Brentford vs Arsenal Champagne Fiesta Moments

[CrispBiscuit]

Long time GPG lurker here, 27 year ST holder and I have never witnessed nor experienced anything like last night.

it was similar to the atmosphere and Buzz felt on our first game in the Championship against Ipswich and the first leg Semi against Middlesbrough but multiplied by a million!

As much as I expect the great atmosphere to continue I don’t think we will experience some thing like that ever again, it really did feel like a dream - the walk to the ground was surreal (despite not being my first time), you could feel the electricity in the air the raw emotions of being away from our club for so long having to watch though our TVs and laptops and collective astonishment that we were about to witness our team open up the premier league season with the world watching. I’m so glad we didn’t go up last year as we would have not got to experience that once in a lifetime opportunity.

These armchair premier league fans can laugh and mock the post match lap of honour but they don’t realise that the celebrations weren’t about beating Arsenal 2-0 they were about us achieving a dream that for me has been nearly 30 years in the making and for others far far longer, it was a celebration of how far we have come not just on the pitch but off the pitch and that is some thing I don’t think they will ever be able to understand. In a way I pity them a little bit because they’ll never get the opportunity to experience this journey we’ve all been on. I think this is what separates the fans ‘born in’ to supporting these big clubs and expecting trophies and glory because that’s what they’ve always known from what I would call ‘real fans’ fans who support their club because they have an emotional connection to the community it serves not because they’re the team on the tele all the time. We are the luckiest fans in the world.

for fans of smaller clubs I hope we can help them dream and who knows maybe in a few years we’ll be singing hey Jude just before the team walk out against Barcelona in the champions league and that will overtake last night as my all time favourite moment. Sounds a bit mad and unlikely doesn’t it?? Well so did ‘Brentford beat Arsenal 2-0 in premier league opener’ a few years back

cummon you bees

 

[Sandybee]

Using the term “push and pull,” haven’t heard that since the sixties when I travelled on it to EGS sports ground!

I used that train line too, sometimes, from the Cayton Road sportsground. I attended EGS from 64 to 1970 so we used it sometimes, and alternatively we’d walk to the Bridge Hotel roundabout to catch the bus back to the Uxbridge Road. We’d use our bus passes and hope the conductor couldn’t be bothered to read them. Fancy having your school playing fields miles from the school! I’ve never been able to work that one out.

 

[Oceanbee]

I liked our tactic before the match.

Arsenal went out first and lined up. Then they had to wait while we all sang a couple of verses of Hey Jude at them, before our players came out to line up.

Brilliant stuff! Hope we do that at every home match!

 

[Banana]

These armchair premier league fans can laugh and mock the post match lap of honour

It wasn't a "lap of honour", it's what the players did every match at Griffin Park - win or lose. Just a thank you to the crowd for their support.

 

[Trev Cook]

Long time GPG lurker here, 27 year ST holder and I have never witnessed nor experienced anything like last night.

it was similar to the atmosphere and Buzz felt on our first game in the Championship against Ipswich and the first leg Semi against Middlesbrough but multiplied by a million!

As much as I expect the great atmosphere to continue I don’t think we will experience some thing like that ever again, it really did feel like a dream - the walk to the ground was surreal (despite not being my first time), you could feel the electricity in the air the raw emotions of being away from our club for so long having to watch though our TVs and laptops and collective astonishment that we were about to witness our team open up the premier league season with the world watching. I’m so glad we didn’t go up last year as we would have not got to experience that once in a lifetime opportunity.

These armchair premier league fans can laugh and mock the post match lap of honour but they don’t realise that the celebrations weren’t about beating Arsenal 2-0 they were about us achieving a dream that for me has been nearly 30 years in the making and for others far far longer, it was a celebration of how far we have come not just on the pitch but off the pitch and that is some thing I don’t think they will ever be able to understand. In a way I pity them a little bit because they’ll never get the opportunity to experience this journey we’ve all been on. I think this is what separates the fans ‘born in’ to supporting these big clubs and expecting trophies and glory because that’s what they’ve always known from what I would call ‘real fans’ fans who support their club because they have an emotional connection to the community it serves not because they’re the team on the tele all the time. We are the luckiest fans in the world.

for fans of smaller clubs I hope we can help them dream and who knows maybe in a few years we’ll be singing hey Jude just before the team walk out against Barcelona in the champions league and that will overtake last night as my all time favourite moment. Sounds a bit mad and unlikely doesn’t it?? Well so did ‘Brentford beat Arsenal 2-0 in premier league opener’ a few years back

cummon you bees

This!
It sums up my thoughts completely. Dreaming of last night for 50 years, Had to pinch myself it wasn’t a dream. Top night as a Bees fan. This team keep topping my best Bees moments, long may that continue. Well done everyone for your part in making that noise, as Sergii said, it makes such a difference.

