Griffin Park#Stands

{{Infobox venue

| stadium_name = Griffin Park

| image = 250px

| fullname = Griffin Park

| nickname =

| coordinates = {{coord|51|29|17.46|N|0|18|9.50|W|region:GB_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| publictransit = {{rail-interchange|gb|Rail}} {{rws|Brentford}}

| owner = Brentford F.C.

| location = Braemar Road
Brentford
TW8 0NT

| built = January–September 1904

| opened = {{start date and age|1904|9}}

| closed = {{end date and age|2020|8}}

| demolished = {{start date and age|2021}}

| seating_capacity = 12,300

| tenants = Brentford F.C. (1904–2020)
London Broncos (2002–2006)
Chelsea F.C. Reserves (2007–2010)

| dimensions = 110 × 73 yd (100 × 67 metres)

}}

Griffin Park was a football ground in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow, England. It was the home ground of Brentford F.C. from its opening in September 1904 to August 2020. The ground was in a predominantly residential area and was known for being the only English league football ground to have a pub on each corner. The ground's name referred to the griffin featured in the logo of Fuller's Brewery, which at one point owned the orchard on which the stadium was built.

History

= Planning, construction and opening =

Between Brentford's formation in 1889 and 1904, the club played at five grounds around Ealing – Clifden Road, Benns Field, Shotters Field, Cross Road and Boston Park Cricket Ground.{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=66}} In 1903, Fulham chairman Henry Norris (a prominent estate agent), Brentford manager Dick Molyneux and club president Edwin Underwood negotiated a 21-year lease at a peppercorn rent on an orchard (owned by local brewers Fuller, Smith and Turner) along the Ealing Road, with the option to buy the freehold at a later date for £5,000. After a gypsy camp was removed from the site and work began on building the ground in January 1904, under the guidance of architects Parr & Kates. The orchard was cut down by local volunteers, who were allowed to keep the wood.{{Sfn|White|1989|p=15–20}}

The ground was initially built with a 20,000 capacity in mind, with a provision for an increase to 30,000–40,000.{{Sfn|White|1989|p=15–20}} An 800-capacity stand from Boston Park was rebuilt along the Braemar Road side of the ground, with an extension taking the stand's capacity to 1,500.{{Sfn|White|1989|p=15–20}} Beneath and behind the stand were three dressing rooms (one for each team and one for officials), a number of offices and a recreation room.{{Sfn|White|1989|p=15–20}} The ground was named 'Griffin Park' after a nearby pub, The Griffin, which was owned by the Griffin Brewery and was used for accommodation.{{Cite web |last=Menday |first=Eddie |title=Looking Back with Eddie Menday: Football grew out of rowing club |url=http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/news/news-opinion/looking-back-eddie-menday-football-8110655 |access-date=27 November 2014 |website=getwestlondon|date=14 November 2014 }} After a number of trial matches, Griffin Park was opened on 1 September 1904. Season tickets for the 1904–05 season (priced between 10 shillings and one guinea) sold out.{{Sfn|White|1989|p=15–20}}

= The first matches =

File:Griffin Park, London, September 2015.jpg

The first competitive match played at Griffin Park was a Western League fixture versus Plymouth Argyle on 1 September 1904.{{Cite book |title=Brentford Football Club Official Matchday Magazine versus AFC Bournemouth |date=4 September 2004 |publisher=Dunwoody Sports Marketing |location=Newbury |page=6}} The Braemar Road grandstand had been completed by the time of the fixture, but as the dressing rooms were not ready and the players were forced to change at the public baths in Clifden Road. The borough surveyor declared the grandstand unsafe and banned its use until improvements had been made.{{Sfn|White|1989|p=15-20}} Argyle scored the first competitive goal at the ground through Fred Buck, but four minutes from the final whistle, Tommy Shanks converted a James Swarbrick cross to secure a 1–1 draw. The attendance was estimated at between 4,000 and 5,000.

The first competitive fixture to be played at the ground was a Southern League First Division match on 3 September 1904, which yielded a 0–0 draw between Brentford and West Ham United. The Bees had to wait until 22 October 1904 for their first victory at the ground, a 2–0 win over Millwall. The first Football League match to be played at the ground was on 30 August 1920, with Reginald Boyne scoring the only goal of a Third Division fixture versus Millwall.{{Sfn|White|1989|p=366}}

= Development =

The money generated from Brentford's run to the fifth round of the FA Cup during the 1926–27 season (£5,000, equivalent to £{{formatnum:{{Inflation|UK|5000|1927|r=-2}}|0}} in {{CURRENTYEAR}}) allowed a new grandstand to be constructed to replace the 'cow shed' on the Braemar Road side of the ground.{{Sfn|White|1989|p=15-20}}{{Cite book |title=100 Years Of Brentford |publisher=Brentford FC |year=1989 |isbn=0951526200 |editor-last=White |editor-first=Eric |page=122}}

File:Griffin_Park,_Braemar_Road_forecourt,_January_2015.jpg

Unlike the old grandstand, the new stand ran the length of the pitch.{{Sfn|White|1989|p=15-20}} After the season, it was announced that Griffin Park would be completely redeveloped over the following decade.{{Sfn|White|1989|p=15-20}} Concrete terracing was installed at the Ealing Road end of the ground in 1930.{{Sfn|White|1989|p=15-20}} During the 1933 off-season, a new stand was constructed at the Brook Road end of the ground and the New Road terrace was extended the following year to allow a further 5,000 supporters to be accommodated.{{Sfn|White|1989|p=140, 142, 146}} Prior to Brentford's debut First Division season in 1935–36, the New Road terrace was extended and a roof was added, which took the stand's capacity to 20,000.{{Sfn|White|1989|p=140, 142, 146}}

