16. Griffin Park-Brentford

Brentford 1-1 Crystal Palace
Pre Season Friendly
30.7.10

Ground: Griffin Park
League: NPower League One (match was pre season friendly)
Admission: Adults: £10 Children: £1 (Different on league match days)
Programme: £3
Attendance: 2,166
Capacity: 12,763
Seated: 7,800
Covered: 12,763
Town/City: Brentford
Club shop: yes
Floodlights: yes
Step: 3
First off I would like to apologise to followers of the website for my tardiness of updating it. I went on holiday to West Scandinavia (see possible grounds soon and next post) and returned to find the internet had gone down. BT had come to raise a low wire and turned the internet and telephone lines off. When they turned it back on they had connected the phone line to an old wire that wasn't in use anymore. Thankfully they came to fix it (properly) a few days later.

Brentford's small claim for importance is the fact that it is home to Syon House, the place of residence in London for the Duke of Northumberland. Griffin Park is also the home of Chelsea Reserves who play home games here. They may get higher attendances, I'm not sure.
London Broncos also used to play here, however they became Harlequins and moved to the Twickenham Stoop.

Brentford FC were founded in 1898, as a winter sport for the local rowing club, in the Southern League Division 2. In 1901 they won the league and joined the Western League. In 1920 they were founder members of the third division south. In the 1920/1930 season the club won all 21 of their home matches yet they still missed out on promotion. They are the last of 6 teams in England to have a 100% home record in a season. In 1933 they were finally promoted to the Second Division. Two years later Brentford were in the First Division and finished 5th. During the war Brentford played in the London War Cup. They lost in the 1941 final to Reading at Wembley but beat Portsmouth in the final the following year. The club were relegated one season after the war finished. In 1954 they were relegated to the third division and the fourth division in 1962. In the late 1960s QPR threatened to take over the club as money problems set in. However before they could take over Brentford received a £104,000 emergency loan to keep them afloat. In 1978 Brentford FC finally got a permanent promotion to the third division. In 1985 the club reached the final of the Freight Rover Trophy where they lost to Wigan at friendly. Brentford were promoted to the new 1st division 1992 but were relegated one year later. David Webb became manager in 1993. The club missed out on promotion several times with a series of differnt managers. In January 2006 the club beat Sunderland to reach the 5th round of the FA Cup where they were beaten by Charlton. In 2007 Brentford were relegated to League Two. Terry Butcher was appointed manager and Brentford were promoted to League One in 2008 under Andy Scott after Butcher's departure.

Although this match was regarded as a friendly, the Palace fans certaintly didn't seem to be thinking of it that way. I was positioned in the away terrace the bottom of a double decker stand. The Brentford fans seemed to see the match as a nights entertainment. With mainly families there. However the die hard Palace fans were in their droves and singing songs right through the match. Palace pushed forward but it was Brentford who took the lead with Nicky Forster hitting home a third rebound. In the second half though, Palace were back in control and when an Ambrose corner was hit in Moore in the Brentford goal dealt with it poorly and Cadagon headed it in before he could catch it. Both sides attacked from there on but neither side looked to threatening and the sides finished with the match all square.

Griffin Park is based next to the M4 and has cover on all 4 sides. The New Road Stand has approximately 2,000 red plastic tip up seats. The opposite Braemer Road Stand has about 3,000 red plastic tip up seats. The Brook Road Stand has a capacity of about 3,300, 1,300 of which is Red plastic tip up seating with Brentford picked out in White. The Ealing Road end has a capacity of about 3,000 standing.

I didn't get there in time to collect a match day programme, but if you look around on the internet you'll probably find a picture.
A great night overall and the first time I've stood on a terrace to watch the Eagles play.