Brentford's players were due to report back for pre-season training during the week beginning 3 August 1914, but those preparations were disrupted by Britain's declaration of war on Germany on 4 August.[2] Just two players had been signed, forwardsJack Curtis and Stephen Stonley.[2] As the season got underway, Brentford lost just two of the first 10 Southern League Second Division matches,[3] but by that point it had become obvious that the war would not be over by Christmas as predicted.[2] Beginning in mid-October 1914, the squad was decimated by departures to serve in the army (Kent, Sloley, Hendren, Amos), work in munitions at the Royal Arsenal (McGovern, Johnson, Stonley) or on transfers (J. Curtis, Spratt).[2][4]Reserves, guest players, free transfers and local amateurs were brought in to plug gaps in the squad, with full back Fred Price, half backsMick O'Brien, Charles Allwright and forwards Michael Donaghy, Walter Chalk, F. Arnold and Charles Hibbert making up for the departures of the professionals in the second half of the season.[3] Amateur Walter Chalk would become something of a minor success, scoring six goals in 9 appearances.[3]
Notably, a 10–0 win over Abertillery on 28 November 1914 set a new club record, but the result was declared void two days later when Abertillery resigned from the Southern League.[2] Earlier wins over Leyton and Mardy were also chalked off when those clubs also left the league.[3] Brentford won just three of the final 15 matches of the season, with the one bright spot being the emergence of inside rightHenry White.[3] Low attendances meant the Bees finished a mid-table season £7,000 in debt (equivalent to £708,500 in 2024) and 1914–15 would become the final season of competitive football until 1919–20, after the war ended in November 1918.[2]
Three former Brentford players died during the season:
Private William Mehew, an occasional player at the turn of the century, was serving in the Northamptonshire Regiment when he was killed during the Battle of Aubers on 9 May 1915.[6]
Source: [citation needed] Rules for classification: The system of using goal average to separate two teams tied on points was used up until the 1976–77 season. The points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for losing.
