The Reasons Why I Love Brentford FC – 23/12/15

1. The indestructible Peter Gilham’s banshee cries of encouragement as the Brentford players take to the field
2. Meeting up and kibitzing with my football friends at every home game and the sense of continuity it provides
3. Having a prematch drink in The Griffin or a meal in The Weir
4. The long post match telephone calls to friends and fellow supporters where we dissect and analyse every kick
5. Endeavouring to guess the identity of players who we will sign
6. Seeing the Griffin Park floodlights for the first time when I am driving down Ealing Road never fails to excite and re-energise me
7. Griffin Park. It is old and obsolete but it makes my heart sing every time I go through the Braemar Road turnstiles
8. Having my favourite secret hideaways where I know that I can still park my car before matches
9. The imminent prospect of Lionel Road and knowing that it will also have style, class and a sense of identity and not just be another faceless cooky cutter stadium
10. The red and white striped home shirt that symbolises perfectly who we are and what we stand for
11. Bumping into Brentford legends like Peter Gelson in the Braemar Road forecourt and knowing that they are still part of the club and will always be made welcome
12. Seeing so many new faces at every home game and realising that the secret is out – Brentford are on the rise and are a team well worth watching
13. Watching us play away from home. All united in a common purpose
14. Hearing the cries of appreciation mingled with lingering feelings of disbelief at the quality of the football we now play
15. Knowing that the heritage and tradition of the club is recognised, appreciated and respected by everybody involved with Brentford FC
16. The sense of innovation, originality and ambition that permeates our thinking and everything that we do
17. The intoxicating prospect of being a supporter at a time when we are potentially writing a new chapter in the club’s history
18. The reassurance of knowing that the club is in safe hands and is owned and run by people have have its best interests at heart
19. The fact that the supporters are close to the pitch, feel part of the game and create a supportive yet intimidating atmosphere at every game which is second to none
20. Evening matches under the floodlights at Griffin Park  – pure magic
21. The Ealing Road Terrace  – a wonderful anachronism
22. It’s All Your Fault! being sung at opposition goalkeepers who often shrivel under the verbal pressure
23. Worrying before every Championship game that we will get hammered and totally outclassed but being reassured by realising just how good we are
24. The sense of freedom, positivity and adventure with which we play and running rings around teams packed with lumbering giants
25. Knowing that you will almost never see a poor game of football at Griffin Park and that the entertainment levels will be extremely high
26. The look of amazement on the face of smug Premier League supporting fans who I bring to matches and are without exception stunned at the incredible quality of the football we play
27. The sense of community that is engendered particularly thanks to the efforts of the Community Sports Trust team. We are all in this together and the involvement of the local people really matters
28. The friendliness and efficiency of the management, marketing and media teams who are never too busy to have a chat or reply to an email
29. The fact that the players are without exception decent young men who are committed to the cause and give everything both on and off the pitch – there are no prima donnas here
30. The massive increase in the quality of our squad and the intoxicating blend of foreign talent and promising youngsters from the lower leagues
31. Having an ever increasing number of current international footballers in our squad
32. Seeing more and more young Academy players being encouraged and nurtured and getting closer to the First Team squad
33. Watching the Development and Academy teams play the same brand of skilful, attacking football as the First Team as our philosophy is embraced throughout the club at all levels
34. That I can now proudly state in wider company that I am a Brentford fan and no longer receive a barrage of smug, pitying and patronising looks and comments – the worm has turned. It is our time now
35. Historians and authors like David Lane, Mark Croxford and Paul Briers who have a massive respect for the club’s heritage and are determined to preserve it for future generations
36. The Hall of Fame which will ensure that the exploits of past club heroes will never be forgotten
37. The Brentford Programme Shop, hidden under the Braemar Road stand, the best kept secret in the ground and packed full of wonderful memories
38. Seeing more and more of the media’s big names, like the immortal Brian Glanville at Griffin Park and the professionalism and friendliness of Dave and Ian in the Press Lounge
39. Mark Burridge and his wonderful Bees Player team who provide so much comfort and joy
40. The enthusiasm, passion and erudition of Billy Reeves and the glorious word pictures that he paints when describing his favourite club
41. The match programme and fanzines – more high quality publications disseminating the Brentford message

These are just my quick, initial thoughts and I hope to add to them very soon. In the meantime I would be really grateful if any other fans would like to provide their own reasons why they love Brentford FC and I will publish them over the next few days.

Thank you and happy Christmas to everybody.