Little development occurred at Griffin Park between the mid-1930s and the mid-1980s and the ground's 38,000 capacity was the largest in its history.{{Sfn|White|1989|p=15-20}}{{Cite web |title=Official handover of Griffin Park |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2020/september/griffin-park-handed-over/ |access-date=17 September 2020 |website=www.brentfordfc.com |language=en-gb}} The frontage of the Braemar Road stand was rebuilt in 1963, adding club offices and a club room.{{Sfn|White|1989|p=250}} Flats were built in a spare, matchday parking area behind the Ealing Road terrace in 1985 and the following year the Brook Road 'kop' was torn down and replaced by a two-tiered stand,{{Sfn|White|1989|p=15–20}} colloquially known as the 'Wendy House'.{{Cite web |title=Griffin Park {{!}} Brentford FC |url=http://www.footballgroundguide.com/leagues/england/championship/griffin-park-brentford.html |access-date=23 October 2015 |website=Football Ground Guide}} On the New Road side of the ground, the 1930s extension to the terrace was removed and a sheet metal wall was added to the back of the stand.{{Sfn|White|1989|p=15–20}}

In 2006, the pitch was moved a few metres to the west in order to accommodate box goal nets and the following year, a roof was added to the Ealing Road terrace. Numerous improvements were made after Brentford's promotion to the Championship in 2014, including resurfacing of access areas, extra CCTV, new signage, new heated seats in the dugouts and AstroTurf installed in the pitch-side run-off areas.{{Cite web |last=Chapman |first=Mark |title=A photo gallery of the Griffin Park refurbishments over the summer of 2014 |url=http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk/news/article/griffin-park-facelift-photo-gallery-1783580.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923225453/http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk/news/article/griffin-park-facelift-photo-gallery-1783580.aspx |archive-date=23 September 2015 |access-date=18 August 2015 |website=brentfordfc.co.uk}} With the club placed in the Championship playoff places in January 2015, additional work was carried out on the New Road stand ahead of a deadline for submission of a report to the Premier League, which outlined development plans ahead of a potential promotion.{{Cite web |title=Brentford hoping to stay at Griffin Park should Premier League beckon |url=http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/11752792._/ |access-date=18 August 2015 |website=This Is Local London|date=28 January 2015 }} LED advertising boards were installed at the ground for the first time during the 2017–18 season and goal-line technology was installed during the 2017 off-season.{{Cite news |title=Brentford Football Club Invest in LED Perimeter Advertising System |language=en-gb |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2017/july/led-announcement/ |access-date=26 July 2017}}{{Cite news |title=History made at Griffin Park on Saturday |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/history-made-at-griffin-park-on-saturday_194906 |access-date=13 August 2017 |language=en-gb}}

= Crowd disturbance =

The only occasion on which Griffin Park was closed due to crowd trouble was following a Third Division South match versus Brighton & Hove Albion on 12 September 1925.{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=38–39}} Ill-feeling on the pitch sparked trouble on the terraces and following the referee's report, the FA closed the ground for 14 days.{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=38–39}} The following home match against Crystal Palace was moved to Selhurst Park, where Brentford suffered a 2–0 defeat and dropped to bottom place in the Football League.{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=38–39}}

= Wartime bombing =

Griffin Park survived the bombing raids of the First World War unscathed, though bombs fell on the nearby High Street while the team was playing away at Crystal Palace on 19 January 1918.{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=137–138}} During the Second World War, Griffin Park was hit by two high-explosive bombs in 1940 and 1941.{{Cite web |title=High Explosive Bomb at Braemar Road, London – Bomb Sight – Mapping the World War 2 London Blitz |url=http://www.bombsight.org/bombs/16057/ |access-date=15 August 2014 |publisher=Bomb Sight}} Six matches were abandoned or postponed during the Blitz.{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=137–138}}

= The "Great Fire of Brentford" =

File:Griffin Park, Brentford, London, January 2019.jpg

At 11:30 pm on 1 February 1983, a fire broke out in the Braemar Road Stand, possibly due to an electrical fault in the boiler room under the stand.{{Cite web |title=Nostalgia: From our picture files 25 years ago |url=http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/2027192.0/ |access-date=23 October 2015 |website=News Shopper|date=7 February 2008 }} The fire quickly spread through the timber used in the construction of the stand.{{Sfn|White|1989|p=15-20}} Groundsman Alec Banks, who lived under the stand, was rescued by then-Brentford player Stan Bowles and his wife Jane.{{Cite web |date=25 July 2012 |title=Where Are They Now? |url=http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk.p.preprod.performgroup.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~2788146,00.html |access-date=27 March 2017 |website=brentfordfc.co.uk}} Sixty people were evacuated from homes nearby and an estimated £150,000 worth of damage was caused, including 800 seats, the away dressing room, the gymnasium, the kit store and the laundry.{{Sfn|White|1989|p=15–20}} It was after the reconstruction that the players' tunnel was moved to the western corner of the Braemar Road Stand, with the players having previously emerged from a tunnel at the halfway line.{{Sfn|White|1989|p=15–20}}

= "Fortress Griffin Park" =

Brentford set an English football record when the club won all 21 home games during the 1929–30 Third Division South season.{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p = 72}} Despite the record (which still stands as of {{LastYear}}), the Bees finished as runners-up to Plymouth Argyle and failed to win promotion to Second Division.{{Cite web |title=England 1929/30 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/engpaul/FLA/1929-30.html |access-date=18 August 2015 |website=RSSSF}} Brentford finished the 2014 calendar year with the best home record in the Football League, winning 17 of 23 games (two more than the next-best tally) and accruing a 78% winning record.{{Cite web |last=Brett |first=Ciaran |title=Brentford with best home record in Football League |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/fortress-griffin-park-in-2014_69245 |access-date=18 August 2015 |website=brentfordfc.com}}

= Ticketing =

An electronic ticketing system was installed on all turnstiles at Griffin Park during the 2014 off-season.{{Cite web |last=Wickham |first=Chris |title=Information from supporters on ticketing and access for Brentford FC match days at Griffin Park |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2014/august/match-day-ticket-arrangements-201415/ |access-date=27 November 2014}} Previously, supporters were able to pay on the turnstiles on match days for non-all-ticket matches.