 

[CrispBiscuit]

It wasn't a "lap of honour", it's what the players did every match at Griffin Park - win or lose. Just a thank you to the crowd for their support.

You can call it what you want, for me this wasn’t your run of the mill ‘thanks for your support’ it was a bit more than that but of course you are free to interpret how you please

 

[Banana]

You can call it what you want, for me this wasn’t your run of the mill ‘thanks for your support’ it was a bit more than that but of course you are free to interpret how you please

Of course it wasn't, but it also wasn't a "we beat Arsenal" lap. If we lost we would have done the same thing. Obviously such occasions are better when we win than when we lose.

 

[Mjlumley]

After all the hype we’re now down to
5 th in the table and out of a Champions League spot . No staying power when the heat is ion -Frank out !!

 

[CrispBiscuit]

Of course it wasn't, but it also wasn't a "we beat Arsenal" lap. If we lost we would have done the same thing. Obviously such occasions are better when we win than when we lose.

Such occasions are bespoke to the situation i.e that was our first game in the prem, first full crowd, new stadium and after 18 months of the majority being unable to attend games. Therefore those emotions are unique to this occasion, the underlying ‘thanks for support’ is there regardless but the above will never be manifested again emotionally. But these things are subjective and that was my take

 

[Indian Bee]

The West Stand IS our Royal Oak

and how. Brought back memories of Newport at home.

 

[8corner]

Just to piss on all your chips, we’ve just dropped to second in the prem, thanks to a Bruno hat trick at Old Trafford.

Frank out.

#youdontwanttowinthepremierleaguebrentford

They’ve still got to play us twice though Bob.

The title is still in our own hands!!

 

[Wooburn Bee]

I liked our tactic before the match.

Arsenal went out first and lined up. Then they had to wait while we all sang a couple of verses of Hey Jude at them, before our players came out to line up.

Brilliant stuff! Hope we do that at every home match!

Agreed. Some of the younger arsenal players looked very nervous and intimidated by the crowd and the atmosphere meaning they wore the arsenal shirt and what it means historically very very heavily. Crowd turned another game as they did against Bournemouth

 

['Ayes B]

Long time GPG lurker here, 27 year ST holder and I have never witnessed nor experienced anything like last night.

As much as I expect the great atmosphere to continue I don’t think we will experience some thing like that ever again

These armchair premier league fans can laugh and mock the post match lap of honour but they don’t realise that the celebrations weren’t about beating Arsenal 2-0.

Welcome to the GPG CrispBiscuit, it's great that you have shared your thoughts and given your perspective. Please continue to contribute and to be more than a lurker

With regards to the atmosphere, hopefully we have set a bench mark. The ROYAL OAK at the Brentford End of the ground was immense and their noise vibrated around the ground encouraging the North, Sout and East stands to join in.

I was worried that we would lose the Paddock of GP in the new ground but those in the lower South Stand appeared to be on their feet and very vocal.

Hey Jude just gets better and better. Its no longer in the background and is something that everybody now wants to be part of. Long may we continue to get in early to sing our Anthem to opposition as they line up and as we await our players. More and more scarves are being held aloft so winter games will be brill.

We didn't do a lap of honour. The press need to be educated, it was our usual lap of appreciation that has occured after every home game, win, draw or lose over these few years. The difference was that on Friday night, every fan stayed in the ground for the ten minutes it took. It was the fans response that was different.

 

[mhead bee]

A moment in the second half where VJ got a bit sloppy and lost the ball in a crowd, he thought fekk this and launched into a massive tackle and came out with the ball leaving two Arsenal players in his wake, settled down and passed it.

Ethan rinsing Arsenal’s complete right side.

 

[Oceanbee]

Like so many, I’ve been waiting at a bus stop in Hounslow for decades.

On Friday night, the bus eventually turned up!

 

[A Real Mysteron]

Not sure if it’s a champagne moment as such, but I though Arteta despite looking as if he was dying to chin somebody, was extremely classy with his comments after the game.
I hope he turns them round.

 

[Jonathanbee]

This was the best Brentford game I have ever been to since my first visit in 1954. Every moment was champagne but for me the proudest moment was the spontaneous applause given to Bacary Sako. It says so much about what we are about.

