1955–56 Brentford F.C. season

During the 1955–56 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Third Division South. A promising 6th-place finish was achieved with a squad mainly drawn from the club's youth system.

Brentford
1955–56 season
ChairmanFrank Davis
ManagerBill Dodgin Sr.
StadiumGriffin Park
Third Division South6th
FA CupSecond round
Top goalscorerLeague: Towers (21)
All: Towers (22)
Highest home attendance17,847
Lowest home attendance5,291
Average home league attendance10,302

Season summary

After finishing the previous season strongly,[1] Brentford went into the 1955–56 Third Division South season full of optimism.[2] Youth products Jim Towers and Dennis Heath had established themselves in the first team, while George Francis and Gerry Cakebread also made their debuts.[3] Full backs Alan Bassham, George Lowden and half backs Wally Bragg and George Bristow also made up the ranks of home-grown players in the first team squad and forward John Pearson would be another to graduate from the youth team during the 1955–56 season.[3] Chelsea full back Sid Tickridge was manager Bill Dodgin Sr.'s only major signing of the off-season and he replaced Frank Latimer as club captain.[2]

Despite winning more games than they had lost, Brentford hovered in mid-table during the opening three months of the season.[4] Forward Jeff Taylor led the attack and scored 11 goals in as many matches during a five-week period in September and October 1955.[3] Buoyed by four goals in five league matches by Wendell Morgan and news from the boardroom that a £9,000 profit had been made on the year ending in May 1955 (equivalent to £237,900 in 2020),[3] the Bees moved as high as 8th-place in early December, before losing form again later in the month.[1]

Victory over Exeter City on 4 February 1956 was the first win of a strong run which lasted for the remainder of the season and resulted in a 6th-place finish,[4] 11 points behind the top-three clubs.[3] During the season, 22-goal Jim Towers and goalkeeper Gerry Cakebread established themselves as two of the best players in the Third Division South.[2] After nearly 27 years as a player, assistant manager and caretaker manager at Griffin Park, long-serving Jimmy Bain retired at the end of season.[5] He received a Long Service Medal from the Football League in recognition.[5]

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts
4 Southend United 46 21 11 14 88 80 1.100 53
5 Torquay United 46 20 12 14 86 63 1.365 52
6 Brentford 46 19 14 13 69 66 1.045 52
7 Norwich City 46 19 13 14 86 82 1.049 51
8 Coventry City 46 20 9 17 73 60 1.217 49
Source:

Results
Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Legend
Win Draw Loss

Football League Third Division South
No. DateOpponentVenueResult AttendanceScorer(s)
1 20 August 1955Gillingham H1–4 12,247Towers (pen)
2 22 August 1955Queens Park RangersA1–1 11,688Stobbart
3 27 August 1955Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticA0–0 10,451
4 30 August 1955Queens Park RangersH2–0 12,947Towers, Taylor
5 3 September 1955Norwich CityH1–2 12,565Dudley
6 5 September 1955MillwallA0–4 6,911
7 10 September 1955Colchester UnitedA3–0 7,843Towers (2), Taylor
8 12 September 1955MillwallH2–2 7,597Taylor, Stobbart
9 17 September 1955Leyton Orient H1–0 17,847Taylor
10 19 September 1955WatfordH0–0 6,864
11 24 September 1955Exeter CityA3–2 9,454Taylor (3)
12 26 September 1955Coventry CityA1–2 12,584Taylor
13 1 October 1955Southend UnitedH2–1 14,329Taylor, Towers
14 8 October 1955Aldershot A1–4 7,395Towers
15 15 October 1955Crystal PalaceH3–0 13,636Taylor (2), Towers
16 22 October 1955Brighton & Hove Albion A0–3 12,771
17 29 October 1955SouthamptonH2–1 12,300Morgan, Rainford
18 5 November 1955Shrewsbury TownA1–1 10,551Morgan
19 12 November 1955Ipswich TownH3–2 14,795Francis, Morgan, Towers
20 26 November 1955Torquay United H1–3 11,547Heath
21 3 December 1955Newport CountyA2–1 8,035Morgan, Dudley
22 17 December 1955GillinghamA2–1 5,867Francis, Bristow
23 24 December 1955Bournemouth & Boscombe AthleticH2–1 8,592Coote, Taylor
24 26 December 1955ReadingH2–2 12,556Robertson, Rainford
25 27 December 1955Reading A2–5 11,910Bragg (pen), Francis
26 31 December 1955Norwich CityA0–1 18,542
27 14 January 1956Colchester UnitedH2–2 8,492Rainford, Taylor
28 21 January 1956Leyton OrientA1–2 14,009Morgan
29 4 February 1956Exeter City H2–0 6,309Francis (2)
30 11 February 1956Southend UnitedA2–2 5,124Towers, Stirling (og)
31 18 February 1956AldershotH2–0 7,026Towers (2)
32 25 February 1956Crystal PalaceA2–0 10,054Towers (2)
33 3 March 1956Brighton & Hove AlbionH4–2 11,061Robertson (2), Goundry, Francis
34 10 March 1956SouthamptonA1–1 11,678Towers
35 12 March 1956Swindon TownH1–2 7,249Towers
36 17 March 1956Shrewsbury TownH1–1 9,156Towers
37 24 March 1956Ipswich Town A1–1 13,672Towers
38 31 March 1956 Walsall H 2–2 8,933 Towers, Coote
39 2 April 1956Northampton TownH2–1 9,527Towers (2)
40 3 April 1956Northampton Town A0–1 8,248
41 7 April 1956 Torquay United A 1–3 5,574 Taylor
42 14 April 1956 Newport County H 1–1 5,291 Towers
43 21 April 1956Swindon TownA1–0 5,790Peplow
44 23 April 1956Coventry CityH1–1 6,078Bragg (pen)
45 28 April 1956WatfordA2–0 7,192Robinson, Francis
46 3 May 1956 Walsall A 2–1 9,033 Taylor, Newcombe