= Attempts to move to a new stadium =

File:Bees 1-1 Tigers - Flickr - domfell.jpg supporters accommodated in the Brook Road stand prior to a match in August 2019.]]

In August 1973, the Middlesex Chronicle reported that Brentford had submitted a bid to Hounslow Council to build a new ground and leisure complex on the site of Brentford Market.{{Cite book |title=TW8: The Home Of Football – Brentford FC versus Bristol City |date=13 August 2002 |publisher=The Yellow Printing Company |location=Charlton, London |page=33}} Brentford's hopes of moving to a new 20,000-capacity stadium were boosted in 2007 after the club was given an option to buy a {{convert|7.6|acre|m2|adj=on}} site at Lionel Road, less than a mile away from Griffin Park.{{Cite web |last=Street |first=Tim |date=28 January 2011 |title=Barratt Homes pull out on new Brentford stadium deal |url=http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/other-sport/barratt-homes-pull-out-new-5990462 |access-date=14 August 2014 |publisher=Get West London}} The project was halted in 2010 due to the economic downturn and partners Barratt Homes pulled out of the deal in January 2011. In June 2012, the club bought the Lionel Road site from Barratt Homes.{{Cite web |title=Brentford ground plans take step forward |url=http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/local/richmondnews/9790628.Brentford_ground_plans_take_step_forward/ |access-date=9 September 2015 |website=Your Local Guardian| date=29 June 2012 }} Outline planning approval was given by the London Borough of Hounslow on 5 December 2013 and the Mayor of London's office gave their approval in February 2014.{{Cite web |last=Culbertson |first=Alix |date=14 March 2014 |title=Brentford FC's new Lionel Road stadium gets the final thumbs up |url=http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/news/local-news/brentford-fcs-new-lionel-road-6832603 |access-date=14 August 2014 |publisher=Get West London}} Eric Pickles (then-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government) gave final approval for the stadium on 14 March 2014 and a development agreement was signed with Willmott Dixon in December 2014.{{Cite web |title=Brentford FC and Willmott Dixon sign Development Agreement for Brentford Community Stadium at Lionel Road South |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/new-stadium-progress-as-agreement-signed-_61347 |access-date=8 June 2015 |website=www.brentfordfc.com}}

The commencement of work on the Lionel Road site was held up through 2015 due to First Industrial Ltd (which owned the final parcel of land needed to begin development) objecting to a compulsory purchase order by Hounslow Council.{{Cite web |last=Cumber |first=Robert |title=Brentford FC being 'held to ransom' over new stadium |date=9 September 2015 |url=http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/news/west-london-news/brentford-fc-being-held-ransom-10015670 |access-date=9 September 2015}} Hounslow Council completed the acquisition of the land in September 2016 and on-site preparation for construction began in late March 2017.{{Cite news |title=Hounslow Council now in possession of land required for new Brentford Community Stadium at Lionel Road South |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2016/september/completion-of-compulsory-purchase-order-process-for-the-brentford-community-stadium/ |access-date=2 January 2017}}{{Cite news |title=Work begins on Brentford Community Stadium at Lionel Road South |language=en |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2017/march/brentford-community-stadium-work-starts-at-lionel-road-south/ |access-date=24 March 2017}} Ground was broken at the site on 19 March 2018 and a long-term deal to groundshare with London Irish was agreed in December 2018.{{Cite news |title=Brentford FC's new stadium ground-breaking ceremony |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/brentford-fcs-new-stadium-ground-breaking-ceremony_263647 |access-date=2 April 2018 |language=en-gb}}{{Cite web |title=London Irish to play at Brentford Community Stadium |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/london-irish-to-play-at-brentford-community-stadium_347519 |access-date=18 December 2018 |website=www.brentfordfc.com |language=en-gb}} The project was completed in August 2020 and both clubs began the 2020–21 season at the 17,250-capacity Community Stadium.{{Cite web|title=Brentford FC move in to new home|url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2020/august/brentford-fc-move-in-to-new-home/|access-date=30 August 2020|website=www.brentfordfc.com|language=en-gb}}{{Cite web |title=Cliff Crown's Christmas Message |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2018/december/cliff-crowns-christmas-message/ |access-date=25 December 2018 |website=www.brentfordfc.com |language=en-gb}}

= Last years and final matches =

Brentford's 5th-place finish in the Championship playoff places in the 2014–15 season raised questions about Griffin Park's suitability for Premier League football,{{Cite web |last=Street |first=Tim |title=Brentford plan for Griffin Park stay in Premier League |url=http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/brentford-plan-griffin-park-stay-8183468 |access-date=27 November 2014 |website=getwestlondon|date=27 November 2014 }} prior to the then-expected move to the Community Stadium in 2017. Brentford were given special dispensation by the Sports Ground Safety Authority to retain the terracing in the Ealing Road and Brook Road stands for the 2017–18, 2018–19 and 2019–20 Championship seasons, due to the club's good safety record and its impending move to the Community Stadium.{{Cite news |last=Brett |first=Ciaran |title=Brentford given dispensation to retain Terracing at Griffin Park for 2017/18 Sky Bet Championship season |language=en |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2017/march/club-given-approval-to-retain-terracing-at-griffin-park/ |access-date=9 March 2017}}{{Cite news |title=Brentford FC given permission to retain terracing for 2018/19 |language=en-gb |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2018/june/terracing-retained-june-2018/ |access-date=14 June 2018}}{{Cite web |title=Ealing Road stand cleared for use in final Griffin Park season |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2019/july/ealing-road-stand-201920/ |access-date=17 July 2019 |website=www.brentfordfc.com |language=en-gb}}

