All at Brentford Football Club were saddened to hear of the death of scriptwriter and Brentford supporter Alan Simpson, who played a key role in the fight against QPR’s attempted takeover in 1967. Alan died today, Wednesday 8 February, aged 87, after a long battle with lung disease.

Born in London in 1929, Alan shot to prominence in the 1950s, alongside his writing partner Ray Galton, for his work with Tony Hancock on Hancock’s Half-Hour. Alan is most famously known for being behind hit-comedy Steptoe and Son, which ran between 1962 and 1965 and again between 1970 and 1974, and attracted viewing audiences of up to 28 million.

It was in between his writing for Steptoe and Son that he joined the fight to save Brentford from the attempted takeover by Queens Park Rangers in 1967. His office was the setting for the formation of an action committee on the afternoon of Friday 20 January, the day after the news broke, which included figures such as Peter Pond-Jones, George Hutchinson, and Lionel Green.

At the supporters’ meeting at Griffin Park three days later, Alan was one of the speakers, famously speaking out against the takeover, saying: “In a few years’ time we will be able to take over Fulham, Chelsea, and QPR.”

Alan quit writing in 1978 to pursue other business interests and was Club President at Hampton and Richmond Borough for nearly 50 years: the stand behind the goal at The Beveree named the Alan Simpson Stand in his honour.

Everyone at Brentford FC passes on their condolences to Alan’s family.