The season began one month after Britain entered the First World War, which unsettled the squad as players left to undertake military or munitions duties.

[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 backs Mick 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] Brentford won just three of the final 15 matches of the season, with the one bright spot being the emergence of inside right Henry White.