In October 2018, it was reported that the 2019–20 season would be Brentford's last at Griffin Park.{{Cite news |last=Muro |first=Giuseppe |title=Brentford hoping to play final season at Griffin Park if they are promoted |language=en-GB |work=Evening Standard |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/brentford-hoping-to-play-final-season-at-griffin-park-if-they-are-promoted-to-premier-league-a3957386.html |access-date=9 October 2018}} Had promotion to the Premier League been achieved at the end of the 2018–19 season, the club would have applied for special dispensation to play the 2019–20 Premier League season at Griffin Park. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the final match not to be played behind closed doors at Griffin Park was a 5–0 Championship win over Sheffield Wednesday on 7 March 2020.{{Cite web|title=Brentford fans get first taste of new stadium as spectators return to football|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/uk-sports/2020/12/05/brentford-fans-get-first-taste-of-new-stadium-as-spectators-return-to-football/|access-date=29 July 2021|website=www.expressandstar.com|date=5 December 2020 |language=en}} The final first team match played at Griffin Park was a 3–1 Championship play-off semi-final second leg victory over Swansea City on 29 July 2020, with Bryan Mbeumo scoring the final Brentford goal.{{Cite news|last=Dean|first=Sam|date=29 July 2020|title=Brentford sting Swansea in Griffin Park farewell to claim place in Championship play-off final|language=en-GB|work=The Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2020/07/29/brentford-sting-swansea-griffin-park-farewell-claim-place-championship/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2020/07/29/brentford-sting-swansea-griffin-park-farewell-claim-place-championship/ |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=29 July 2020|issn=0307-1235}}{{cbignore}} The final match at Griffin Park was a 2019–20 London Senior Cup semi-final, played between Brentford B and Erith Town on 26 August 2020.{{Cite web |title=Brentford B 6 Erith Town 3 |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2020/august/match-report-for-brentford-vs-erith-town-on-26-aug-20/ |access-date=26 August 2020 |website=www.brentfordfc.com |language=en-gb}} Brentford B won the match, 6–3, however the last ever goal was scored by Erith Town player, Steadman Callender.

= Redevelopment =

Outline planning permission for the redevelopment of Griffin Park into housing was granted in 2005 but, the following year, the club was granted more time to identify an appropriate scheme for a new stadium.{{Cite web |title=Welcome to our public exhibition to explain the future of Griffin Park |url=http://www.archive.brentfordcommunitystadium.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Griffin-Park-Boards.pdf |access-date=9 November 2020 |pages=3, 8}} A second extension was granted in 2012 and, in 2015, the club submitted a reserved matters application to establish the landscaping and scale of the development. On 3 September 2015, Hounslow Council approved the building of 75 new homes on the site of Griffin Park, after the club moves out.{{Cite web |last=Cumber |first=Robert |title=Brentford FC stadium to be replaced by family homes |date=4 September 2015 |url=http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/news/west-london-news/new-homes-approved-brentford-fcs-9989213 |access-date=9 September 2015}} At the centre of the development will be a garden, which will honour the stadium.

Stadium structure

File:Griffin Park Ealing Road stand May 2005.jpg supporters on the uncovered Ealing Road terrace during the 2005 League One playoffs. A temporary Sky Sports TV gantry is located at the back of the stand.]]

When first opened, Griffin Park had no terracing and banks surrounded the pitch, covered with ashes. A tiny stand was erected, which was initially refused a safety certificate.

= Stands =

Braemar Road Stand – A two-tiered all-seated stand located along the Braemar Road,{{Cite web |title=Stadium Plan |url=http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk/tickets/stadium-plan/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161224221447/http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk/tickets/stadium-plan/ |archive-date=24 December 2016 |access-date=18 August 2015 |website=www.brentfordfc.co.uk}} with the lower tier being known as 'the Paddock'.{{Cite web |title=Brentford FC Stadium Map |url=http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk/documents/73374-brentford-fc-stadium-map-update-final-no-icons277-1652461.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161129024557/http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk/documents/73374-brentford-fc-stadium-map-update-final-no-icons277-1652461.pdf |archive-date=29 November 2016}} The stand also housed the dressing rooms, supporters' bar and club offices.{{Cite web |title=Pick up your 2014/15 Sky Bet Championship season ticket in the Braemar Road stand |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/want-to-sit-in-the-braemar-road-stand_71281 |access-date=23 October 2015 |website=www.brentfordfc.com}} The stand's forecourt housed the club shop and ticket office.{{Cite web |title=Bees superstore information |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2012/august/bees-superstore-information/ |access-date=23 October 2015 |website=www.brentfordfc.co.uk}} Until 2010, the dugouts were located in front of the stand.{{Cite web |last=Amos |first=Stuart |date=24 November 2009 |title=Bees bench behind Griffin Park stalemate |url=http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/sport/football/4756684.Bees_bench_behind_Griffin_Park_stalemate/ |access-date=15 August 2014 |publisher=Your Local Guardian}}
New Road Stand – A single-tiered all-seated stand located along the New Road. During its final years it was officially named the Bill Axbey Stand, as a tribute to the club's oldest-ever supporter.{{Cite web |date=8 May 2007 |title=Bill Axbey: the legend of Griffin Park dies, aged 102 |url=http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/1377352.bill_axbey_the_legend_of_griffin_park_dies_aged_102/ |access-date=9 November 2020 |publisher=Richmond and Twickenham Times}} The away supporters' section was housed in the northwest corner of the stand until October 1991.{{Cite book |last1=Croxford |first1=Mark |title=The Big Brentford Book Of The Nineties |last2=Lane |first2=David |last3=Waterman |first3=Greville |publisher=Legends Publishing |year=2013 |isbn=9781906796723 |location=Sunbury, Middlesex |page=83}} Previously a terrace, the stand was converted to seating during the 1996 off-season.{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p = 66}} In 2010, at the request of then-manager Andy Scott, the dugouts were relocated in front of the stand.{{Cite web |date=19 May 2010 |title=Dug Outs |url=http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk.p.preprod.performgroup.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~2044428,00.html |access-date=24 March 2017}}{{Cite web |date=19 May 2010 |title=Dug Outs Update |url=http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk.p.preprod.performgroup.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~2052366,00.html |access-date=24 March 2017}} The central camera position for TV broadcasts of games was located in a gantry suspended from the roof of the stand.{{Cite web |title=Brentford FC club statement on the New Road Gantry Position at Griffin Park |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2016/august/club-statement-on-new-road-gantry/ |access-date=15 August 2016}} The Family Section was located in blocks N506, N507 and N508.
Ealing Road Terrace – A single-tier terrace located at the Ealing Road end of the ground. Previously uncovered, the club had an application to build a roof turned down in 2004 and the terrace finally received a roof in 2007.{{Cite web |date=27 August 2007 |title=Terry Butcher builds on solid start at Brentford |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2319906/Terry-Butcher-builds-on-solid-start-at-Brentford.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2319906/Terry-Butcher-builds-on-solid-start-at-Brentford.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=13 August 2014 |newspaper=Telegraph}}{{cbignore}}{{Cite web |title=Brentford's Local Web site |url=http://www.brentfordtw8.com/default.asp?section=info&page=ebfc24.htm |access-date=27 November 2014}} Traditionally a home end, the terrace housed away supporters at various times throughout the 2000s.{{Cite web |date=28 March 2007 |title=Bees To Switch Ends |url=http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk.p.preprod.performgroup.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~1003068,00.html |access-date=8 April 2018 |website=brentfordfc.co.uk}}
Brook Road Stand – A two-tiered stand with seating on the upper level and terracing on the lower level, built in the mid-1980s to replace the Royal Oak Stand (Griffin Park's 'kop').{{Cite web |title=The Royal Oak Stand |url=http://beesotted.com/?p=252 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170908063826/http://beesotted.com/?p=252 |archive-date=8 September 2017 |access-date=13 August 2014 |publisher=Beesotted}} At varying times the stand has housed home supporters (1980s, 2001–2007) or away supporters (1980s, 2007–2020) and because of its appearance was affectionately known as 'the Wendy House'.{{Cite book |title=TW8 The Official Brentford FC Matchday Programme versus Tranmere Rovers |date=8 September 2001 |publisher=The Yellow Printing Company Limited |location=London |pages=16–17}} Until 2004, a vane display scoreboard was mounted on the stand's facade.

