1899–1900 Brentford F.C. season
| 1899–1900 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | William Lewis | ||
| Stadium | Cross Roads | ||
| Southern League Second Division | 9th | ||
| FA Cup | Third qualifying round | ||
| Top goalscorer |
League: E. Andrews (7) All: E. Andrews, Dailley (7) |
||
|
|||
During the 1899–1900 English football season, Brentford competed in the Southern League Second Division. A Middlesex FA investigation into the club's financial affairs necessitated a change to professional status mid-season, but a forgettable campaign ended with the Bees finishing third-from-bottom.
After a difficult first season in the Southern League Second Division, Brentford's AGM in May 1899 revealed that the club had lost £100 on the previous season, taking the overall debt to £180 (approximately £16,000 in 2017). After a series of meetings, a new committee was elected in July after it was decided that the club would continue to operate on an amateur basis. On the playing side, only six members of the team that finished the previous season remained at the club – goalkeeper Ben Brown, full back George Turner, half backs Nick Mattocks, Billy Smith and forwards Richard Dailley, Thomas Knapman and Charlie Evans. Incoming transfers included full back Bert Lane, half back G. Pearce and forwards E. Andrews and J. Bayne.
Brentford won and drew each of the opening two Second Division fixtures, with new forward J. Bayne scoring in each, before he and George Turner, both soldiers, departed for service in the Second Boer War with their regiments. Things went from bad to worse in October when the Middlesex FA opened an enquiry into Brentford's "shamateurism", the results of which saw the club fined £10 and suspended from football for a month beginning 20 November. Additionally, a number of members of the club's committee were suspended sine die or until 30 April 1900. A new committee took charge of the club and elected to turn professional.
...
Wikipedia