Barry Hearn is most famous 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 identifiable promoters in global sport. While his work in combat sports is well‑documented, his football ventures are less widely known, yet they are equally compelling. In March 1995, a teenage Hearn, who had first watched Leyton Orient play when he was 11, stepped in to rescue the club from the brink of insolvency.
He purchased the team for a symbolic £2.43, effectively saving it from bankruptcy. Over the next decade, Hearn oversaw a massive redevelopment of Leyton Orient’s home ground, Brisbane Road.
By 2007 three sides of the stadium had been rebuilt, and by 2012 he had eliminated all outstanding debt and poured roughly £8 million into the club. The 2013‑14 season saw Orient reach the League One play‑off final, a rare opportunity to ascend to the second tier of English football, only to lose 4‑3 on penalties to Rotherham United at Wembley. Just two months later, Hearn sold the club to Italian entrepreneur Francesco Becchetti, stepping away from football for nine years while his other business interests kept him busy.
Hearn’s next football involvement emerged in July 2023 when Matchroom agreed to sponsor the home shirt of Brentwood Town, a modest side competing in the Isthmian League North Division and located merely three miles from the Matchroom headquarters. The partnership deepened the following year when Hearn acquired a minority shareholding in the club, and in the summer of 2024 a five‑year agreement – described as a "significant investment" – was announced. According to Brentwood chairman Jez Dickinson, the initial connection was almost serendipitous. "We were playing a charity match for Saint Francis Hospice, a cause Barry supports, and he sat next to me.
After the game he joked, ‘I’ll never sit next to you again, Jez – you keep heading for the box and elbowing me!’ His passion and openness resonated with me, and after a few lunches he asked what I wanted. I told him I wanted his involvement because he wanted to be involved, not because I asked.
He agreed on the spot." While Hearn’s name naturally draws attention, Dickinson has been the driving force behind Brentford Town’s recent revival since becoming chairman in May 2019. He describes the club’s condition before his tenure as lacking a clear pathway for youth players, having a bar that resembled a 1970s pub, and possessing only the ambition to avoid relegation. Under his leadership, a brand‑new 3G pitch was installed in the summer of 2024, the team captured the Isthmian North Division title in the 2024‑25 season, and they narrowly missed promotion after losing a play‑off final that would have taken them into the National League South.
The club now boasts a Centre of Excellence that serves 250 boys and girls aged six to twelve, a development Dickinson insists is essential for any sustainable football project. He has spent seven years laying the groundwork, and Hearn’s involvement is seen as the catalyst that could elevate Brentwood to a higher tier.
When asked how the partnership functions, Dickinson explains, "I speak to Barry perhaps once or twice a week, depending on what’s happening. He’s as hands‑on as his schedule allows. Every few months we sit down to review the finances – he loves numbers.
Though he owns a minority stake, he doesn’t want to run the day‑to‑day operations. He says, ‘I see you, