher than 3rd, one place away from promotion.
Season summary
Brentford entered the 1958–59 Third Division season full of confidence after a runners-up finish in 1957–58. Manager Malky MacDonald, who had utilised the core players left behind by previous manager Bill Dodgin Sr, decided not to add to his squad and instead planned for the future by bringing in a number of Scottish youngsters.[2] Brentford began the season with a resounding 4–0 victory over Bradford City, hitting top spot, but dropped back after three consecutive defeats.[3] By the time the Bees drew 1–1 with Chesterfield on 4 October 1958, the team's inconsistency could be clearly pointed to a lack of support for forwards Jim Towers and George Francis, who had scored 13 of the team's 17 goals by that point of the season. In response, manager MacDonald paid £6,000 for Luton Town's outside left George McLeod. Things had to get worse before they could get better and after defeats to Stockport County and Reading in late October, the team recovered and began to perform on a consistent basis.[3]
Brentford had a morale-boosting run to the fourth round of the FA Cup, seeing off Exeter City, King's Lynn and Barnsley on the way to a 2–0 defeat versus First Division club West Bromwich Albion in front of 41,440 at The Hawthorns.[3] The Bees established themselves as promotion contenders after a 6–0 win over Southampton at The Dell on 9 March 1959 (which set a new club record for biggest away Football League win), but Jim Towers' four goals in the victory and total so far for the season of 29 led to a £20,000 transfer bid from Second Division club Sheffield Wednesday, which was ultimately unsuccessful. Three victories and two draws from the following five matches (which included a win and a draw versus leaders Plymouth Argyle) saw Brentford increase their grip on 3rd place in the table,[3] though at a cost to season-ending injuries to Ian Dargie and Len Newcombe. Defeats in crucial matches versus fellow promotion challengers Norwich City and Hull City in early April effectively ended the Bees' promotion charge, but the team won three and drew two of the next five matches (scoring 12 goals and conceding just once),[3] even after the club's hopes of promotion were mathematically extinguished with two matches left to play.[5] The season ended with a 4–0 defeat to 4th-place Norwich City at Griffin Park.[3]
Jim Towers' 37 goals scored in all competitions during the season was just two goals shy of Jack Holliday's club record of 39, set at the same level of football in 1932–33. Towers' strike partner George Francis also finished amongst the top scorers in the Third Division with 22 goals and 24 in all competitions.[6] Brentford finished the 1958–59 season with the best defensive record in the Third Division, conceding only 49 goals and also conceding the fewest away goals (27).[5] A new club record for most league away draws (10) was set during the season and the club record for fewest goalscorers in a season was equalled.[7]
League table
P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
Key | |
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Division Champions, promoted |
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Promoted |
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Relegated |
Results
- Brentford's goal tally listed first.
Legend
Football League Third Division
No. |
Date | Opponent | Venue | Result |
Attendance | Scorer(s) |
1 |
25 August 1958 | Bradford City | H | 4–0 |
15,749 | Towers (2), Francis (2) |
2 |
28 August 1958 | Doncaster Rovers |
A | 0–1 |
10,654 | |
3 |
30 August 1958 | Wrexham | A | 1–2 |
16,905 | Towers |
4 |
2 September 1958 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 0–1 |
14,845 | |
5 |
6 September 1958 | Southampton | H | 2–0 |
12,997 | Francis, Towers |
6 |
9 September 1958 | Mansfield Town |
H | 2–0 |
13,625 | Towers (2) |
7 |
12 September 1958 | Accrington Stanley | A | 1–1 |
9,918 | Rainford |
8 |
15 September 1958 | Mansfield Town | A | 1–1 |
9,159 | Towers |
9 |
20 September 1958 | Halifax Town | H | 2–0 |
12,643 | Francis, Heath |
10 |
22 September 1958 | Hull City | A | 1–3 |
14,172 | Heath |
11 |
27 September 1958 | Newport County | A | 1–0 |
8,220 | Francis |
12 |
30 September 1958 | Hull City | H | 1–1 |
12,441 | Towers |
13 |
4 October 1958 | Chesterfield | H | 1–1 |
12,473 | Heath |
14 |
9 October 1958 | Notts County | A | 0–0 |
4,381 | |
15 |
11 October 1958 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 2–1 |
12,325 | Towers, Rainford |
16 |
18 October 1958 | Stockport County |
H | 1–4 |
12,488 | Towers |
17 |
25 October 1958 | Reading |
A | 1–3 |
16,186 | Towers |
18 |
1 November 1958 | Colchester United | H | 2–1 |
11,945 | Towers, Heath |
19 |
8 November 1958 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | A | 0–0 |
11,564 | |
20 |
22 November 1958 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 2–1 |
13,784 | Drinkwater (og), Towers |
21 |
29 November 1958 | Bury | H | 0–0 |
11,741 | |
22 |
13 December 1958 | Rochdale | H | 2–1 |
9,432 | Towers, Dargie |
23 |
20 December 1958 | Bradford City |
A | 0–3 |
11,473 | |
24 |
25 December 1958 | Swindon Town | H | 2–2 |
12,504 | McLeod, Francis |
25 |
26 December 1958 | Swindon Town | A | 1–1 |
12,690 | Francis |
26 |
3 January 1959 | Wrexham | H | 2–1 |
11,723 | Francis (2) |
27 |
31 January 1959 | Accrington Stanley |
H | 2–1 |
11,260 | Francis, Towers |
28 |
7 February 1959 | Halifax Town | A | 0–0 |
4,654 | |
29 |
14 February 1959 | Newport County | H | 3–0 |
10,392 | McLeod, Bristow, Towers |
30 |