= Floodlights =

File:Griffin_Park,_Brentford,_August_2011.jpg contesting a corner in front of the roofed Ealing Road stand in August 2011.]]

Brentford was one of the first clubs to recognise the potential of floodlit football and in 1954, a sum of £5,345 (equivalent to £{{formatnum:{{Inflation|UK|5345|1954|r=-2}}|0}} in {{CURRENTYEAR}}) was spent on erecting perimeter lights the length of the Braemar Road and New Road stands.{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p = 52}} With the Football League banning competitive games under floodlights, a number of friendly matches were arranged to increase revenue, with one match against an International Managers XI attracting 21,600 spectators.{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p = 52}} By the time the Football League's ban on competitive floodlit football was lifted in February 1956, the club had received over £10,000 in gate receipts from the friendly matches. The original perimeter lights were replaced in August 1963 with pylons located at each corner of the ground,{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p = 52}} at a cost of £17,000.{{Sfn|White|1989|p=21-23}} A new set of floodlight lamps were purchased from West London neighbours Chelsea in 1983.{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p = 52}} Electronic scoreboards were first attached to two of the pylons in 2004.{{Cite web |title=New Scoreboards Installed |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/new-scoreboards-installed_59269 |access-date=15 August 2014 |publisher=Brentfordfc.com}} The floodlights were upgraded from 590 to 1000 lux during the 2015 off-season.{{Cite web |last=Wickham |first=Chris |title=Operations Manager Alan Walsh updates supporters on Griffin Park improvements |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2015/june/alan-walsh-updates-on-griffin-park-improvements/ |access-date=8 June 2015 |website=Brentford FC}} File:Griffin Park 1982 - geograph-2023521.jpg

Attendances

= Records =

Record attendance (all competitions) – 38,678 (versus Leicester City, FA Cup sixth round, 24 February 1949)
Record attendance (Football League) – 38,535 (versus Arsenal, First Division, 8 September 1938)
Record attendance (League Cup) – 17,859 (versus Liverpool, second round, first leg, 5 October 1983){{Cite book |last1=Croxford |first1=Mark |title=The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties |last2=Lane |first2=David |last3=Waterman |first3=Greville |publisher=Legends Publishing |year=2011 |isbn=978-1906796716 |location=Sunbury, Middlesex |page=100}}
Record average attendance in a season – 27,716 (1936–37, First Division)
Highest attendance in division – 13,300 (1932–33, Third Division South), 11,738 (1971–72, Fourth Division)

= Last years =

As of 2016, Griffin Park had a capacity of 12,573.{{Cite web |title=First visit to Griffin Park? |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/fans-and-community/first-time-visitors/ |access-date=4 May 2017 |website=www.brentfordfc.com |archive-date=16 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816065408/https://www.brentfordfc.com/fans-and-community/first-time-visitors/ |url-status=dead }} The highest attendance for a league match in its final seasons was 12,367 versus Queens Park Rangers on 21 April 2018.{{Cite web |title=Brentford vs Queens Park Rangers on 21 Apr 18 – Match Centre |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/fixtures/first-team/201718/april/brentford-vs-queens-park-rangers-on-21-apr-18/# |access-date=11 November 2018 |website=Brentford FC |language=en-gb}} FA Cup fourth and fifth round matches versus Sunderland and Southampton drew crowds of 11,698 and 11,720 in 2006 and 2005 respectively.{{Cite news |date=28 January 2006 |title=Brentford 2–1 Sunderland |publisher=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/4634288.stm |access-date=13 August 2014}}{{Cite news |date=1 March 2005 |title=Brentford 1–3 Southampton |publisher=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/4300391.stm |access-date=13 August 2014}}