FA Cup
Main article: 1955–56 FA Cup
RoundDateOpponentVenueResult Attendance Scorer(s)
1R 19 November 1955 March Town United H 4–0 13,300 Stobbart (2), Towers (pen), Francis
2R10 December 1955Leyton Orient A1–4 17,490 Taylor

Playing squad
Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1955–56 season.
Pos. Name Nat. Date of birth (age) Signed from Signed in Notes
Goalkeepers
GK Gerry Cakebread (1936-04-01)1 April 1936 (aged 19) Youth 1954
GK Reg Newton (1926-06-30)30 June 1926 (aged 29) Leyton Orient 1949
Defenders
DF Alan Bassham (1933-10-03)3 October 1933 (aged 21) Youth 1953
DF Ken Horne (1926-06-25)25 June 1926 (aged 29) Blackpool 1950
DF George Lowden (1933-03-02)2 March 1933 (aged 22) Unattached 1951
DF Sid Tickridge (c) (1923-04-10)10 April 1923 (aged 32) Chelsea 1955
Midfielders
HB Wally Bragg (1929-07-08)8 July 1929 (aged 26) Twickenham Celtic 1946
HB George Bristow (1933-06-25)25 June 1933 (aged 22) Youth 1950
HB Ken Coote (1928-05-19)19 May 1928 (aged 27) Wembley 1949
HB Ian Dargie (1931-10-03)3 October 1931 (aged 23) Tonbridge 1952
HB Leonard Geard (1934-02-12)12 February 1934 (aged 21) Fulham 1953
HB Frank Latimer (1923-10-03)3 October 1923 (aged 31) Snowdown Colliery Welfare 1945
HB Johnny Rainford (1930-12-11)11 December 1930 (aged 24) Cardiff City 1953
HB Terry Robinson (1929-11-08)8 November 1929 (aged 25) Loughborough College 1954 Amateur
HB Len Roe (1932-01-11)11 January 1932 (aged 23) Ruislip Manor 1951
Forwards
FW Frank Dudley (1925-05-09)9 May 1925 (aged 30) Cardiff City 1953
FW George Francis (1934-02-04)4 February 1934 (aged 21) Youth 1955
FW Billy Goundry (1934-03-28)28 March 1934 (aged 21) Huddersfield Town 1955
FW Dennis Heath (1934-09-28)28 September 1934 (aged 20) Youth 1954
FW Wendell Morgan (1935-04-22)22 April 1935 (aged 20) Cardiff City 1954
FW Len Newcombe (1931-02-28)28 February 1931 (aged 24) Fulham 1956
FW John Pearson (1935-04-23)23 April 1935 (aged 20) Youth 1955
FW Ron Peplow (1935-05-04)4 May 1935 (aged 20) Southall 1955
FW James Robertson (1929-02-20)20 February 1929 (aged 26) Arsenal 1953
FW Billy Sperrin (1922-04-09)9 April 1922 (aged 33) Guildford City 1949
FW George Stobbart (1921-01-09)9 January 1921 (aged 34) Millwall 1954
FW Jeff Taylor (1930-09-20)20 September 1930 (aged 24) Fulham 1954
FW Jim Towers (1933-04-15)15 April 1933 (aged 22) Youth 1954
  • Sources: 100 Years Of Brentford,[3] Timeless Bees[6]

Coaching staff
Name Role
Bill Dodgin Sr. Manager
Jimmy Bain Assistant Manager
Tommy Eggleston Trainer
Jack Holliday Assistant Trainer

