Your First Bees Game

[Mr Tree]

the reason most of you came back, i guess

january 97 (

i am but an infant

)
brentford - york

for some unknown reason i'd never got round to going to see my local team before, but a couple of lads from school, including the one i attend matches with reguarly these days Richard (doesn't post on here), suggested we go to this match

we met early in twickenham and got the 267 bus to brentford, and decided to go for the cheapest place, the ealing... the atmosphere was incredible, i loved it straightaway... unfortunately, much as we tried, we weren't doing too well

and were 3-1 down with five minutes to go... i remeber someone scoring with a couple of minutes left (ooooh bobby taylor

), and then in injury time a ball getting lobbed over the top and carl asaba beautiflly lobbing their keeper to send the ball bouncing slowly in in front of the delirious ealing roaders! we then ran out of the stand as the final whistle went, pegged it to the busstop, got the 267 back while singing and cheering the whole way... absolutely brilliant

 

[Russell Barker]

My first game was Bristol rovers at GP in the first division lost 3-0 was about 11/12 years old.

the next week had a ticket to see QPR but never went and return to my be loved Griffin Park everyweek.

and it took about six matches for me to see the Bees score which was Marcus Gayle against Sunderland.

 

[Mick.C]

Debut Posting...here goes

Excellent debut game - hooked me ever since.
One for the over 30's though... - first game was Dec 75 in the Old 4th Division against Rochdale. We won 3-0, Terry Johnson with a penalty (that memory doesn't dim) and three were sent off including Gordon Sweetzer who traded punches with the Rochdale Keeper a la Franny Lee/Norman Hunter styley.
Any one of the 4000 there that day will remember that one and my dear old Dad turned to me after the game and said "Don't expect that every week son."

He was right, but 25 years on and three promotions and two relegations behind us the fire & hope still burns bright. C'mon you bees.....

 

[Standing Bee]

Northampton Town 71/2.. brought along by a couple of school friends.

we went 1-0 down in the first 5 minutes, fought back to 1-1 by half time, ended up winning 6-1.

 

[Guildford Bee]

Brentford v Wigan 1985 Freight Rover Trophy final (I think - I was only four!)

 

[Edmundo]

Bees 4 Halifax 0. Autumn 1976 - I can't remember the exact details. Me and a couple of mates just decided to try Brentford out, not having any family connections.

What I do remember was how amazing the Royal Oak stand was, Stevie Phillips scoring twice and the fact that I somehow knew that I'd stumbled onto something rather special. I lost touch with Gary and Paul, but I don't think they caught the bug in quite the way that I did anyway.

 

[Jimbee]

Brentford 2-0 Hartlepool

My dad took me along as mum was a lapsed Bee at the time (now she goes to more games than I do!). Dad was Chelsea but wouldn't take me there coz of all the trouble. I've have never regretted a sibgle moment since. The only thing I really remember about the game is their 'keeper being stretchered with a broken collar bone. An outfield player went in goal but we were already 2-0 up and didn't trouble him at all.

 

[saffrey]

Fulham away, November 1997. Marvellous!

 

[Jimbee]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by saffrey:
Fulham away, November 1997. Marvellous!</font>

Isn't it!

 

[De-Generation Bee]

Cant remember my 'first time' ever and neither can my dad, but my first in my more regular attendence era was the home match with Darlo in the championship year (3-0 victory) on the Ealing.

 

[Leicester Bee]

Poor memory also, but my mate (now lives in Prague) introduced me to GP to a midweek Bradford game. Can't remember bugger all about it except that we drew with a superb OOH AAH Simon Ratcliffe goal, and I was hooked, and cold.
Oh for the first time I walked up the steps into the New Road.

 

[Chrisbee]

Bees 1-0 Swansea 1974!!

 

['Ayes B]

Snap - except it was my mum who said don't expect that every week and it was my second game as a supporter. I had previosly attended against Shrewsbury which was the last game of the previous season but for some reason have always regarded that game as ''going to football'' as opposed to ''going to Brentford''.

I was very young at the time but was there not a bomb scare as well.

