Brentford FC superfan captures the heart of millions

And while there were thousands of ecstatic fans in the stadium, one fan’s delighted reaction captured the hearts of millions on social media, and that fan is 8-year-old Woody O’Rourke.

Woody was born with Down Syndrome, but his mum Natalie O’Rourke states that it has never held him back.

Natalie notes that her son’s relationship with Brentford FC began a few years ago after Woody took an interest in the sport.

Despite his obvious passion for football, Woody was turned away from joining his local club where children from his school were members.

Frustrated and sad at the decision, Natalie wrote about it on social media.

She stated: “I felt really sorry for the person that wouldn’t have Woody in their football club because they’re never going to experience the joy that he could bring to their life.”

The post received lots of responses, and caught the eye of Woody’s favourite team, Brentford FC, who invited them to watch their match the following day.

Natalie recalled: “When we got there they gave Woody a full kit and he got to lead the team out which was amazing.”

And this experience is what started a very kind and inclusive relationship with the club.

Like many young children, Woody’s behaviour at times can be challenging, and Natalie said that when she goes to new places she’s never sure how it’s going to go.

But at Brentford she never worries, because she knows that they’re welcome and wanted and that she can relax because it’s her son’s happy place.

When the club moved from Griffin Park to their brand new Brentford Community Stadium, Natalie recalls that she was worried about what the change would mean for Woody.

She states: “Woody is a really sensory child, it’s all about the sounds, the sights and smells.

“But the club has made sure that the experience is exactly the same, they’ve got the same stewards, the same people working there.

“It’s all familiar for Woody and it hasn’t lost that small club community feeling, even though we’ve now hit the big time.”

And after Brentford’s win on Friday night, it quickly became clear that it wasn’t only the club’s chance to shine, but Woody’s as well.

A video of Brentford manager Thomas Frank running across the pitch to embrace an exuberant Woody was viewed over 3 million times, and pictures of the embrace have been published across multiple media outlets.

When asked about this reaction, Natalie comments that this is a normal match day experience for Woody, and that Frank is always kind to her son and goes out of his way after every single game.

Woody’s mum recalls that when they went to the EFL Championship play-off final at Wembley on May 29 2021, they were the only people left in the stadium as Woody would not leave until he had seen Frank.

With the help of a lovely steward, they were taken into the press area to wait for all the journalists to finish post-match interviews.

She recalled: “Thomas Frank, on the busiest day of his professional career, gave Woody 10 minutes of his time and they had a celebratory dance together.

“And he doesn’t do it for the media, he always makes time, even if it’s a high-five or a thumbs up, and that’s what Woody loves - the acknowledgement.”

Knowing this, it becomes clearer why Frank would choose to run across the pitch to celebrate the club’s historic win with Woody after spotting him in the crowd.

He has since shared a message to Woody via SkySports which said: “Hi Woody, thank you so much for your support. It means the world to me, to us, to Brentford, that you support us and cheer us on and it was fantastic to see you on Friday night and we’ll do everything we can to continue this journey together.”

It is clear that Brentford is a club that appreciates each and every one of its fans, and wants every game to be a great experience.

Brentford FC Fan and Community Relations Director Sally Stephens, said: "Woody is always a delight to have at matches and his pure joy and love for the game and everything to do with Brentford Football Club really brings home how much football means to all our fans and how much we've all missed it.

“At our new stadium we want to do much more to welcome fans both old and new and especially those who might need some extra support or special facilities and we hope they will all feel as at home as Woody already does."

Natalie, who works with people with additional needs and disabilities at Park Lane Stables in Teddington, notes the importance on focusing on what people can do rather than what they can’t.

She stated: “Woody has taught me a lot, he has no inhibition, and as adults we can be quite inhibited.

“Woody would talk to anybody and he makes friends wherever he goes and I just think we should all be a bit more like Woody and the world would be a better place.”