BEES UNITED NEWSLETTER
MAY 2022 Membership Number <<Membership No.>>
Ten years after Bees United members voted to pass full control of the Club to Matthew Benham we have a special anniversary interview with him about the past decade. It was a perfect time to talk, another Premier League season was guaranteed and Brentford was voted ‘Sports Organisation of the Year’. We also hear from the man who led BU into the deal, review our first season in the Premier League and celebrate some of the best away days of the Benham era climaxing in that amazing day at Everton.
‘IT’S TURNED OUT PRETTY GOOD’: MY TEN YEARS OWNING BRENTFORD BY MATTHEW BENHAM.
Brentford owner Matthew Benham rarely gives interviews but to mark the tenth anniversary of the fans meeting where Bees United members voted to hand over full control of the Club he sat down and talked with Bees United Chairman Stewart Purvis. This is the first of two articles, the second is next month.
THE DAY BU HANDED BRENTFORD OVER TO MATTHEW BENHAM
In 2012 David Merritt was the Chairman of Bees United, who were the majority owners of Brentford, and he asked members to entrust the club to Matthew Benham. They voted 'yes' and the rest is Bees history. David looks back on a 'Milestone for Brentford'.
BU Contributing Editor Greville Waterman is writing a book about Brentford's first year in the Premier League and it will be published soon. In an exclusive preview extract he reflects on 'an unforgettable season’ and the role of our Head Coach.
Who knew a day out at Bury could be so much fun? BU Treasurer Jim Walsh (that’s Jim on the left) is an ever-present among the travelling Bees. We asked him to choose his top twenty away trips of the Benham era with photos from Mark D Fuller of officialbfcpics.co.uk.
WERE YOU IN BARNSLEY ON A WET SUNDAY LUNCHTIME IN 2019?
Researching the pictures in Mark D Fuller’s archive for Jim Walsh’s feature on away trips there was a reminder of the days before Brentford could take up to 3,000 fans to an away game in the Premier League. Have a look at the full screen version to see if you can spot yourself or another fan.
Two groups of international fans, the Norwegian Bees and the Irish Bees, met up before the Leeds game (many thanks to the Club for the hospitality) and in a pilot scheme organised by BU with BFC they were able to book their travel together and sit in groups in the stadium.
BU and BIAS are consulting with the Club about how to develop the membership scheme. If you have a view email it to admin@beesunited.org.uk
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Brentford’s 1991-2 promotion (see last month’s newsletter), Dave Lane is offering £10 off his book ‘The Big Brentford Book of the Nineties’.
Just when we were running out of superlatives to describe the man he goes out of his way to make the day of some young Danish fans. Christian Eriksen, we want you to stay.
This monthly newsletter is published by Bees United, the Brentford Supporters Trust. Please send any comments or suggestions to admin@beesunited.org.uk. If you know Brentford fans who are not yet members please encourage them to join here.
