Brentford Away Information
The final away trip this season takes Fulham to Griffin Park for a match against near neighbours, Brentford FC. This guide follows a meeting between two of the Trust’s Board, representatives of fans’ groups of The Bees, Brentford club officials and Metropolitan Police match-day officers at Scotland Yard earlier this month and subsequent updates.
Getting to Brentford
Brentford lies on the Hounslow loop line of South West Trains’ services from Waterloo via Chiswick (four per hour off peak) and another two per hour via Richmond and Hounslow. There are services originating from Addlestone (two per hour). At the time of writing, no engineering works are planned on this sector of South West Trains’ routes, but their web-pages should be checked nearer the date.
Brentford is well served by London Transport buses:
Getting to Griffin Park
Brentford’s home since 1904, with its very limited capacity (little more than 12,700), lies on Braemar Road.
A Traffic Management Order will be in operation and a contingency exists to put on cordons via Clifton Road, with suggested parking areas.
Away fans are housed in the Brook Road Stand at one end of the ground. This covered two-tiered stand has 600 seats in its upper tier and room for around 1,000 fans below in the terrace. The view of the pitch from the upper tier is unhindered, although this is restricted by the presence of supporting pillars in the lower terraced area.
The same number of officers as in the earlier match at Craven Cottage will be on duty, but with more police support units, the match having been classed as Category C, in theory resulting from concerns about fans on the pitch, deriving from the corresponding fixture last season.
The FST enjoys cordial working relationships with independent Brentford supporters’ groups, both on the National Council of the Football Supporters’ Federation and in the Championship Trust’s Group (through Supporters Direct), and, as a result, both sets of fans’ groups believe the match categorisation to be overly cautious.
The LB Hounslow will be a ‘controlled drinking zone’ with no open cans or bottles of alcohol permitted. No alcohol will be served in the away end. In addition to travelling stewards from FFC, Brentford FC will provide plenty of ‘Here to help’ staff at the Fulham fans’ end.
After the game, at Brentford railway station, there will be the option to keep some fans on one side of gates when trains arrive. There will be no special trains, but 2 extra carriages will be attached.
Real ale Brentford
The Brentford area is well-served by real ale pubs and nearby Chiswick is the home of Fuller, Smith and Turner’s Griffin Brewery, renowned for its ‘London Pride’ bitter. Griffin Park has a pub on every corner of the ground (The Griffin, The New Inn, The Royal Oak and The Princess Royal). In a departure from our normal citation of real ale pubs, and given discussions between the police and the licensees, we’ve listed the pubs in the vicinity of Griffin Park and restrictions over access for travelling fans.
Globe
Pre match: Home fans only.
During Match: Home fans only.
Post Match: Home fans only.
O’Riordens
Pre Match: Accept both sets of fans.
During match: Accept both sets of fans.
Post match: Accept both sets of fans.
New Inn
Pre match: They will accept home and away but only with tickets.
During match: They will clear the pub; then home fans with tickets.
Post match: Home only with tickets.
Griffin
Pre match: Home and away with tickets.
During match: Shut one door and home fans with tickets.
Post match: Home fans with tickets or regulars.
Princess Royal
Pre match: Home and away fans.
During match: Home and away fans.
Post match: Home and away fans. The landlord intends to close at 18.30 in order to prepare the pub for a disco at 19.00.
Inverness Social
Pre match:- Home fans only who are regular members of the club.
During Match:- Home fans only who are regular members of the club.
Post match:- Home fans only who are regular members of the club.
Kings Arms
Pre match: Accept both home and away fans.
During match: Accept both home and away fans.
Post match: Accept both home and away fans, but will close at 19.00.
Beehive
Pre match:- Will accept both home and away fans.
During match:- Will accept both home and away fans.
Post match:- Will accept both home and away fans but will assess on the day.
All other pubs in the area will accept both home and away fans.
Culinary Brentford
Bring sandwiches.
Cultural Brentford
The BIAS web-site lists a number of worthwhile cultural and sociological landmarks in the vicinity of Griffin Park and any of these merit investigation.
Keen historians will be aware of the crucial (in terms of the defence of London) battle of Turnham Green (on 13th. November, 1642). However, the day before, an important skirmish was fought at Brentford, which delayed Royalist forces and allowed the Parliamentary army to form up on Turnham Green.
