During the 1902–03 English football season, Brentford competed in the Southern League First Division. An appalling season led to a bottom-place finish in the First Division, but the Bees retained their First Division status with a victory over Second Division champions Fulham in a promotion-relegation test match.
After a rude awakening to the Southern League First Division during the previous season and despite having become a professional club in 1900, the Brentford committee continued with an amateur attitude with regards to the running of first team affairs.[1] Despite almost all of the First Division clubs utilising a first team manager, the committee would continue to run first team affairs.[1] Had Brentford been relegated at the end of the previous season, the £557 loss on the season (equivalent to £76,400 in 2024) would have spelt the end of the club, but attendances had almost doubled at York Road and gate receipts of £1,244 were taken (£170,600 in 2024).[1] Frustratingly, Brentford's promotion to the First Division had necessitated a trebling of the wage bill, which offset the increased gate receipts.[1] To increase revenue, the club would also enter into the London League and Western League during the season and the squad was expanded to 26 professionals, which led to a 60% expansion of the wage bill.[1] Previous regulars Grieve, Logan, McEleny, McElhaney and captainStormont all left the club and were replaced by full backsGilson, Nidd, half backsGreen, Newsome and forwards Maher, Pickering, Turner and Underwood.[1]
Brentford began the First Division season in even worse form than it had the last, losing the first 9 matches.[2]Bristol CitytrainerBob Crone was brought in to replace Tom King and while the team's fitness improved, its form did not.[1] The FA Cup provided a welcome distraction and the team's form belied that of in the league, scoring 16 goals in six matches to advance from the third qualifying round to the intermediate round and a matchup with Football League First Division club Woolwich Arsenal.[2] The Bees took the Gunners to a replay at the Manor Ground, but the run ended with a 5–0 defeat.[2] While the cup exploits had inspired Brentford to a first league victory of the season on 22 November 1902, it had raised the profile of forward Tommy Shanks, who had scored in 9 goals in a 10-match spell through November and December 1902.[1]
1903 began with the shock transfer of Tommy Shanks to Woolwich Arsenal, with Brentford receiving £200 and forward Joe Connor, who on 21 March 1903 would become Brentford's first international player when he played and scored for Ireland in a 2–0 victory over Scotland.[1] The Bees took just 3 points from a possible 34 during the rest of the season and finished bottom of the First Division, which led to a promotion-relegation test match versus Second Division champions Fulham on 28 April.[2] The team put in its best performance of the season to run out 7–2 victors, with Joe Connor scoring four goals.[2]
Statistically, 1902–03 was Brentford's worst Southern League season, winning just twice and drawing once.[3] A number of club records were set or equalled during the season:
Most Southern League home defeats in a season: 12
Most Southern League away defeats in a season: 0
Least Southern League wins in a season: 2
Least Southern League home wins in a season: 2
Least Southern League away wins in a season: 0
Least Southern League draws in a season: 1
Least Southern League home draws in a season: 1
Least Southern League away draws in a season: 0
Most FA Cup goals in a season: 8 – Tommy Shanks[1]
Source: rsssf.com Rules for classification: The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used until the 1976-77 season. The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
Bob Crone
