1934–35 Brentford F.C. season

During the 1934–35 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Second Division. The Bees led the division for much of the second half of the season and were promoted as champions to the First Division for the first time in the club's history. Brentford also won the London Challenge Cup for the first time.

Season summary
Brentford manager Harry Curtis made two big-money signings during the 1934 off-season – left back George Poyser from Port Vale for a club record £1,550 fee (equivalent to £0 in 2024) and centre half Archie Scott from Derby County for £1,000. Jim Brown was signed from Manchester United as outside right cover for Idris Hopkins and new first-choice goalkeeper James Mathieson was signed on a free transfer from Middlesbrough. After two years on the fringes, young right half Duncan McKenzie broke into the first team squad during the season and George Robson returned in attack, after being frozen out during the previous season. Former captain Jimmy Bain retired and became the club's assistant manager, a position he held until 1952.

Despite 1933–34's leading scorers Jack Holliday and Idris Hopkins finding the net with regularity, it was Ernest Muttitt who inspired the Bees to start the season with a seven-match unbeaten run. The run took the club to the top of the table, with Muttitt scoring seven goals in a five-match spell.

Aside from two separate spells of three defeats in five matches, Brentford went on two long unbeaten runs during the season. A 1–0 win over Notts County on 2 March 1934 returned the Bees to the top and they won promotion with three matches to spare. Three points from the final three matches confirmed Brentford as champions, five points above nearest challengers Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United. The promotion meant that Brentford would play in the First Division for the first time in the club's history and the championship shield was held aloft by captain Herbert Watson after the final match of the season at Griffin Park. A unique double was achieved with Brentford's first-ever victory in the London Challenge Cup, in which Millwall were beaten 2–1 after extra time in the final at Craven Cottage.

A number of Football League club records were set or equalled during the season, including:


 * Least home defeats (0, equalling the 1929–30 team's unbeaten home record)


 * Most consecutive home matches undefeated (24, a run which stretched back to April 1934)
 * The club record for highest winning margin in a Football League match was broken twice during the season, firstly in a 8–1 victory over Barnsley in December 1934 and then in the 8–0 hammering of Port Vale in April 1935. The eight-goal winning margin stood as the club record until October 1963.

Billy Scott became the club's second Football League-era player to score five goals in a match, with five goals in the 8–1 win over Barnsley. He scored a hat-trick in the return match on 27 April 1935. With his hat-trick versus Port Vale on 20 April 1935, Jack Holliday set a club record of 9 hat-tricks.

Results

 * Brentford's goal tally listed first.

FA Cup

 * Sources: Statto, 11v11, 100 Years of Brentford

Playing squad

 * Players' ages are as of the opening day of the 1934–35 season.


 * Sources: 100 Years of Brentford, Timeless Bees, Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939

Appearances and goals

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

Goalscorers

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

Transfers & loans

 * Cricketers are not included in this list.