Goodbye Griffin Park

[rob_fmttm]

I feel for Brentford fans today - we had a chance to look back at the 25th anniversary of our final send off for Ayresome Park - Brentford fans will not have that opportunity for a final league game at their home since 1904. So, just one year after Ayresome Park but they have also been playing there the last 25 years of course.
The four corner pubs are famous of course and the four corner floodlights are fairly rare in the top two divisions. Generations have stood on the terraces and mingled safely, so for them it will be a massive change as they move to the new stadium. That new stadium is within sight of the old home and close to a rail link and lots of neighbourhood pubs but also the posh apartments that spring up through the cranes all along the Thames.
I am sure it will be a strange feeling today for Billy the Bee, Dave Lane and all the other Brentford fans. We said goodbye to Ayresome 25 years ago but that final day was special and a big part of our memories and thoughts today, so I feel for them not being able to have that send off.
Griffin Park 1904-2020 End of an Era

 

[LeeTublin]

Went there for the first time this season and had a great day out despite the result. Managed to visit the 4 pubs on each corner though the landlord of the Brook was less than welcoming after the match when a few Boro fans broke into song.

 

[indeedido]

It was a s***y little ground, but I have some good memories of it.
Most importantly Rob is right and it is a great shame that Brentford fans can't say their final goodbyes to it together.

 

[rkangel]

The last few seasons I've watched the games from the Brentford seats as I have friends who are season ticket holders. I've never been treated with anything but friendliness and respect, so trips to Griffin Park have been something to look forward to. I hope this continues after the move.

 

[SmallTown]

Whenever crowds will be allowed back into football.

I have mixed feelings about Griffin Park, it was a truly shabby little ground, totally unfit for the modern game. It did have character though. Still, I’m writing this looking at the roof of the new place, it looks nice. Certainly better then the usual identikit modern stadiums. Brentford is still a strong community based club so the move a few block down the A4 shouldn’t make much difference, maybe just a new pub to drink in.

 

[NortonExile]

Whenever crowds will be allowed back into football.

I have mixed feelings about Griffin Park, it was a truly shabby little ground, totally unfit for the modern game. It did have character though. Still, I’m writing this looking at the roof of the new place, it looks nice. Certainly better then the usual identikit modern stadiums. Brentford is still a strong community based club so the move a few block down the A4 shouldn’t make much difference, maybe just a new pub to drink in.

To be honest the new Brentford ground is still the same distance to the current Griffin Park pubs as the Riverside Stadium is to Doctor Browns so if supporters wanted to continue the same pre-match routines they can. They just need to leave the pubs 10 mins earlier for KO.

 

[SmallTown]

They probably will to be fair, apart from the Railway, all the pins down this end of town and at strand on the green are more expensive.

 

[fmttmadmin]

To have taken away our final fews games at Ayresome Park would have hurt so many of us very deeply indeed - I hope the Brentford fans have some opportunity to celebrate and commemorate Griffin Park - it will be tough to move on without having been able to properly say goodbye - and they don't even know when they will be able to enjoy live football from their new home. The fans could perhaps experience many games on a tv screen before actually attending live games. Imagine having no finale v Luton and then no new dawn with the 2 win against Chelsea. No last goal for Hendrie and not being able to watch live Hignett's historic first at the Riverside.
Big sympathy to the Bees.

 

[SmallTown]

Weirdly this thread started just as I was getting an email asking me if I wanted to apply for a Brentford season ticket.

Erm, not really mate no. 1: I don't support them and 2: A season ticket to watch WHAT exactly?