 

[Stanley]

Agreed. Some of the younger arsenal players looked very nervous and intimidated by the crowd and the atmosphere meaning they wore the arsenal shirt and what it means historically very very heavily. Crowd turned another game as they did against Bournemouth

I though same, they looked more and more rattled as the game went on even the more experienced like Xhaka got affected by it.

 

[Sandhurst Bee]

As a post match fiesta moment, I saw today how Piers Morgan has been on a rant all weekend. That’s a nice bonus in my eyes, or does that make me a bad person?

 

[N5022N122]

Whilst I find oh la s when passing an bit cringe worthy normally I found it quite sardonic on Friday

 

[Tim1971]

I’ve just listened to the Football Daily (bbc website) podcast which has the commentary after the final whistle (is it possible to get the radio broadcast for the match itself?). It honestly sound‘s like it could be a big European night at Anfield. Just brilliant.

Full commentary here

Goals at 1.22 and 2.31

Just listen to how good this sounds

 

[mhead bee]

Not sure if it’s a champagne moment as such, but I though Arteta despite looking as if he was dying to chin somebody, was extremely classy with his comments after the game.
I hope he turns them round.

I hope he gets them relegated, can’t stand the w***ers.

 

[Untouchable]

Full commentary here

Goals at 1.22 and 2.31

Just listen to how good this sounds

2 hours 55 minutes for the post match Hey Jude that almost drowns out the commentary.

 

[Mikey Bee]

55 mins is the building up of Hey Jude pre-match. Spine tingling.

 

[Wise old Bee]

On reflection, I should've walked back to GP straight after the game and done the circuit of the ground just to get a sense of final closure. We know now that LR is our future, and any doubts anyone had were removed on Friday forever. I actually went straight to the Nelson (no poetry in my soul) where the atmosphere, although not at post-Preston levels, was brilliant all the same.

 

[badgerbee]

2 hours 55 minutes for the post match Hey Jude that almost drowns out the commentary.

f***ing brilliant!!!!

 

[Ghost]

On reflection, I should've walked back to GP straight after the game and done the circuit of the ground just to get a sense of final closure. We know now that LR is our future, and any doubts anyone had were removed on Friday forever. I actually went straight to the Nelson (no poetry in my soul) where the atmosphere, although not at post-Preston levels, was brilliant all the same.

I’m glad you didn’t tbh. People and places should always be remembered in their prime. Nothing will ever replace GP but LR is I believe far ahead of what any of us could ever have hoped for that it’s all about going forward now.

 

[belvederebee]

 

[Silly Hat]

Beesotted video captures the mentalness of Friday night, I’d say

 

[IslandBee]

Full commentary here

Goals at 1.22 and 2.31

Just listen to how good this sounds

"I can't believe what we are witnessing the fans here today!!!"

 

[IslandBee]

Full commentary here

Goals at 1.22 and 2.31

Just listen to how good this sounds

John Murray is damn good tbh: a real football man who completely understood what it meant to us and what the real story was. Sounds like he absolutely loved it!

 

[vcmazz]

Very cheeky goal celebration. Mimicking Arsenal's defence.

 

[rebus]

Long time GPG lurker here, 27 year ST holder and I have never witnessed nor experienced anything like last night.

it was similar to the atmosphere and Buzz felt on our first game in the Championship against Ipswich and the first leg Semi against Middlesbrough but multiplied by a million!

As much as I expect the great atmosphere to continue I don’t think we will experience some thing like that ever again, it really did feel like a dream - the walk to the ground was surreal (despite not being my first time), you could feel the electricity in the air the raw emotions of being away from our club for so long having to watch though our TVs and laptops and collective astonishment that we were about to witness our team open up the premier league season with the world watching. I’m so glad we didn’t go up last year as we would have not got to experience that once in a lifetime opportunity.

These armchair premier league fans can laugh and mock the post match lap of honour but they don’t realise that the celebrations weren’t about beating Arsenal 2-0 they were about us achieving a dream that for me has been nearly 30 years in the making and for others far far longer, it was a celebration of how far we have come not just on the pitch but off the pitch and that is some thing I don’t think they will ever be able to understand. In a way I pity them a little bit because they’ll never get the opportunity to experience this journey we’ve all been on. I think this is what separates the fans ‘born in’ to supporting these big clubs and expecting trophies and glory because that’s what they’ve always known from what I would call ‘real fans’ fans who support their club because they have an emotional connection to the community it serves not because they’re the team on the tele all the time. We are the luckiest fans in the world.

for fans of smaller clubs I hope we can help them dream and who knows maybe in a few years we’ll be singing hey Jude just before the team walk out against Barcelona in the champions league and that will overtake last night as my all time favourite moment. Sounds a bit mad and unlikely doesn’t it?? Well so did ‘Brentford beat Arsenal 2-0 in premier league opener’ a few years back

cummon you bees

Please post more.