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Mick.C:
Debut Posting...here goes

Excellent debut game - hooked me ever since.
One for the over 30's though... - first game was Dec 75 in the Old 4th Division against Rochdale. We won 3-0, Terry Johnson with a penalty (that memory doesn't dim) and three were sent off including Gordon Sweetzer who traded punches with the Rochdale Keeper a la Franny Lee/Norman Hunter styley.
Any one of the 4000 there that day will remember that one and my dear old Dad turned to me after the game and said "Don't expect that every week son."

He was right, but 25 years on and three promotions and two relegations behind us the fire & hope still burns bright. C'mon you bees.....</font>

 

[AB]

A small confession- my first game was New Year's Day '94 away at Fulham. The confessional part is that I was in the home part of the ground, only having been dimly aware of Brentford prior to that due to seeing that the Bees were relegated from Div 1 alongside my home town team of Cambridge. I had just moved to London (Putney) and was checking out the local clubs (obviously Fulham was only walking distance). I seem to remember there was a good Bees' turnout, although the game wasn't particularly memorable. However it did mean that Brentford figured in my researches for a local club to follow and I then went to a match at GP (I forget which, possibly a high-scoring game against Rotherham, although that might have been a subsequent season) and was hooked after the first bundle down the New Road terrace after a goal was scored.

 

[rebus]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by saffrey:
Fulham away, November 1997. Marvellous!</font>

that game was quite memerable for our celebration of Nigel Gleghorn's opener, i've never seen 2000 Bees fans go so mental, i'd thought we had won the F.A Cup!!!

 

[keith c]

For 3 or 4 years during the late '70's My father and I went reguarly to Colchester.One game that sticks in the mind was probably my first Brentford match.

Colchester 6-Brentford 0

Colchester were brilliant that year and had it not been for a really dodgy ref (his name was/is Robins - i've never forgotten it)one friday night against Grimsby (Even Jimmy hill turned up to watch that one!)Colchester would have been promoted to what was then the 2nd division.
However, i digress.
Colchester 6 brentford 0 was also the first time i'd seen tv cameras at a match i'd attended.I don't think people today realise how exciting that used to be -
And i'll never forget the excitement at home after sunday dinner when we watched it on Match of the week, Anglia TV, Gerry Harrison...oooh! enduring image eh! what ? Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) ! Black beauty !the golden shot! chart rundown's sing something simple! ..I'll get me coat....

oh and i remember it was sunny.

 

[seasonedbee]

My first game must have been in the late 50's
Can't remember who we played but Ken Coote and Gerry Cakebread were most probabl playing
All I can remember was some geezer in a white coat (?) going round selling PeaNuts and me pestering my old man to get some.
We used to have good freindly banter with the away supporters, who were standing at the Ealing Road end.
Could go on and on and on......

 

[A406 Bee]

Like Standing Bee, it was the Northampton 6-1 game in 1971.
Dixie McNeil scored for them after only about 35 seconds I think but John O'Mara got a second half hat-trick.
I couldn't fail to be hooked after that.

 

[Railway Side Bee]

9 Oct 1990 H Sheffield Wed Rumbelows Cup 2(2) L 1-2 (Jones pen (41))

I was hooked.

 

[keefor]

We used to go up to Hounslow to see my Grandad once a month and me Dad used to take me and my brother to GP to watch the last 15 mins or so of the second half as the gates were open and you could go onto the Royal Oak for free

The first 'full' game was Apr '77 3-1 win over Hartlepool which we got to see after Dad sold some copper piping he'd 'acquired' from work!!

 

[Tommy69]

1-0 v Bournemouth in I think 1994, Darren Annon came off the bench to score and I remember saying to my dad "i bet he wont be sub in the next match!".

I stood on the Ealing that day, but the next season when I started coming regularly it was the family stand

.

 

[Stanley]

65/66 World cup year and all that, I was very young... Southport at home I think.

If you think things are bad now they were worse then, no money,relegation, lower crowds (I am sure I can remember 3000 + crowds) and a shocking team.

We did have the Royal Oak though ( sigh!!) and GP was regarded as a big ground. Which is why QPR wanted it the following year.

 

[West Ealing Bee]

February 1990, home to Northampton. My Dad only took me because it was on a Sunday. We won 3-2 from being behind.
I started going regularly the following year and haven't looked back.

