Roger Crook: The Beating Heart of Brentford Women | OneFootball

As Brentford Women prepared for an historic Adobe Women’s FA Cup second-round clash against National League side London Seaward, few individuals felt the weight of the moment more deeply than Roger Crook.

Crook, chair and founder of the club, has been the driving force behind Brentford Women since its formation in 1990. What began as a father’s dream to create a football team for his daughter has blossomed into one of the most exciting journeys in women’s football.

His daughter, Amy Crook - now general manager of Brentford Women - wanted to play football, and opportunities for girls to play the sport competitively were scarce.

“Back then, there weren’t many options,” Crook recalls.

“I wanted to give my daughter and other girls a chance to enjoy football and compete in a team environment.”

Named Brentford Women and Girls, the club grew steadily over the years. Crook’s dedication to its development saw it evolve from a grassroots initiative to an established part of the footballing community.

Today, the club is thriving, and the progress has been nothing short of extraordinary, carried by Crook’s passion.

Over the years, he has witnessed milestones that were once unimaginable. Among them, the chance to watch his team play at Griffin Park, the former home of Brentford.

More recently, the players have had the opportunity to grace the pitch at Gtech Community Stadium, a sign of how far the club has come.

In 2021, a major turning point arrived as the club officially rebranded to Brentford Women FC. This integration into the wider Brentford structure has opened doors that Crook could only dream of when he first founded the team.

“Since the club took us under their wing in 2021, their support has been amazing, and they have made it all worth it for me,” he said.

“The number of staff we have now to support the players is brilliant, and it’s become a real attraction to play for Brentford Women.”

This season, the Women’s FA Cup has been a source of immense pride.

Looking back on the first-round victory against Ascot United, he said: “It’s hard to put into words how proud I was of the team.

“The noise at Bedfont was just incredible and probably the best and loudest I have ever heard, with a huge number of supporters.”

The second-round match against London Seaward was another memorable occasion, as the Bees made history for a second time, beating the National League side 1-0 to go through to the third round of the competition for the first time ever.

“This team absolutely blows me away, we went head-to-head with a National League side and dominated the majority of the game,” he continued.

“We were forced to be patient for our goal and despite the tough weather conditions on the day the fans were out in full voice to help us get the job done.”

For Crook, being involved in the competition is an honour.

“The FA Cup has always been a journey for us,” he said

“Last season, we were incredibly unlucky to not win our first-round game against Southampton Women.

“It’s a competition filled with so much history, and I’m truly honoured that we are even a part of it, let alone in the third round.”

Looking ahead, Karleigh Osborne’s side will host west London rivals Fulham Women in the third round on Sunday 8 December.

“It would be an absolute dream to get through to the fourth round, with the prospect of playing a WSL [Women’s Super League] club for the first time ever,” explained Crook.

“Beating Fulham would make it even sweater and I believe we have what it takes to cause another incredible upset.”

Whatever happens, the story of Brentford Women is already one of success - and Roger Crook’s unwavering passion lies at its heart.