The family that put the first spade in the ground at our new home also helped us say Farewell Griffin Park on Saturday. The Muttitt family took part in the Griffin Park countdown as we beat Middlesbrough on Saturday. This came almost two years to do the day since they performed the ground-breaking ceremony at Brentford Community Stadium and added a further link between West London and Middlesbrough for the family.

At every home league match in 2019/20 we are counting down to the final game at Griffin Park. This will include using a special display which will be updated at each remaining league match. The Farewell Griffin Park countdown was changed to eight as we beat Middlesbrough 3-2 on Saturday thanks to a late goal from Ollie Watkins and will go down to seven tomorrow as we entertain Leeds United.

The man changing the number was Robert Muttitt, who also put the first spade in the ground at our new home in March 2018. The Muttitt family association with Brentford goes back to the Club’s golden period in the 1930s when Robert’s father Ernie joined Brentford from, fittingly, Middlesbrough. He played for the Club from 1932 to 1947 and was inducted to the Brentford Hall of Fame in 2015.

Ernie helped The Bees win promotion from the third tier in his first six months at Griffin Park and then to the top-flight in 1935. He was part of the squads which finished fifth in Division One in 1936. While not a regular, Ernie played 94 games for the Club and scored 27 goals, he also racked up more than 100 wartime appearances.

When playing for the Club, Ernie lived locally and was often spotted on the terraces after his departure. He passed on a love of The Bees to his family and Ernie’s son Robert was born in Braemar Road in 1947. Now 72, Robert changed the board on Saturday with his son Peter and daughter Nicki, both Season Ticket Holders. All three were also involved in the ground-breaking ceremony, along with Robert's granddaughter Sophie.