Simply a part of Graham’s assortment now in secure storage
15 years in the past this month, within the brilliant sunshine, a Brentford supporter was strolling down Ealing Highway, with some (of many) A3 folders of Brentford FC memorabilia below his arm. This was solely a part of Graham’s in depth collection of articles he had written for and concerning the membership. He was eagerly trying ahead to the ultimate Bees sport of that season ( Division Two in opposition to Hereford Utd) and he additionally supposed to satisfy one other supporter, Rob Jex, to share the Bees memorabilia with him . Rob had spent many fond hours of debate with Graham explaining the worth of scanning Graham’s treasures and this could have been the primary batch to scan in perpetuity. This was typical of Graham’s unselfishness and enthusiasm.
Sadly, inside only a few hundred yards of Griffin Park, Graham collapsed.
A short time later, blissfully unaware, I used to be simply commencing the match day commentary alongside Mark Burridge, when a membership official tapped me on the shoulder and informed me that the emergency companies had rushed Graham to West Middlesex Hospital. As I used to be an in depth pal of Graham and his household, I handed over the microphone to Mark Burridge and dashed to the hospital. Very sadly, Graham had handed away shortly earlier than I arrived. We then needed to break the horrible information to Graham’s spouse Janet, and the remainder of the household, and pals.
By that night tributes have been flooding in on the Griffin Park Grapevine and one such tribute got here from Mark Chapman
markbfc mentioned: ” I consider Brentford as one huge household, and we’ve got simply misplaced a really helpful member. His dedication to jot down for the programme for properly over thirty years shouldn’t be underestimated, if you happen to tot this up, it’s round 800-900 articles and maybe simply in need of 1,000,000 phrases written on the Bees because the mid-Seventies – actually unbelievable.
Round that point he used to journey to the native libraries in Hounslow, Richmond, and Ealing to photocopy all of the native papers in an effort to mine them for Brentford-related nuggets of knowledge. I used to be one of many few that acquired to view his well-known Brentford “shack”, which was a giant hut positioned outdoors his home, coated in Bees clippings, pictures and memorabilia – an actual deal with.
His crowning glory was co-authoring the e book “100 Years of Brentford” for the membership’s centenary. The e book exudes heat, written with an actual ardour and a tome that won’t be bettered; even with the Web age, it stays the primary reference level for details on the membership. Graham appreciated to speak, particularly on Brentford, and earlier than the e-mail age my cellphone payments attested to that! There isn’t any doubt his (and Rob Jex’s) articles within the late Eighties impressed me to be serious about researching the historical past of our nice membership and for that alone I can’t thank him sufficient.
I all the time used to say that, regardless of how disappointing the efficiency or outcome, if you happen to had been within the firm of Graham, you possibly can not assist however depart Griffin Park with a smile in your face!
Graham was additionally very encouraging of the establishing of Bees United, being one of many very first to pay a subscription. I can reveal that he additionally, anonymously, paid for 2 kids to hitch up. However maybe Graham was greatest recognized for his prolific and detailed analysis on the membership. Within the early 1970’s, with the permission of the then legendary programme editor and membership Press Officer, the late Eric White, Graham began a daily characteristic within the membership programme, serialising the membership’s historical past. He not solely did this in forensic element, however he additionally wrote it in a really entertaining approach, bringing in some great anecdotes and switch of phrases. I notably appreciated his remark when, after seasons of austerity, the membership determined to spend first rate charges on new signings:
“The Brentford Supervisor not went into the switch market with a handful of peanuts,
however with a fistful of {dollars}!”
And his description of muscular Bees midfielder Terry Hurlock:
“He made powerful man actor John Wayne seem like the Sugar Plum Fairy!”
A lot of Graham’s work was previous to the Web. Graham needed to perform most of his earlier analysis manually. He spent hours, and made lengthy journeys from his Sussex house, to go to native libraries, and to contact and interview outdated gamers and previous membership officers. The articles have been good.
Supporters’ Membership Chair Peter Pond-Jones and BFC Chair Walter Wheatley (proper)
However maybe essentially the most excellent revelation was his discovery that our membership had, actually, been based in 1889, and never 1888, as had beforehand been thought!
This precipitated fairly a stir on the time, nevertheless it enabled the membership to place the data straight.
Watch for one more article quickly with all of the element concerning the dispute within the early 1970’s, “when have been the Bees actually based?”
Usually former gamers and officers could be delighted to be contacted by Graham, and have been delighted to be taught that they’d not been forgotten. One former coach was fairly tearful …
Graham additionally helped Eric White, and one or two others within the membership, organize fund-raising occasions, and matches for long-serving Brentford FC participant testimonials. Alan Nelmes was notably grateful. And each single factor Graham did for the membership was utterly voluntary.
Graham, and Eric White, wrote to an expert commonplace and set the marker for different Brentford followers to show their hand to writing concerning the membership they love.
They may little doubt be trying down with approval at among the nice work being completed by different Brentford supporters, a few of whom are actually sports activities writers and publishers.
In subsequent month’s version, we inform how Graham postpone a coronary heart operation in order that he might witness promotion, how he helped me enlist the assistance of the then England Workforce Supervisor, and the way we landed up chatting with the final Brentford participant, earlier than Ivan Toney, to play for England and rating for Brentford at Wembley!
Up The Bees!
