During the 1949–50 English football season, Brentford competed in the Football League Second Division. In his first season as manager, Jackie Gibbons guided the club to a 9th-place finish, a marked improvement on near-relegations in the previous two seasons.
1949–50 marked the first season since 1925–26 that Brentford would play a full season under the management of someone other than Harry Curtis, with former player Jackie Gibbons having taken over as manager in February 1949.[1] A new-look squad toured Sweden under Gibbons in pre-season, with new forward signings Ken Coote, Jimmy Hill and Dennis Rampling in attendance.[1]Joe Crozier, the club's near-ever-present goalkeeper since September 1937, elected to retire from full-time football and was replaced by his backups,[2] firstly Ted Gaskell and then Alf Jefferies.[3]
Brentford had a mixed season in the Second Division, with just three victories in the opening 15 matches leaving the club out of contention for challenging for promotion.[4] A turnaround in form elevated the Bees from 21st place on 5 November 1949, to a season-high 7th on 8 April 1950.[4] Two losses, a win and a draw from the final four matches dropped the club a final position of 9th.[4] Brentford finished the campaign having conceded only 12 league goals at Griffin Park, the best home record in each of the top two divisions.[1]