 

[Streetboy]

0-0 vs swansea city, bees 3000th league match, 94/95. invited by a mate who no longer goes, after becoming disillusioned with following liverpool as most of the lads did back then. miserable bloody match but was hooked by the new road. next match was a 6-0 win over cambridge and there was no turning back...

 

[Bungy Bee]

My first Bees game was in the 1949/50 season, we played Grimsby Town, we won 1-0. I stood at the Ealing Road end, behind the goal of course.

 

[Downbeat Bee]

Lost 3-0 at home to Bury 1987-88 - I knew it was the team for me.

 

[California Bee]

I went the year before in Division One but the first game I can remember attending was Brentford v Newcastle United and the Bees won 1-0 with a great goal by Jackie Gibbons. Bill Gorman was our Irish international full back with his bald head and a ring of mud looked like a halo although he was far from angelic.

 

[California Bee]

Sorry, forgot to mention this was the 1947-48 season....I think!!!

 

[little ealing bee]

Brentford v Grimsby, Easter-ish 1972
Brentford won 2-0 on their way to promotion from Division 4
Remember swapping ends at half-time
And the game was on the Big Match on ITV on the Sunday. Great!

 

[Boscombe Bee]

1979-80 (i think) Brentford 1 Mansfield 0
Steve Phillips (pen)
on the New Road.

My dad and his mate took me to that 1, as I had sat through my first ever game on TV. 79 Cup Final, looking back it wasnt difficult to sit through that was it.

By the way i remember going to a couple of the games others have previously mentioned. God Im getting old.
Pity the guy who went to Bristol Rovers game 92/3, possibly one of the worst Bees perfomances I have ever seen.

My wife's was Reading 2-1 Brentford at Elm Park in 1994. David Thompson scored for us in a packed crowd in a really warm day in February (coats off for goalposts). She was at Reading Uni at the time hence that game.

 

[Debut1949]

Boxing Day 1950 - Brentford 4 Southampton 0
The family used to have a row of 10 or so seats together and I was a 7 year old. Had to sit on the lions outside the Star & Garter pub by Kew Bridge for an hour afterwards! I expect that whoever drew the diminutive Billy Dare in the sweepstake that day bought the beer as the records show that he scored all 4 goals.

 

[Savannah Bee]

Became hooked at six when my Dad took me late in the 63/64 season against who I can't remember. It's strange though through all the thin years (and there were many when I was a kid)I never did think of giving up on the Bees and dragged my Dad to every home game. In fact whenever the other kids at school used to make fun and shout about their teams (Chelsea Man U of course) I used to shut them up by asking when did they last see them play.

 

[The H]

pre-season friendly vs Hereford in 1973. 2-2 or 3-2

i was 7 weeks old. Cracking game as i remember

 

[Wise old Bee]

I started going to reserve matches in 1965 because my uncle was a mate of Gordon Phillips, then our reserve keeper. My first league match was in the relegation season 65-66 and study the fixtures as I might I cannot remember the game other than it was a draw and towards the end of the season. I have been a regular since the Leyton Orient cup tie in December 1966.

 

[roddy]

My first game was when I went to see us play Wealdstone in the London Charity Cup in 1962/3.

I went to support Wealdstone who were my then local Amateur side. However I came away from the game as a Bees Fan.

Incidentally Both Wealdstone & Brenford have suffered many ups and downs since then (mainly downs I am afraid)

 

[roddy]

TO AB

Are you by any chance one of the Barristers that had your Chambers in the St Pauls Road area of Cambridge and Frequented the old Farmers Club at Lunchtimes?

 

[AB]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by roddy:
TO AB

Are you by any chance one of the Barristers that had your Chambers in the St Pauls Road area of Cambridge and Frequented the old Farmers Club at Lunchtimes?</font>

No- I've only ever worked in London.

 

[Brentford Bob]

79/80 (I think) Home to Fulham and we lost 3-0.

I was 9.

It went off everywhere.

Tremendous.

 

[De-Generation Bee]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Brentford Bob:
79/80 (I think) Home to Fulham and we lost 3-0.

I was 9.

It went off everywhere.

