When I was asked to write an article about life as a turnstile operator (affectionately known as a Gateman) at Griffin Park, I had no idea where to begin but decided to start by setting the scene as to how my interest in Brentford FC began and how I became a Gateman.
I was born and bred in Barry South Wales (of Gavin and Stacy fame). As a Welsh schoolboy I preferred Rugby, so playing football in the school playground, having a kick about with a tennis ball and watching the Grandstand teleprinter on a Saturday afternoon was all the football experience I had.
My first ever football match was at Cardiff City in 1971, at the age of 8. I saw them beat the mighty Real Madrid 1-0 in the old European Cup Winners Cup, as it was then, which they qualified to play in after winning the Welsh cup. The only thing I really remember about the game is how I missed the goal and still haven’t seen it to this day.
My next game came later that year when I attended the great Welsh Player John Charles’ testimonial, again in 1971, where an All-Stars team played the then great Leeds Utd, under Don Revie, I remember the score was 8-5 so a few goals. I saw Cardiff City a couple of times over the next few years even though I still didn’t really enjoy football, or maybe it was just watching Cardiff. Anyway, I digress.
I moved to Heston in 1979 at 16 as an engineering apprentice to work for the world’s favourite airline, as it was then and not so much now, and this is when a friend and I were sitting around one Saturday morning thinking what to do. He was very much into football and as a Mancurian was a huge Man City fan, so he suggested we went to see a game. So, we looked in the newspaper (no internet then) and after perusing the fixtures in the top tier (Division 1), we realised not much chance of going, however we went through the lower leagues until we saw Brentford, being the closest club, playing at home to Blackburn Rovers, in the old Division 3, so we hopped on the 237 bus from Hounslow to Brentford.
Unsure as to where the ground was, we got off when we saw a few red and white scarfs and decided to follow them we ended up in the Globe Pub (bonus as we were still 16 and a pint was 51p!). Here, we got chatting to a couple of people who pointed us in the direction of Griffin Park.
I watched the game and for the first time I realised how much I enjoyed football, with the singing and banter from the crowd, the atmosphere and seeing professional footballers close up, I really enjoyed the whole experience and from that day on I became a Brentford fan! (we won 2-0 and I think McNicoll and Phillips scored but don’t shout me down if I am wrong it was a long time ago!)
I carried on going from that day on but as a poor apprentice the games were limited but went whenever I could. This carried on for some 10 years until one day I went to a local derby against the team who are on the river down the road a bit (Fulham). We won 2-0 and in the words of Max Boyce another great Welshman “I will say it again as it is my favourite line” we WON 2-0!! And this is when it happened that an advert in the matchday programme was asking for Turnstile operators and you guessed it, I applied, got the job and was told to come 2 hours before the kick off at the next home game. This was the October of the 1989/90 Season.
I arrived 2 hours before kick-off as instructed to my first game on a very cold and wet Tuesday evening. I found the staff entrance and had to convince the steward guarding the gate that I was a newbie and needed to get to the office to check in. This took quite a while and whilst standing there a large fellow waved at him and he let him in, all whilst he was still unconvinced by my request, turns out the large fellow was Terry Evans.
After a little while longer he agreed to let me in and had another steward escort me to the office, not sure where he thought I would go but anyway I arrived and then was duly welcomed by the office women (Natalie I think her name was).
Natalie gave me a match day pass and programme and explained that I had to keep my turnstile open for 15 minutes after kick off, and she then handed me my moneybag and told me I was at the away end on the Ealing Road, to which I replied “how do I get there”
She was very obliging and pointed her finger and said that way! With that in mind I wandered around the side of Braemar Road until I found the Ealing Road stand and the Gate, I was due to be in.
I stood for about an hour until I got my first customer who paid their £3 and pushed the turn stile, which failed to move, I said try again and once again nothing moved, strange, I thought, then the Fan said push the foot lever it might work then, “Oops didn’t realise I actually had to operate the thing” I said.
Anyway, that never happened again.
