Griffin Park
 |
|
| Full name | Griffin Park |
|---|---|
| Location | Brentford, London, England |
| Coordinates | 51°29′17.46″N 0°18′9.50″W / 51.4881833°N 0.3026389°WCoordinates: 51°29′17.46″N 0°18′9.50″W / 51.4881833°N 0.3026389°W |
| Public transit |
 Brentford
|
| Owner | Brentford F.C. |
| Capacity | 12,300 |
| Field size | 110 x 73 yd (100 x 67 metres) |
| Construction | |
| Built | January–September 1904 |
| Opened | September 1904 |
| Tenants | |
|
Brentford F.C. (1904–present) London Broncos (2002–2006) Chelsea F.C. Reserves (2007–2010) |
|
Griffin Park is a football ground in Brentford, situated in the London Borough of Hounslow, west London. It has been the home ground of Championship side Brentford since it was built in 1904. The ground is situated in a predominantly residential area and is known for being the only English league football ground to have a pub on each corner. The ground gets its name from the griffin, featured in the logo of Fuller's Brewery, which at one point owned the orchard on which the stadium was built.
Between forming in 1889 and prior to 1904, Brentford played at five grounds around Ealing - Clifden Road, Benns Field, Shotters Field, Cross Road and Boston Park Cricket Ground. In 1903, Fulham chairman Henry Norris (a prominent estate agent), Brentford manager Dick Molyneux and club president Edwin Underwood negotiated a 21-year lease at a peppercorn rent on an orchard along the Ealing Road (owned by local brewers Fuller, Smith and Turner), with the option to buy the freehold at a later date for £5,000. After a gypsy camp was removed from the site, work began on building the ground in January 1904, under the guidance of architects Parr & Kates. The orchard was cut down by local volunteers, who were allowed to keep the wood.
The ground was initially built with a 20,000 capacity in mind, with a provision for an increase to 30,000-40,000. An 800-capacity stand from Boston Park was rebuilt alongside the Braemar Road side of the ground, with an extension alongside taking the stand's capacity to 1,500. Beneath and behind the stand were three dressing rooms (one for each team and one for officials), a number of offices and a recreation room. The ground was named 'Griffin Park' after a nearby pub, The Griffin, which was owned by the Griffin Brewery and was used as dressing rooms and for accommodation. After a number of trial games, Griffin Park was opened on 1 September 1904. Season tickets for the 1904–05 season (priced between 10 shillings and one guinea) sold out.
...
Wikipedia