Neutral venue

File:Voetbal Nederland verslaat Frankrijk met 2-0 te Brentford (Engeland). Een promin, Bestanddeelnr 934-8548.jpg and France contested a wartime friendly match at Griffin Park on 18 April 1942.{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=97}} The Netherlands won 2–0.{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=97}}]]

= Football matches =

1942 – Netherlands 2–0 France (friendly){{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=97}}
1942 – Netherlands 0–0 Belgium (friendly){{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=97}}
1947 – Barnet 1–2 Leytonstone (FA Amateur Cup semi-final){{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=47}}
1947 – Barnet 2–0 Kingstonian (London Senior Cup Final)
1948 – England Schoolboys 0–1 Republic of Ireland Schoolboys (friendly){{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=97}}
1948 – Italy 9–0 United States (1948 Olympic Games){{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=97}}
1950 – Bishop Auckland 2–1 Wycombe Wanderers (FA Amateur Cup semi-final){{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=47}}
1950 – London University 1–4 Cambridge Town (Amateur Football Alliance Senior Cup Final)
1952 – Pegasus 1–0 Kingstonian (Amateur Football Alliance Invitational Final)
1953 – Harwich & Parkeston 3–1 Walton & Hersham (FA Amateur Cup semi-final){{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=47}}
1957 – England 5–5 Netherlands (youth){{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=97}}
1958 – Barnet 2–3 Woking (FA Amateur Cup semi-final){{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=47}}
1959 – Fulham 1–0 Luton Town (Southern Professional Floodlit Cup)
1960 – Fulham 1–0 Coventry City (Southern Professional Floodlit Cup)
1960 – Enfield 0–2 Hendon (FA Amateur Cup semi-final){{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=47}}
1962 – Bishop Auckland 1–2 Hounslow Town (FA Amateur Cup semi-final){{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=47}}
1963 – Soviet Union U18 0–1 Romania U18 (1963 European U18 Championship finals){{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=97}}
1963 – Viking Sports 3–1 Stade Portelois (friendly){{Cite web |title=The Vikings |url=http://inbedwithmaradona.com/journal/2013/10/8/the-vikings |access-date=13 July 2020 |website=IBWM |date=9 October 2013 |language=en-GB}}
1965 – Middlesex 2–2 Northumberland (FA County Youth Cup Final)
1966 – England Amateurs 4–0 Republic of Ireland Amateurs (friendly){{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=97}}
1967 – Oxford United 0–1 Chelmsford City (FA Cup first round second replay){{Cite web |title=Chelmsford City v Oxford United, 18 December 1967 |url=https://www.11v11.com/matches/chelmsford-city-v-oxford-united-18-december-1967-212596/ |access-date=13 July 2020 |website=11v11.com}}
1968 – Leytonstone 3–1 Sutton United (FA Amateur Cup semi-final replay){{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=47}}
1969 – Hillingdon Borough 4–1 Dartford (FA Cup fourth qualifying round second replay)
1972 – Hendon 2–1 Wycombe Wanderers (FA Amateur Cup semi-final){{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=47}}
1974 – Bishop's Stortford 3–0 Ashington (FA Amateur Cup semi-final replay){{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=47}}
1974 – AFC Bournemouth 2–1 Gillingham (Football League Cup first round second replay)
1978 – Barnet 0–3 Woking (FA Cup first round second replay){{Cite web |title=Barnet v Woking, 05 December 1978 |url=https://www.11v11.com/matches/barnet-v-woking-05-december-1978-214382/ |access-date=13 July 2020 |website=11v11.com}}
1986 – Finchley 1–2 Walthamstow Avenue (London Senior Cup Final)
1988 – England U15 1–0 Brazil U15 (friendly){{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=97}}
1989 – England Women 0–0 Finland Women (friendly){{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=97}}
1990 – Hayes 1–0 Cardiff City (FA Cup first round){{Cite web |title=Hayes v Cardiff City, 21 November 1990 |url=https://www.11v11.com/matches/hayes-v-cardiff-city-21-november-1990-216317/ |access-date=13 July 2020 |website=11v11.com}}
1991 – England U21 4–0 Republic of Ireland U21 (1992 European U21 Championship qualification){{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=97}}
1994 – England U21 1–0 Denmark U21 (friendly){{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=97}}
1994 – England Women 10–0 Slovenia Women (friendly){{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=97}}
1996 – England Women 3–0 Portugal Women (1997 Women's European Championship qualification){{Cite web |title=England Matches – The England Women's Football Team 1990–2000 |url=http://englandfootballonline.com/MatchRsl/MatchRslTmWompg2.html |access-date=13 July 2020 |website=englandfootballonline.com}}
2005 – Arsenal Ladies 3–0 Charlton Athletic Women (Women's Premier League Cup Final){{Cite web |date=20 January 2005 |title=Griffin Park To Host The FA Nationwide Women's Premier League Cup Final |url=http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk.p.preprod.performgroup.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~615870,00.html |access-date=20 February 2018 |website=brentfordfc.co.uk}}
2005 – Ghana 0–0 Senegal (friendly){{Cite news |last=Doyle |first=Paul |date=18 August 2005 |title=Black Stars shine in Brentford |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2005/aug/18/newsstory.sport |access-date=13 July 2020 |issn=0261-3077}}
2006 – Ghana 2–0 Togo (friendly){{Cite web |title=International Friendly Matches 2006 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesf/friend-intres2006.html |access-date=1 March 2019 |website=RSSSF}}
2006 – England U17 2–2 Turkey U17 (FA International Tournament){{Cite web |title=England U17 Match Results |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/matchrsl/MatchRslTmU17.html |access-date=1 March 2019 |website=www.englandfootballonline.com}}
2006 – South Africa 1–0 Egypt (Nelson Mandela Challenge)
2007 – Ghana 4–1 Nigeria (friendly){{Cite web |title=International Friendly Matches 2007 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesf/friend-intres2007.html |access-date=1 March 2019 |website=RSSSF}}
2007 – England U17 6–1 Northern Ireland U17 (friendly){{Cite web |date=9 March 2013 |title=Northern Ireland Under-17 Line-Ups |url=http://nifootball.blogspot.com/2013/03/northern-ireland-under-17-line-ups.html |access-date=13 July 2020 |website=NIFG}}
2019 – Brentford B 4–0 Harrow Borough (Middlesex Senior Cup Final){{Cite web |title=Cup Preview: Barnet vs Brentford B |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2019/february/b-cup-preview-barnet/ |access-date=1 March 2019 |website=www.brentfordfc.com |language=en-gb}}

