1901–02 Brentford F.C. season

Wing half Bill Regan joined Brentford during the 1901 off-season.

Despite having won election to the Southern League First Division in July 1901, the Brentford committee did not rest on its laurels and quickly realised that the team which finished top of the Second Division during the previous season needed drastic improvement if the club was to retain its First Division status.[1] Almost a whole new XI was signed, which included goalkeeper Tommy Spicer, full back David Robson, half backs Bill Regan, Robert Stormont, Charlie McEleny and three new forwards.[1] Half back Ralph McElhaney and forwards E. Andrews, Roddy McLeod and Peter Turnbull, all lynchpins of the promotion team, would play a part in the upcoming season.[2] In late August, the club was registered as a limited liability company.[1]

Brentford began the season in poor form and it took the signings of forwards Tommy Shanks, Paddy Logan and Tom Grieve to inspire the team to its first league victory of the campaign on 9 November 1901.[1] The result inspired three wins and three draws from a seven-match spell through to January 1902, but the team soon regained the habit of losing.[2] Despite the loss of captain Robert Stormont due to an FA suspension and injury problems in February, Brentford struggled on until mid-April and with two matches to go, were level on points with fellow promotion-relegation test match contenders Watford, New Brompton and Wellingborough near the bottom of the First Division.[1] The Bees closed out the season with 7–1 and 3–0 defeats to Portsmouth and Tottenham Hotspur respectively, the top two sides in the First Division.[2] Brentford's 15th-place finish led to a promotion-relegation test match with Grays United, in which the Second Division side forfeited promotion by refusing to play extra time while the score was at 1–1, which preserved the Bees' First Division status.[1]

One club record was set during the season:

• Least Southern League away wins in a season: 0[3]

Brentford's goal tally listed first.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — GK  ENG Billy Green — GK  ENG Tommy Spicer — DF  SCO Harry Gilmour — DF  ENG Alfred Mattocks — DF  SCO Ralph McElhaney — DF  SCO David Robson — DF  SCO A. Wylie — MF  ENG Harry Crump — MF  ENG William Hainsworth — MF  EIR Charlie McEleny — MF  ENG Bill Regan — MF  SCO Robert Stormont (c) — FW  ENG E. Andrews

No. Pos. Nation Player — FW  ENG Frederick Broughton — FW  SCO Tom Grieve — FW  ENG Harry Harris — FW  ENG Horace Jury — FW  SCO Paddy Logan — FW  SCO Roddy McLeod — FW  SCO Ranald McSwan — FW  ENG John Parkinson — FW  EIR Tommy Shanks — FW  ENG Henry Spawton — FW  ENG Henry Squires — FW  ENG Joe Turner

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  ENG Thomas Briddon (to Ilkeston Town) — FW  ENG Francis Dexter (to Pinxton)

No. Pos. Nation Player — FW  SCO Peter Turnbull (to Barrow)

• Source: 100 Years of Brentford,[2] The Football Association[4]