The fans came in after that at fairly regular intervals, I think, I had about 30 through my gate which seemed a lot at the time but little did I know what would happen in other games in the future. Once kick off happened I waited 15 minutes and closed my gate and counted my money, I counted it again just to make sure it was right and then again as I didn’t want it to be wrong. I wandered back to the office and handed in my bag and paperwork, to which, Natalie said you’re late, what has taken you so long and took the bag off me and said “you can watch the game now, you can sit anywhere and I will see you at the next match.
For historical information that first game was the round robin round of the Football League trophy (Leyland DAF trophy) against Leyton Orient which we won 3-0. (goal scorers, Holdsworth 2 and May 1).
As a new Gateman I generally moved from gate to gate each game and one such game I found myself in New Road in the gate opposite the infamous Bill Billings. What a well-loved man he was, he was very knowledgeable and helpful but the one thing was everyone wanted to go through his gate and this use to really upset the stewards trying to get the fans in as they were queuing down the road and there I was with hardly anyone coming my way, I would offer the queuing people a quick access but the answer was always the same I always go through Bill’s gate!
As I said earlier, we had to wait for 15minutes from kick off before we could leave our gate and I remember on one occasion, when, the away team scored 3 times in that time! I must admit I did think about leaving but as a supporter decided to stay and watch the game, I am glad I did as we came back for a 3-3 draw! I can’t remember which team we were playing or which season but I imagine someone will?
After that first season, I was promoted to my own gate on Brook Road, which was the family stand then. During the season I found that having my own gate I saw the same faces coming through week in and week out and eventually you get to know them, and everyone was so friendly, and you felt, that you made their Saturday just by saying” Hello, How are you today?”
I remember, one particular chap, he always came early to the game and would stop and chat. I never thought much of it until the end of the season when this elderly gentleman came up to my gate and proceeded to push cans of beer through the gap in the wire mesh, at me after the sixth one he stopped and I asked what are they for he said “just to say thank you for talking to me each Saturday, it makes my day and it makes me want to come to the game as I live alone and this is the only time I speak to anyone the whole week.” How do you answer that. I know it brought a tear to my eye.
Then the Bees won promotion as champions of division 3, to the second tier, Division 1, (what is now the Championship) this was because of the newly formed Premiership and the restructure of the football league divisions. This is when away fans had to be segregated from home fans more securely and you guessed it Brook Road became the away end!!
I couldn’t believe it and the next season we played the likes of Newcastle, West Ham Utd., Millwall, Sunderland, Notts county to name a few. Due to the league we were in most of the time the away end was full and on a few occasions the gates were shut, and the police would come and escort the extra fans away. I always had to deal with fans trying to get over the gate, squeezing in two at the time and trying to shortchange me. There was also the abuse, spitting and rudeness of some fans, the worst being Portsmouth fans! Not all the away fans were like this as some were very polite and knowledgeable about their club and Brentford these were the true fans who I enjoyed talking too.
I was moved from Brook Road after a couple of seasons and thankfully came back to the home supporters. How you miss your own fans and their banter.
I really enjoyed my time as a gateman and nipping into the Ladbrokes betting shop in Braemer Road and having a small bet on the game. I only won once and that was when I bumped into Jamie Bates at the entrance and jokingly said “are you going to score Jamie?” to which he said “Of Course”. So, I put a £1 on him to score the 1st goal at 20/1 and he did with a headed goal from a corner. Smiles all round!!!!
So, this was how I became a gateman at old Griffin Park, I rarely missed a game after that for the next 10 years or so. I enjoyed the banter of the fans and seeing the same faces and the sense of community you feel as part of our club, unfortunately, even though I love the new stadium the role of the turnstile operator has changed and with the digital age there is now no need to collect money, and so the Gateman, as I knew it, has disappeared. Even now, as I walk through the automatic turnstile, I feel that I was privileged to have worked for such a community orientated club that is Brentford FC and this I will cherish always.
COYB
Si Forrester