Brentford hosted the Zambia and India international teams in pre-season friendly matches in 1994 and 2000 respectively and England Amateurs in February 1967.{{Cite news |date=17 February 1967 |title=Family Tie-Up |work=The Brentford & Chiswick Times}} Griffin Park hosted more FA Amateur Cup semi-finals than any other ground, with 9 matches played between 1947 and 1974.{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p=47}}

= Tenants =

File:Brook Road, Griffin Park, Brentford, London, January 2019.jpg match versus Oxford United in January 2019.]]

In 2002, London Broncos rugby league team moved to Griffin Park.{{Cite web |title=Broncos In Deal With Bees |url=http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk.p.preprod.performgroup.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~152298,00.html |access-date=11 February 2018 |website=brentfordfc.co.uk}} The club stayed at Griffin Park until the 2006 season, when it was re-branded Harlequins RL and moved to The Stoop. The Broncos had earlier played two Rugby League Championship matches at Griffin Park during the 1995–96 season.{{Cite book |last=Haynes |first=Graham |title=A-Z Of Bees: Brentford Encyclopaedia |date=1998 |publisher=Yore Publications |isbn=1-874427-57-7 |page=65}}
Chelsea's reserve and youth teams played their home games at Griffin Park from the beginning of the 2007–08 season until the end of 2009–10.{{Cite web |date=24 August 2007 |title=Blues And Bees Alliance |url=http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk.p.preprod.performgroup.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~1023980,00.html |access-date=27 April 2016}}{{Cite web |title=Chelsea Move On |url=http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk.p.preprod.performgroup.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~2032758,00.html |access-date=13 February 2018 |website=brentfordfc.co.uk}} This agreement included the upgrading of the home dressing rooms in 2007. The reserve team returned to Griffin Park for a number of fixtures during the 2012–13 season.{{Cite web |title=Chelsea Under-21s To Use Griffin Park |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/news/2012/august/chelsea-under-21s-to-use-griffin-park-/ |access-date=27 November 2014}}
Rugby union club London Welsh considered moving to Griffin Park in 2012, but ultimately moved to the Kassam Stadium in Oxford.{{Cite web |title=Championship: London Welsh announce Kassam Stadium switch {{pipe}} Live Rugby News |url=http://www.espn.co.uk/premiership-2011-12/rugby/story/164076.html |access-date=13 August 2014 |publisher=ESPN}}

= Other sports =

The first ever paying event at Griffin Park was a sports meeting on 29 July 1904, which included a wrestling match.{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p = 18}} Athletics, tennis and Gaelic football also took place at the ground.{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p = 18}} The Heinz baseball team played at the ground in the late 1900s, after gaining admittance to the National Baseball League of Great Britain and Ireland.{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p = 18}}

Advertising

File:Griffin Park, summer 1995.jpg flight path in 1995, with a KLM advertisement visible on the roof of the New Road stand.]]

Griffin Park was beneath the flightpath of London Heathrow Airport and the roofs of the New Road and Braemar Road stands were used as a large advertising space. The roofs of both stands were used to advertise KLM, Ericsson, Infogrames and Qatar Airways.{{Cite web |title=Brentford's Local Web site |url=http://www.brentfordtw8.com/default.asp?section=info&page=ebfc21.htm |access-date=15 August 2014 |publisher=Brentfordtw8.com}} The New Road Stand roof was latterly sponsored by Matchbook, the club's official betting partner.{{Cite web |title=Brentford Football Club agree deal with Matchbook.com to be Official Betting Partner |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/brentford-announce-partnership-with-matchbook.com_63000 |access-date=14 August 2014 |publisher=Brentfordfc.com}} In the late 2000s, the Braemar Road stand was sponsored by water cooler business Refreshing Solutions.{{Cite web |date=31 December 2007 |title=Brentford notch refreshing win |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2329793/Brentford-notch-refreshing-win.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2329793/Brentford-notch-refreshing-win.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=15 August 2014 |newspaper=Telegraph}}{{cbignore}}

"A pub on every corner"

File:The Griffin pub, Brentford, October 2018.jpg

Griffin Park was well known in football circles for being the only football ground in England to have a pub on each corner.{{Cite web |date=15 March 2013 |title=Brentford: probably the most refreshing football ground in the world – interactive {{pipe}} Travel |url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/interactive/2013/mar/15/brentford-football-club-pub-each-corner-interactive |access-date=15 August 2014 |publisher=theguardian.com}}{{Cite web |title=Griffin Park Guide |url=http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk/documents/griffin-park-guide277-1076877.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140630180955/http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk/documents/griffin-park-guide277-1076877.pdf |archive-date=30 June 2014}} The pubs are:

