Over the next few months Bees United will be focusing upon one of the most important achievements in Brentford Football Club’s recent history. The move from the much loved but seriously dilapidated, outdated and antediluvian Griffin Park, the focal point for so much of the club’s history throughout the 20th century, to the gorgeous, gleaming, brand spanking new Gtech Community Stadium, built from scratch less than a mile away.
Bees United is serialising the contents of the limited-edition book “Bees, Battles, Buckets and Ballot Boxes”, published to coincide with the opening of the new stadium on 1st September 2020 when ironically Bees fans were not allowed in because of the Coronavirus pandemic. As the saying goes, “it’s Brentford innit”.
The book highlights the tortuous journey from Griffin Park, the seemingly insurmountable obstacles that had to be overcome, and provides an in-depth account of almost two decades of inspiration, perspiration and occasional sheer bloody mindedness from all kinds of heroes amongst its fans without whom the project would have ground to a halt.
You can only push Bees’ fans so far for so long and it was coming to a head. Ron Noades had plans ,from as early as 1998, to move BFC away from Brentford, to 5 different locations in as many years.
2026 is the 20th anniversary of Bees United’s acquisition of the majority holding and controlling interest in the football club from Ron Noades and also the 25th anniversary of the foundation of Bees United which of course played an integral role in the move from Griffin Park and identifying and acquiring the site for a new stadium within the borough.What a colossal achievement and one of which we are justly proud.
And if you missed them…
Greville Waterman
Editor “Bees, Battles, Buckets and Ballot Boxes”
January 2026