21 February 1959 | Chesterfield | A | 2–1 |
9,649 | Francis, Towers (pen) |
31 |
28 February 1959 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 5–2 |
13,138 | Towers (2), Francis, Rainford (2) |
32 |
7 March 1959 | Stockport County | A | 1–1 |
7,973 | Towers (pen) |
33 |
9 March 1959 | Southampton |
A | 6–0 |
7,756 | McLeod, Towers (4), Francis |
34 |
14 March 1959 |
Reading |
H |
3–1 |
18,209 |
Francis (2), Rainford |
35 |
21 March 1959 | Colchester United | A | 4–0 |
8,775 | Francis (2), McLeod, Towers |
36 |
27 March 1959 |
Plymouth Argyle |
H |
3–0 |
28,725 |
Towers, Rainford, Francis |
37 |
28 March 1959 | Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic | H | 1–1 |
15,970 | McLeod |
38 |
30 March 1959 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 1–1 |
27,073 | Parsons |
39 |
4 April 1959 | Norwich City |
A | 1–4 |
27,870 | Francis |
40 |
8 April 1959 | Southend United | A | 0–2 |
9,022 | |
41 |
11 April 1959 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 1–0 |
15,905 | Rainford |
42 |
18 April 1959 |
Bury |
A |
1–1 |
7,092 |
Towers |
43 |
21 April 1959 | Notts County | H | 4–0 |
11,738 | Francis, Towers (3, 2 pens) |
44 |
25 April 1959 |
Southend United |
H |
6–1 |
11,264 |
Rainford, Francis (2), Towers (2), Williamson (og) |
45 |
27 April 1959 | Rochdale | A | 0–0 |
2,191 | |
46 |
30 April 1959 | Norwich City |
H | 0–4 |
19,035 | |
FA Cup
Playing squad
- Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1958–59 season.
Coaching staff
Statistics
Appearances and goals
- Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
- Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[6]
Goalscorers
- Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
- Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[6]
Management
Name |
Nat |
From |
To |
Record All Comps |
Record League |
P | W | D | L | W % | P | W | D | L | W % |
Malky MacDonald |
|
25 August 1958 |
30 April 1959 |
7001500000000000000♠50 |
7001240000000000000♠24 |
7001150000000000000♠15 |
7001110000000000000♠11 |
7001480000000000000♠48.00 |
7001460000000000000♠46 |
7001210000000000000♠21 |
7001150000000000000♠15 |
7001100000000000000♠10 |
7001456500000000000♠45.65 |
Summary
Games played | 50 (46 Third Division, 4 FA Cup) |
Games won | 24 (21 Third Division, 3 FA Cup) |
Games drawn | 15 (15 Third Division, 0 FA Cup) |
Games lost | 11 (10 Third Division, 1 FA Cup) |
Goals scored | 84 (76 Third Division, 8 FA Cup) |
Goals conceded | 54 (49 Third Division, 5 FA Cup) |
Clean sheets | 17 (16 Third Division, 1 FA Cup) |
Biggest league win | 6–0 versus Southampton, 9 March 1959 |
Worst league defeat | 4–0 versus Norwich City, 30 April 1959 |
Most appearances | 50, Johnny Rainford, Tom Wilson (46 Third Division, 4 FA Cup) |
Top scorer (league) | 32, Jim Towers |
Top scorer (all competitions) | 37, Jim Towers |
Transfers & loans
References
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General | |
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History | |
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Grounds | |
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Affiliated clubs | |
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Players | |
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Rivalries | |
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- 1890–91
- 1891–92
- 1892–93
- 1893–94
- 1894–95
- 1895–96
- 1896–97
- 1897–98
- 1898–99
- 1899–00
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- 1900–01
- 1901–02
- 1902–03
- 1903–04
- 1904–05
- 1905–06
- 1906–07
- 1907–08
- 1908–09
- 1909–10
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- 1970–71
- 1971–72
- 1972–73
- 1973–74
- 1974–75
- 1975–76
- 1976–77
- 1977–78
- 1978–79
- 1979–80
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- 1980–81
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FA competitions | |
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Football League | |
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Lower leagues | |
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European competitions | |
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Related to national team | |
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Club seasons | | First Division | |
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| Second Division |
- Barnsley
- Brighton & Hove Albion
- Bristol City
- Bristol Rovers
- Cardiff City
- Charlton Athletic
- Derby County
- Fulham
- Grimsby Town
- Huddersfield Town
- Ipswich Town
- Leyton Orient
- Lincoln City
- Liverpool
- Middlesbrough
- Rotherham United
- Scunthorpe United
- Sheffield United
- Sheffield Wednesday
- Stoke City
- Sunderland
- Swansea Town
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| Third Division |
- Accrington Stanley
- Bradford City
- Brentford
- Bury
- Chesterfield
- Colchester United
- Doncaster Rovers
- Halifax Town
- Hull City
- Mansfield Town
- Newport County
- Norwich City
- Notts County
- Plymouth Argyle
- Queens Park Rangers
- Reading
- Rochdale
- Southend United
- Southampton
- Stockport County
- Swindon Town
- Tranmere Rovers
- Wrexham
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| Fourth Division |
- Aldershot
- Barrow
- Bournemouth
- Bradford Park Avenue
- Carlisle United
- Chester
- Coventry City
- Crewe Alexandra
- Crystal Palace
- Darlington
- Exeter City
- Gateshead
- Gillingham
- Hartlepools United
- Millwall
- Northampton Town
- Oldham Athletic
- Port Vale
- Shrewsbury Town
- Southport
- Torquay United
- Walsall
- Watford
- Workington
- York City
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