The Griffin, located at the corner of Braemar Road and Brook Road.{{Cite web |date=15 September 2013 |title=The Griffin – Home |url=http://griffinbrentford.co.uk/ |access-date=15 August 2014 |publisher=Griffinbrentford.co.uk}} The interior and exterior of the pub was used as a location in the 2005 film Green Street and is also visible in the 1954 film The Rainbow Jacket.{{Cite web |date=19 April 2004 |title=Elijah At Griffin Park! |url=http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk.p.preprod.performgroup.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~515421,00.html |access-date=19 February 2018 |website=brentfordfc.co.uk}}{{Cite web |date=3 January 2014 |title=The Rainbow Jacket, 1954, The Griffin |url=http://www.brentfordhistory.com/connections/tv-and-film/griffin-from-ealing-studios-the-rainbow-jacket-1954/ |access-date=15 August 2014 |publisher=The History of Brentford}} The interior is seen briefly in the 2018 film Bohemian Rhapsody.{{Cite web |date=12 October 2018 |title=Central and outer London boroughs had roles in Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody |url=https://filmfixer.co.uk/2018/10/12/central-and-outer-london-boroughs-had-roles-in-freddie-mercury-biopic-bohemian-rhapsody/ |access-date=16 July 2022 |website=FilmFixer |language=en-GB}}
The Princess Royal, located at the corner of Braemar Road and Ealing Road.{{Cite web |date=15 September 2013 |title=The Princess Royal – Home |url=http://princessroyalbrentford.co.uk/ |access-date=15 August 2014 |publisher=Princessroyalbrentford.co.uk}}
The New Inn, located at the corner of New Road and Ealing Road.{{Cite web |date=26 April 2013 |title=The New Inn |url=http://www.brentfordhistory.com/2013/04/26/the-new-inn/ |access-date=13 July 2016 |website=The History of Brentford}}
The Brook, located at the corner of New Road and Brook Road.{{Cite web |title=Royal Oak, Brentford – Wellington Pub Company |url=http://www.wellingtonpubcompany.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/3191111-Royal-Oak-Brentford.pdf |access-date=14 June 2018}} Prior to 2019, it was named The Royal Oak.{{Cite web |date=26 April 2013 |title=The Royal Oak |url=http://www.brentfordhistory.com/2013/04/26/the-royal-oak/ |access-date=13 July 2016 |website=The History of Brentford}}{{Cite web |date=2 June 2019 |title=The Royal Oak pub is now renamed The Brook. Don't all complain at once! |url=https://twitter.com/bfcgpg/status/1135243089684193280 |access-date=4 June 2019 |website=@bfcgpg |language=en}}

Appearances in media

Due to its convenient location in West London, Griffin Park has featured in a number of films, TV programmes and advertisements:

The Winning Goal (film, 1920) – Footage was shot of a specially staged match between fictional teams Blacktown and Bichester, with both teams featuring 16 then-current international players.{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p = 30}}{{Cite web |date=1 August 1920 |title=The Winning Goal (1920) |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0164233/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 |access-date=18 August 2015 |website=IMDb}}
The Great Game (film, 1954) – Scenes were shot in and around the ground and during matches.{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p = 30}}
Minder (The Long Ride Back to Scratchwood, TV, 1984) – The interior of the ground was used for football training scenes.{{Cite book |title=Brentford F.C. Griffin Gazette versus Stockport County |date=11 March 1995 |publisher=Quay Design of Poole |page=33}}
Standing Room Only (TV, 1991) – The interior of the ground was featured in a sketch, with an emphasis on two of the club's main sponsors at the time, KLM and Bollingmores Car Distributors.{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p = 30}}
Goal! (film, 2005) – Griffin Park featured as Newcastle United Reserves' home ground.{{Cite web |date=1 February 2005 |title=Goal! |url=http://www.brentfordfc.co.uk.p.preprod.performgroup.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10421~621301,00.html |access-date=20 February 2018 |website=brentfordfc.co.uk}}{{Citation |title=Goal! The Dream Begins (2005) |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0380389/locations |access-date=20 February 2018}}
Mike Bassett: Manager (TV, 2005) – Griffin Park doubled as the home ground of the series' fictitious team Wirral County. All Brentford-inscribed signs and notices were replaced around the ground with Wirral County equivalents.{{Cite book |title=Brentford Football Club Official Matchday Magazine versus Hull City |date=7 May 2005 |pages=54–55}}

Ownership

The original lease on the ground ran out in 1925, but the deal was kept on ice and the club became freeholders in April 1936.{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p = 66}}

With Brentford in the Fourth Division and heavily in debt in the late 1960s, in March 1968 Jim Gregory (chairman of West London rivals Queens Park Rangers) offered £250,000 to buy the ground and move Queens Park Rangers to Griffin Park.{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p = 123-125}} Former Brentford chairman Walter Wheatley stepped in and provided the club with a £69,000 loan.{{Sfn|Haynes|1998|p = 123-125}}

In 1998, then-chairman Ron Noades acquired the freehold of Griffin Park, through his company Griffin Park Stadium Limited.{{Cite news |date=2 March 2001 |title=Brentford may share with Woking |publisher=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/brentford/1194658.stm |access-date=14 August 2014}} With Noades declaring he would only fund the club until 2000,{{Cite web |last=Spall |first=Leo |date=15 January 2001 |title=Brentford get set for move to Woking |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/brentford-get-set-for-move-to-woking-6356972.html |access-date=14 August 2014 |publisher=Standard.co.uk}} the prospect of the sale of Griffin Park for development looked likely until 2006, when supporters' trust Bees United bought his majority shareholding. Noades' loans to the club were repaid by current owner Matthew Benham in 2007.{{Cite web |date=24 December 2013 |title=Ron Noades 1937–2013 |url=https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/ron-noades-1937-2013_58490 |access-date=14 August 2014 |publisher=Brentfordfc.com}} On 15 September 2020, ownership of the ground was transferred to EcoWorld, a partner of Community Stadium developers Willmott Dixon.

References

External links

Maps for {{mmukscaled|517950_177900|10000|Griffin Park }} may show as a square on the west side of Ealing Road (i.e. left side on the map). It may be labelled Brentford FC rather than Griffin Park.

Category:Venues of the 1948 Summer Olympics

Category:Brentford F.C.

Category:Brentford, London

Category:Buildings and structures in the London Borough of Hounslow

Category:Chelsea F.C.

Category:Defunct football venues in London

Category:Sports venues completed in 1904

Category:Defunct rugby league venues in England

Category:London Broncos

Category:Tourist attractions in the London Borough of Hounslow

Category:English Football League venues