Eddie Rogers has sadly left us
Born in April 1945, news came through of Eddie’s passing in early September 2023. Many of you will remember Eddie but for our newer fans here is a recap of his role and involvement in Brentford FC:
Eddie was a Brentford FC director between May 1999 and July 2014 and was Chairman of the Club between 2003 and 2006. This period straddled some of the most critical and delicate, periods of change and turbulence as he took over from Ron Noades and worked with the first Bees United directors on the BFC Board and the BU Board, through to the Bees United ownership of BFC in January 2006.
Eddie therefore covered the period of the end of the Noades era, Bees United’ ownership, the sale to Matthew Benham in 2012 through to his directorship ending in July 2014.
In an interview with GPG, 2006, Eddie’s reason for his involvement with the Club was made clear: “ I’m here because I can make a difference to Brentford Football Club. I have a passion, I have a love for the club. I may be relatively new in the eyes of many that have been lifelong supporters. but my passionate support for the club is, I believe, as strong as anyone. ”
As Chairman, Eddie was clear in his extensive GPG interview back in January 2006 [the full GPG interview with Eddie back in 2006 can be read here] that, following discussions with the then BU directors, John McGlashen and Stephen Callen, Ron Noades did indeed want Eddie to be Chairman but Eddie didn’t want that unless, “I was …. to be elected by the full membership of the Board of Directors …… ….. We had a meeting following Ron’s stepping down and a full discussion took place and it was agreed that Stephen Callen would be Finance Director and that John McGlashen would be an Executive Director and that I would be Chairman.”
While some fans may have considered Eddie a little close to Ron Noades given his role in the club during Noades’ ownership it is fair to say that Eddie’s commitment went far beyond that of someone who was a puppet or a yes man. When first he was appointed director by Noades, Eddie recalled: “I put in £50,000 and I subsequently increased that to £100,000 when Ron Noades stepped down and I added another £100,000 to help Bees United in their cause to achieve their £1,000,000 goal.”
David Heath (CEO during Eddie’s time) and Alan Bird (CFO at the same time) both recall “I have nothing but good memories of Eddie; he was a gentleman and a gentle man.” One anecdote from Alan would surely bring a smile to Eddie’s face: “‘I remember Eddie at an away match lunch telling us……’If we can keep a clean sheet we should be able to get a point here’………after Greg [Dyke], David [Heath] and myself digested this and looked at each other we agreed with him that if we didn’t concede at all, a point could be within reach.”
My own interactions with Eddie were always positive as to his support for the team and he was no glory hunter in following the team.
I recall one match, sat next to him away at Gillingham in March 2006 [the Sam Sodje penalty madness game]
Eddie was on the edge of his seat all game, supporting the team on a bitterly cold day, cheering and hopeful to the end of what was a 3-2 away defeat.
Perhaps the best way to really give a sense of Eddie is to let former BU Chair (and BFC director) Dave Merritt and former BU director (and BFC Vice Chair) Donald Kerr share their memories of Eddie (Link https://www.beesunited.org.uk/news/eddie-rogers-personal-thoughts-from-david-merritt-and-donald-kerr/).
Goodbye Eddie, our thoughts are with Eddie’s family and friends.
The full GPG interview with Eddie back in 2006 can be read here
