Hopefully many of you woke up on Christmas Day morning to find that Santa had delivered the Big Book of Griffin Park to you for being good boys and girls throughout the year – and that you’ve been enjoying turning the pages to re-live the life of our proud old stadium. Through the hundreds of stories and photographs used, we feel the book really captures the spirit and soul of Griffin Park, and the publication is a perfect way to celebrate a ground we all treasure.
This next extract comes from the 1938-39 season, a campaign in which the Bees reminded the footballing world that we were one of the finest teams in the land – with Arsenal, once again, on the receiving end of another bruising blow in West London – as this report explains. The photo above shows an unconscious Ted Drake being carried off the Griffin Park pitch draped over the Arsenal trainer’s shoulder.
“Gerry McAloon’s late goal, before a record crowd three minutes from the end of a pulsating struggle at Griffin Park last night, was sufficient to beat the Arsenal. On the run of play the victory was deserved. Storming raids had been repulsed by both sets of defences, which were superb throughout the match.”
“Joe James, the Brentford centre-half, repeatedly saved dangerous situations and at the other end Male and Hapgood were just as prominent for Arsenal.”
“McAloon’s goal, which earned the victory, was the result of a header following a hot attack on the Arsenal goal. The attendance of 39,000 was a record at Griffin Park for a League game.”
“An explanation of how Ted Drake, of Arsenal and England, received such a nasty head injury while playing for Arsenal at Griffin Park yesterday was given today by the Brentford club. Drake went up to head a ball and connected heavily with Crozier’s chin.”
“The blow was so severe that not only did Drake have his head cut open, necessitating many stitches being inserted, but the Brentford goalkeeper had to have stitches in his chin after the match. Drake remains in hospital awaiting an x-ray.”
The brand new book is crammed full of stories and photos from every year of Griffin Park’s life and has been receiving some amazing reviews – make sure you get your own copy of this limited edition run by visiting the Brentford club shop or buying online via shop.brentfordfc.com.
Dave Lane
@beesotted100
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