 

[BEEcool]

Can’t stop watching this. Goosebumps.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1426257678339346432

 

[AB]

On reflection, I should've walked back to GP straight after the game and done the circuit of the ground just to get a sense of final closure. We know now that LR is our future, and any doubts anyone had were removed on Friday forever. I actually went straight to the Nelson (no poetry in my soul) where the atmosphere, although not at post-Preston levels, was brilliant all the same.

I went to the Griffin after the game. It was lively decently full but much easier getting served than GP days. There’s really not much to see of GP now beyond the back part of the Braemar stand. From other angles where it isn’t obscured by hoardings what you can mainly see is an absence of what once was. I think the chance for closure went once the demolition of the stands started.

 

[Bookie bee]

You mean bus stop in Acton?

How about car park for Westfield

 

[Isleworth_Bee]

On reflection, I should've walked back to GP straight after the game and done the circuit of the ground just to get a sense of final closure. We know now that LR is our future, and any doubts anyone had were removed on Friday forever. I actually went straight to the Nelson (no poetry in my soul) where the atmosphere, although not at post-Preston levels, was brilliant all the same.

We went for a beer after, tried getting in The New Inn (full) Ended up in The Brook.

Felt right knowing the old girl wasn't really there, but managed too have a beer with the last few bits of her still standing.

 

[Brentford_till_die]

Welcome to the GPG CrispBiscuit, it's great that you have shared your thoughts and given your perspective. Please continue to contribute and to be more than a lurker

With regards to the atmosphere, hopefully we have set a bench mark. The ROYAL OAK at the Brentford End of the ground was immense and their noise vibrated around the ground encouraging the North, Sout and East stands to join in.

I was worried that we would lose the Paddock of GP in the new ground but those in the lower South Stand appeared to be on their feet and very vocal.

Hey Jude just gets better and better. Its no longer in the background and is something that everybody now wants to be part of. Long may we continue to get in early to sing our Anthem to opposition as they line up and as we await our players. More and more scarves are being held aloft so winter games will be brill.

We didn't do a lap of honour. The press need to be educated, it was our usual lap of appreciation that has occured after every home game, win, draw or lose over these few years. The difference was that on Friday night, every fan stayed in the ground for the ten minutes it took. It was the fans response that was different.

This. Much better playing our song before the team walk out, gets everyone in the mood and the atmosphere going.
Can't remember the song name of the one we used to run out at GP but it didn't do much for getting an atmosphere going

 

[Bengeo Bee]

Can't remember the song name of the one we used to run out at GP but it didn't do much for getting an atmosphere going

Una Paloma Blanca. Always did it for me.

 

[Voice from the Braemar]

sitting right next to 3 arsenal fans at Lords that morning/afternoon who were actually going to the game too and warning them of the atmosphere that they would be encountering there that evening....im pretty sure they werent disappointed !!!! lol

what a night

 

['Ayes B]

Una Paloma Blanca. Always did it for me.

My first ever record, used to put it on the turntable and stand by the back door with my football under my arm beforerunning out into the garden

 

[sonofabee]

sitting right next to 3 arsenal fans at Lords that morning/afternoon who were actually going to the game too and warning them of the atmosphere that they would be encountering there that evening....im pretty sure they werent disappointed !!!! lol

what a night

They probably pooped themselves and didn’t go once their minds registered 16K versions of you enthusiastically supporting our club

 

[Voice from the Braemar]

They probably pooped themselves and didn’t go once their minds registered 16K versions of you enthusiastically supporting our club

i think my eddie thought the same lol lol

 

[wanderer paul]

Now the EPL Twitter banner

 

[wibs]

Enjoyed the pandemonium and sudden realisitation we were actually going to win when the second goal went in!

 

[CTBee]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1426993315971584000

Great scenes

 

[Banana]

Enjoyed the pandemonium and sudden realisitation we were actually going to win when the second goal went in!

Well, there couldn't have been many Arsenal in the home end!

 

[BEEcool]

Just heard Adrian Durham talking about the atmosphere on Friday night and Lionel Road generally using words like incredible, rocking, setting the standard etc

 

[Humblebee]

Was talking to an Arsenal supporter this morning and he reckoned TF got his tactics spot on and we deserved our victory.

 

[nocoat]

Was talking to an Arsenal supporter this morning and he reckoned TF got his tactics spot on and we deserved our victory.

a ballsy and controversial take!!