Barry Hearn is widely celebrated for turning snooker, darts and boxing into television spectacles that attract millions of viewers. Even at the age of 78, the founder of Matchroom remains one of the most recognizable promoters in global sport.
While his work in those cue‑sport and combat arenas is well documented, his forays into football are less publicised but equally compelling. In March 1995, a 78‑year‑old Hearn stepped in to rescue Leyton Orient – a club he had first watched as an eleven‑year‑old – from the brink of insolvency. He purchased the team for a symbolic £2.43 and set about revitalising it.
Over the next twelve years he oversaw a comprehensive redevelopment of Brisbane Road, eliminating all debt by 2012 and injecting roughly £8 million of his own capital. The club’s fortunes peaked in the 2013/14 season when Orient reached the League One play‑off final, only to be edged out 4‑3 on penalties by Rotherham at Wembley. Two months later Hearn sold the club to Italian businessman Francesco Becchetti, stepping away from football for nearly a decade while his other enterprises continued to flourish.
The hiatus ended in July 2023 when Matchroom agreed to sponsor the home kit of Brentwood Town, a modest side competing in the Isthmian League North Division and located just three miles from Hearn’s headquarters. The following year Hearn took a minority shareholding in the club, and earlier this summer the partnership was formalised as a five‑year commitment accompanied by a "significant investment". "The reason Barry came over initially was we were doing something for Saint Francis Hospice, which he is a patron of, and he sat next to me for a game," explains Brentwood chairman Jez Dickinson. "It was an entertaining match and Barry joked afterward, ‘I’m never going to sit next to you again, Jez!
Every time the ball went into the box you were leaping for a header and elbowing me in the side!’ Barry wears his heart on his sleeve, and that honesty is where we clicked." After a few lunches, Dickinson recalls, Hearn asked what he wanted. "I said I wanted him to get involved, but only because he wanted to get involved, not because I was asking," Dickinson says. Hearn agreed, and the partnership was born. Dickinson is the architect of Brentwood Town’s recent resurgence.
When he assumed the chairmanship in May 2019, he found a club with no clear pathway for youth players, a bar that resembled a 1970s pub, and an ambition limited to simply avoiding relegation. Over the next several seasons he oversaw the installation of a brand‑new 3G pitch in the summer of 2024, guided the team to the Isthmian North Division title in 2024/25, and endured a heartbreaking play‑off final loss that would have secured promotion to the National League South. He also established a Centre of Excellence that now serves 250 boys and girls aged six to twelve, insisting that a thriving youth structure is the lifeblood of any sustainable club.
Hearn’s role, while financially important, is described by Dickinson as a catalyst for ambition. "I speak to him maybe once a week, sometimes twice, depending on what’s happening," Dickinson notes. "He’s hands‑on as far as his schedule allows.
We meet every couple of months to review the accounts – he loves numbers. Even though he’s a minority shareholder, he never wants to run day‑to‑day operations.
He says, ‘I look at you, Jez, and you’re already stressed enough; I don’t want to add to that.’" Instead, Hearn raises the club’s aspirations simply by being involved. Dickinson says their meetings at Matchroom are “inspiring” and often leave him thinking, “let’s go for it.” He believes the psychological impact of Hearn’s commitment outweighs the raw financial input.
"It’s probably ten times as important as the money because his presence signals seriousness to potential partners. When I mention his five‑year pledge, sponsors feel confident – they know he doesn’t do things by halves and won’t abandon the project halfway through." Brentwood Town currently sit 18th in the Isthmian Premier Division after eight fixtures, drawing an average crowd of just under 700 supporters. The club’s strategic plan aims to boost attendance to 1,000 per game this season and eventually construct a 1,000‑seat stand.
However, the development hinges on finalising the purchase of the Brentwood Centre Arena, a prerequisite for any major infrastructure work. Looking ahead, Dickinson envisions the partnership propelling Brentwood up the English football pyramid.
"Barry committed to a five‑year partnership to take the club as high as possible. If we’re playing National League football in five years, that will be a massive success. Realistically, that’s the target – and after that, we’ll hope for another five‑year stretch. It shows the faith Matchroom has in us; now it’s up to us to deliver." In summary, Barry Hearn’s involvement with Brentwood Town illustrates how a high‑profile promoter can leverage both capital and credibility to uplift a grassroots club.
His hands‑off yet inspirational approach gives the chairman the confidence to pursue ambitious projects, from upgrading facilities to expanding the youth academy, while his reputation attracts sponsors who might otherwise overlook a non‑league side. As the partnership matures, Brentwood Town fans can anticipate a more professional environment, higher attendances, and perhaps, within the next half‑decade, a place in the National League, fulfilling a vision that began with a simple shirt sponsorship and a shared love for the beautiful game.