Statistics

Appearances and goals
Brentford's highest appearance-makers in each position during the Football League season.
Pos Nat Name League FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK Gerry Cakebread 45 0 2 0 47 0
GK Reg Newton 1 0 0 0 1 0
DF Alan Bassham 10 0 0 0 10 0
DF Ken Horne 7 0 0 0 7 0
DF George Lowden 15 0 0 0 15 0
DF Sid Tickridge 39 0 2 0 41 0
HB Wally Bragg 29 2 0 0 29 2
HB George Bristow 27 1 1 0 28 1
HB Ken Coote 45 2 2 0 47 2
HB Ian Dargie 4 0 0 0 4 0
HB Leonard Geard 3 0 0 0 3 0
HB Frank Latimer 10 0 1 0 11 0
HB Johnny Rainford 37 3 2 0 39 3
HB Terry Robinson 1512 0171
HB Len Roe 4 0 1 0 5 0
FW Frank Dudley 14 2 1 0 15 2
FW George Francis 17 7 1 1 18 8
FW Billy Goundry 23 1 0 0 23 1
FW Dennis Heath 17 1 1 0 18 1
FW Wendell Morgan 16 5 1 0 17 5
FW Len Newcombe 31— 31
FW John Pearson 4 0 0 0 4 0
FW Ron Peplow 3 1 0 0 3 1
FW James Robertson 22 3 0 0 22 3
FW Billy Sperrin 2 0 0 0 2 0
FW George Stobbart 12 2 1 2 13 4
FW Jeff Taylor 43 15 2 1 45 16
FW Jim Towers 39 21 2 1 41 22
  • Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
  • Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[3]

Goalscorers
Pos. Nat Player FL3 FAC Total
FW Jim Towers 21 1 22
FW Jeff Taylor 15 1 16
FW George Francis 7 1 8
FW Wendell Morgan 5 0 5
FW George Stobbart 2 2 4
HB Johnny Rainford 3 0 3
FW James Robertson 3 0 3
HB Wally Bragg 2 0 2
HB Ken Coote 2 0 2
FW Frank Dudley 2 0 2
FW Len Newcombe 1 — 1
HB George Bristow 1 0 1
FW Billy Goundry 1 0 1
FW Dennis Heath 1 0 1
FW Ron Peplow 1 0 1
HB Terry Robinson 1 0 1
Opponents 1 0 1
Total69574
  • Players listed in italics left the club mid-season.
  • Source: 100 Years Of Brentford[3]

Amateur international caps
Pos. Nat Player Caps Goals Ref
HB Terry Robinson 2 0 [7]

Management
Name Nat From To Record All Comps Record League
PWDLW %PWDLW %
Bill Dodgin Sr. 20 August 1955 3 May 1956 48 20 14 14 041.67 46 19 14 13 041.30

Summary
Games played48 (46 Third Division South, 2 FA Cup)
Games won20 (19 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup)
Games drawn14 (14 Third Division South, 0 FA Cup)
Games lost14 (13 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup)
Goals scored74 (69 Third Division South, 5 FA Cup)
Goals conceded70 (66 Third Division South, 4 FA Cup)
Clean sheets12 (11 Third Division South, 1 FA Cup)
Biggest league win3–0 on two occasions
Worst league defeat4–0 versus Millwall, 5 September 1955
Most appearances47, Gerry Cakebread, Ken Coote (45 Third Division South, 2 FA Cup)
Top scorer (league)21, Jim Towers
Top scorer (all competitions)22, Jim Towers

Transfers & loans
Players transferred in
Date Pos. Name Previous Club Fee Ref.
May 1955 FW Billy Goundry Huddersfield Town Free [8]
July 1955 DF Sid Tickridge Chelsea n/a [9]
August 1955 FW Ken Morgan Northampton Town n/a [10]
August 1955 FW Ron Peplow Southall n/a [11]
April 1956 FW Len Newcombe Fulham n/a [12]
Players transferred out
Date Pos. Name Subsequent club Fee Ref.
October 1955 FW Ken Morgan Crystal Palace n/a [10]
April 1956 DF Ken Moffitt Berwick Rangers n/a [13]
Players released
Date Pos. Name Subsequent club Join date Ref.
May 1956 HB Leonard Geard Kettering Town August 1956 [14]
May 1956 HB Frank Latimer Gravesend & Northfleet July 1956 [15]
May 1956 FW James Robertson Gravesend & Northfleet July 1956 [15]
May 1956 FW Billy Sperrin Tunbridge Wells United 1956 [16]
May 1956 FW George Stobbart Bedford Town 1956 [17]

References
  1. Ltd, Statto Organisation. "Brentford results for the 1954-1955 season - Statto.com". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 23 November 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  2. White 1989, p. 218-220.
  3. White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. p. 383. ISBN 0951526200.
  4. Ltd, Statto Organisation. "Brentford results for the 1955-1956 season - Statto.com". Statto.com. Archived from the original on 24 November 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  5. Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 14-15.
  6. Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Yore Publications. ISBN 978-0955294914.
  7. "England Matches – The Amateurs 1947–1962". www.englandfootballonline.com. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  8. "Billy Goundry". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  9. "Sid Tickridge". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  10. "Ken Morgan". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  11. "Ron Peplow". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  12. "Len Newcombe". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  13. "Scottish Football Historical Archive – M". p. 443.
  14. "Len Geard Goes To Kettering". The Brentford & Chiswick Times. 3 August 1956.
  15. "It's Goodbye To Frank And Jimmy". The Brentford & Chiswick Times. 17 August 1956.
  16. Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 152.
  17. Haynes & Coumbe 2006, p. 155.
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