Brentford fan Robert Muttitt declared it an honour to be given the chance to break ground at the club's new stadium site.

The Bees supporter was born on Braemar Road and his father, Ernie Muttitt, is in the west London club's hall of fame.

With his son, daughter and granddaughter, he was given the chance to break ground and it was clear how much the club meant to him.

“It's such an honour. I was so surprised that I won. It's just a bit of family history. It's the greatest honour for myself and my family,” he said.

“My dad came in 1932 from Middlesbrough and played to 1947. he's in the Brentford hall of fame. I was born in number six Braemar Road.

“Brentford was my play area when I was young – the outside of the ground used to be an old wooden fence.

“We used to paint out goalposts on there and cricket stumps. They took that down and tarmaced it and between two houses.

“We had a little play area off the road which was lovely. I had my first swimming lesson in the Brentford bath with me Dad and watch them play snooker in the ground under the old D and E stand.

“As I was growing up, I used to play hide and seek around the ground when they were training under floodlights on Tuesday and Thursday.

“We'd watch the games. We used to go to away games a lot then but not so much now I'm afraid.

“My son and daughter go to more away games. The family has carried on doing it, with my little granddaughter as well.

“Hopefully we can carry it on. It was a proud day. I think me mum and dad are looking down and are proud.”

Griffin Park, undoubtedly, holds special memories for Robert and he is unsure whether there'll be a tear trickling down when the time comes to leave for the last time.

But he is hopeful for what the future holds for the club.

He added: “I'm going to be sad when the ground goes. I don't know if I'll have a little tear. We've got to progress.

“I'm really looking forward to it and hope we have a better team even then to play there. It'd be nice if we were in the Premier League but I'm happy in the Championship to be honest.

“It'd be nice to go up there to see them in my lifetime. I've been to Wembley with them. We'd get more finance there. It costs money at the old ground.”

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