Tremendous.</font>

I have the programme of the fixture v Fulham from the next season (80-81) which says it was the first for 27 years between the 2 clubs. According to Soccerbase.com the result of this match was 3-1 to Fulham. Played on 13th september 1980.

Just to let you know

 

[North London Bee]

First game was Early 1965 - Bees 5 QPR 2. Second was Bees 6 QPR 1 first game of the following season.

I can honestly say I became a Bees fan as I thought I would be a glory hunter after those first 2 games - little did I know what the next 35 years had in store !!

 

[Debut1949]

I remember the 6-1 victory against QPR on the opening day of the season that NLB refers to very well- that season QPR were promoted and Brentford relegated!

 

[bee 49]

First game I saw was against the Spurs in 1949.It was the opener for that season.We lost 4-1 with over 30,000 in the ground.I stood in the Brook Road end with my dad.
Billy Dare became my favourite.He who dare wins was named after Billy as those who saw him will testify.Happy days of long ago.

 

[BBeeC]

I think the first game I saw was against Leyton Orient. I think it would have been in the 66/67 season as I became interested in football after we won the World Cup. I think we won 2-0 but I could be wrong.

The earliest game I saw that I can remember is the Tommy Higginson testimonial against QPHaHa. We won 2-1, I believe. Great!

 

[big neil]

my old man used to take me to qpr.(when they had bowles,francis,masson etc)
first game was 1975 v arsenal i saw all the big teams ,united,leeds,liverpool, city etc but i wasn't that interested.
in 1978 he took me to bees v barnsley in div 4. steve phillips scored; we ended up getting promoted and i thought this it mate. little did i know the eighties were going to the decade of finishing 12th every season !!!

 

[vcmazz]

Debut Posting...here goes

Excellent debut game - hooked me ever since.
One for the over 30's though... - first game was Dec 75 in the Old 4th Division against Rochdale. We won 3-0, Terry Johnson with a penalty (that memory doesn't dim) and three were sent off including Gordon Sweetzer who traded punches with the Rochdale Keeper a la Franny Lee/Norman Hunter styley.
Any one of the 4000 there that day will remember that one and my dear old Dad turned to me after the game and said "Don't expect that every week son."

He was right, but 25 years on and three promotions and two relegations behind us the fire & hope still burns bright. C'mon you bees.....

Sorry for the delay in replying to this. I've been meaning to for some time lol. I remember the 3-0 against Rochdale fondly, although I had it in mind that it was the 76/77 season - the year before we went up. Perhaps we beat them 3-0 two years running? I seem to remember having not won for fifteen or sixteen years, then suddenly winning two home games on the bounce 3-0. I think Bill Dodgin had just taken over and completely transformed us.

My first game was in 1972, although I don't remember who it was against. The first game I actually remember going to was against Peterborough in 1973 which I think was a 1-1 draw although that might be wrong. I remember this game particularly because my dad was a mate of the then Peterborough manager Noel Cantwell and had been invited to join him in the dugout for the game. Naturally, Dad declined, preferring his usual spot on the New Road .

Other early memories include the insanely strong aroma of Ralgex, roll up tobacco, the bloke that used to walk around the terraces selling peanuts in their shells, in paper bags and the players being much, much older than they are these days.

 

[seanrs]

Northampton Town 71/2.. brought along by a couple of school friends.

we went 1-0 down in the first 5 minutes, fought back to 1-1 by half time, ended up winning 6-1.

Funny enough that was my second Bees game, if I remember right Phil Neal was playing for Northmapton.

My first game same season we beat Peterborough 5-1 I think after going 1-0 down

 

[Dazza]

September 10 1990 brentford-chester. We lost 1-0 IIRC

 

[vcmazz]

Funny enough that was my second Bees game, if I remember right Phil Neal was playing for Northmapton.

My first game same season we beat Peterborough 5-1 I think after going 1-0 down

Sweet baby Jesus and the orphans! It always amazes me when people have such clear memories of their first game. But to have the details of your second game stored in the memory bank? I'm impressed sir! lol

 

[Brentford_till_die]

not sure of date and would love if someone could tell me

Brentford 7 - 0 Plymouth Argyle

 

[Bee4ever]

not sure of date and would love if someone could tell me

Brentford 7 - 0 Plymouth Argyle

17th December 1994

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