During the 1912–13 English football season,

Brentford Brentford is a suburban town in West London, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It lies at the confluence of the River Brent and the Thames, west of Charing Cross. Its economy has diverse company headquarters buildings whi ...

competed in the Southern League First Division. Two long losing runs led to the Bees' relegation to the Second Division on the final day of the season.

Season summary

After three consecutive mid-table seasons, Southern League First Division club

's directors gambled on generating extra income by also entering the Southern Alliance. Consequently, a larger squad was assembled, with many of the previous season's professionals retained.

Willis Rippon Willis Rippon (15 May 1886 – 16 March 1956) was an English professional footballer who played as a centre forward in the Football League for Bristol City, Grimsby Town and Woolwich Arsenal. He also had a notable spell in Scotland with Hami ...

was the only significant departure – sold for £250 to Hamilton Academical. Secretary-manager Fred Halliday brought in goalkeeper

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, full back Tommy Fells, centre half

Frank Bentley Frank William Bentley (9 October 1886 – 1958) was an English association football, footballer who played in the Football League for Stoke City F.C., Stoke City and Tottenham Hotspur F.C., Tottenham Hotspur. Career Bentley began his career a ...

and forwards

Frederick Chapple Frederick John Chapple (3 February 1884 – 1965) was an English professional footballer who played as an inside forward in the Football League for Aston Villa, Birmingham and Bristol City and in non-league football for Crewe Alexandra, B ...

and James Morrison. Brentford had a torrid beginning to the season, losing 12 of the first 15 matches. Of the starting forward line of

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, Frederick Chapple,

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and Patsy Hendren, Chapple and Hendren were the only players to score during the period, which lead manager Halliday to sign Chelsea's Hugh Dolby and Bill Smith from

non-league football Non-League football describes football leagues played outside the top leagues of a country. Usually, it describes leagues which are not fully professional. The term is primarily used for football in England, where it is specifically used to de ...

. Dolby failed to score in four matches and was dropped, while Smith helped contribute to a revival in mid-November, after full back Dusty Rhodes replaced Fred Halliday as manager on 13 November 1912. Between 9 November and 5 March 1913, Brentford lost just three matches, but another loss of form and injuries to the forward line led to seven consecutive defeats in March. A crucial 4–1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion on 5 April boosted the Bees' survival chances, but a defeat and a win in the following two matches respectively put Brentford one place above the relegation zone going into the final day, level on points with Norwich City, but ahead by virtue of a 0.774 goal average. Brentford would play away to Merthyr Town and Norwich City away to Reading on Saturday 26 April, but torrential rain and gale force winds forced the Bees' match to be postponed twice, to the following Tuesday. Norwich City won their match 5–2, but the scoreline would not guarantee the Canaries' safety on goal average if Brentford won their match by any score. On Tuesday 29 April, Brentford conceded the opening goal to Merthyr Town, before Bill Smith equalised two minutes after

half time In several team sports, matches are played in two halves. Half-time (also written halftime or half time) is the name given to the interval between the two halves of the match. Typically, after half-time, teams swap ends of the field of play in or ...

. In the final 10 minutes, Brentford pushed forward and were hit on the break with just two minutes remaining, losing the match 2–1 and with it the club's First Division status.

League table

Results

:''Brentford's goal tally listed first.''

Legend

Southern League First Division

FA Cup

* Source: 100 Years Of Brentford

Playing squad

:''Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1912–13 season.'' * Source: 100 Years Of Brentford, Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939

Coaching staff

Fred Halliday (4 September–13 November 1912)

Dusty Rhodes (13 November 1912 – 29 April 1913)

Statistics

Appearances and goals

*Players listed in ''italics'' left the club mid-season. *Source: 100 Years Of Brentford

Goalscorers