Brentford

The club was founded in 1889 but didn’t make the Football League until 1920, when they came in with 20 other clubs from the Southern League to form the new Third Division. They got to the First Division in just three years and finished fifth, ushering in their glory years under manager Harry “The Guv’nor” Curtis. They made the FA Cup sixth round and spent several months atop the First Division table; several players got international call-ups.

But World War II interrupted all that. They dropped out of the First Division in 1948, Curtis left in 1949, and by 1954 they were back in the Third Division. They would spend the next 60 years in the third and fourth tiers, save one season in the second tier when they finished last. Financial troubles came in the 1990s, but they rebuilt and saw some success, once coming within a penalty kick of automatic promotion to the Championship in 2013. On the last day of the season, they had Doncaster Rovers at home and were awarded a penalty kick in injury time. Marcello Trotta, on loan from huge rivals Fulham, took the ball from captain Kevin O’Connor but hit the post. Doncaster went right down and scored the winner, putting Brentford in the playoffs, where they lost the final at Wembley.

They recovered in style, though, winning automatic promotion to the Championship the very next season. They consolidated there, finishing in the top half five seasons running. They lost the 2020 Playoff Final to rivals Fulham, but in 2021 they made it back to Wembley for the Final and won it, 2–0 over Swansea. So in 2022, their new stadium hosted them in the Premier League for the first time ever. An opening-day win over Arsenal set the tone for a magical season that saw them finish 13th. More recently they’ve finished 9th, 16th and 10th.

2024–25 SEASON: 10th in the Premier League, 3rd Round FA Cup, quarterfinals League Cup

2025–26 SEASON: Premier League (promoted in 2021)

Queens Park Rangers and Fulham, both more or less neighbors on this side of London, are their biggest rivals. Any game with two of those three is a West London derby. They also hate Chelsea, of course.

Last season the Brentford Women won the London and South East Women’s League Division One North at tier 6 of the pyramid, so this year they are up to tier 5, the Premier Division. They play home games at Bedfont Sports Club.

Their main thing is singing the last part of “Hey Jude,” switching those lyrics with “Brentford.”

Brentford Community Stadium replaced the lovely old Griffin Park, which was a big reason to catch a game at Brentford. They played there from 1904 to 2020, and it was the epitome of an old-school ground. It was also the only ground in the country with a pub at each corner. This hasn’t been replicated at the new place, which is a shame.

Some of the old place is still around, just a short walk away. Three of the pubs – the Griffin, the New Inn and The Brook – are still open and would be fun for a pregame visit.

The new stadium has 17,250 seats in a modern configuration, which from the outside is all silver and looks a little sterile. It is wedged between two railroad lines for maximum convenience, includes 910 new housing units, and promises community activity every day of the year. The atmosphere can be truly rocking.

TOURS: Season ticket, premium seat holders and members can purchase stadium tours on selected dates throughout the season. To learn more visit Brentford’s website.

A Look at Brentford’s New Stadium

Brentford FC in West London was always at the top of my list for people who wanted to see English soccer beyond the Premier League — before they were promoted to the Premier League for the 2021-22 season (the first...

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GETTING THERE: Brentford Community Stadium sits next to the Kew Bridge Railway Station on the South Western Railway with service from Waterloo, 30 minutes away.

PUBS: You could be a traditionalist and go over to the site of Griffin Park to hit the pubs referenced above. Closer to the stadium, the Express Tavern is a decent option and usually grills right on the street. West of the ground, across a busy road, The Globe will be hopping and has good, quick food service. There are three lovely options right on the Thames, just minutes away: One Flew Over the Ait, the Steam Packet, and the Bell and Crown, serving local Chiswick Ales.

GRUB: Aside from the pubs, the area around the station is surprisingly bare for food, and the fare inside the stadium is nothing special.

AROUND THE GROUND: If you’re into gardens, the Royal Botanic Garden in Kew is a top attraction, with greenhouses, royal buildings, a pagoda, and woods—all just minutes away across the Thames, via the historic Kew Bridge. A couple of miles west (use the Syon Lane Station) and on the same side of the Thames is Syon Park, one of the last honest-to-goodness “ducal estates” in London; the Duke of Northumberland owns it. The park and gardens are open daily, and the 16th-century house is open Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday.

The Museum of Water and Steam, minutes from the new ground, is all about London’s water supply (steam pumps operate on weekends), and it has a Splash Zone and mini railroad for the kids. The Musical Museum is apparently world famous for its collection of self-playing instruments.

Groundhopping at Brentford Community Stadium

When I visited Brentford Football Club in West London in 2021, they were having probably the grandest days in their history: playing Premier League games in their shiny new stadium. Here’s what it’s like to go groundhopping at Brentford Community...

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