During the1930–31 English football season,Brentford competed in theFootball League Third Division South. Despite failing to challenge for promotion, the Bees finished in 3rd place and advanced to the fourth round of theFA Cup for the first time in four years.
Inside rightJack Lane, one ofBrentford's great players of the 1920s and early 1930s, transferred out of the club in January 1931.
Brentford entered the 1930–31Third Division South season with largely the same personnel which secured a runners-up finish theprevious year. The only significant signing wasgoalkeeperEdward Nash fromSwindon Town in September 1930, to cover forFreddie Fox,[1] from whom Nash would take over the goalkeeping position during the second half of the season.[2] The previous season's prolificforward line ofBilly Lane,Jack Lane andCecil Blakemore again showed excellent goalscoring form during the first half of the season, withBill Berry returning to the fold after a season in the reserve team and replacing the out-of-formJohn Payne.[2]
Despite the large number of goals, the team's form was patchy, though a run of 8 defeats in 15 league matches between 27 September and 27 December 1930 only dropped the Bees from 5th to 7th position.[3] An 8–2 victory overCrystal Palace onChristmas Day was Brentford's biggest win of the season and equalled the club record for highest aggregate score in aFootball League match.[4] The Bees also embarked on a run to the fourth round of theFA Cup, falling toFirst DivisionPortsmouth atGriffin Park.[3] Despite the transfer of 19-goal Jack Lane to Crystal Palace in January 1931,[5] Brentford's form improved,[3] with Billy Lane continuing to score and new forward signingsGeorge Robson andLes Wilkins making a contribution.[2] 9 wins in the final 31 matches saw the Bees finish the season in 3rd place,[3] 9 points behind championsNotts County.[6]
Brentford's 1930–31 season is notable for the amount ofhat-tricks scored, with Billy Lane claiming three, Jack Lane two andFrederick Gamble one,[2] which convincedWest Ham United to sign Gamble in exchange for Les Wilkins in February 1931, despite Gamble having made only 13 appearances in just under two years.[7] During the season, Billy Lane and Jack Lane each scored a hat-trick in the same match twice during a one-month period – in the 6–1 FA Cup first round victory overIlford on 29 November 1930 and in the 8–2 league victory over Crystal Palace on Christmas Day.[8] Jack Lane's only goal of the game versusNorwich City in the FA Cup second round on 13 December 1930 marked the first time in the club's Football League history that three players had reached 10 goals for the season prior to Christmas Day.[9] The other goalscorers then on double figures were Billy Lane and Cecil Blakemore.[9]
^ab"Bees' Latest Captures".County of Middlesex Independent. 7 June 1930.
^"Bees Team Completed. Another Inside Right Signed. Benefit For Jack Lane: Tribute To A Sportsman: Not The Oldest Player: Brentford's Cricket Success".County of Middlesex Independent. 16 August 1930.
^abArgus (8 May 1931). "I note that Thames have engaged Martin Woosnam (half-back) and F. J. McDonough (goalkeeper), whom Brentford placed on the free transfer list last week".Brentford & Chiswick Times.
^"On This Day".www.gillinghamfootballclub.com. Retrieved14 November 2022.
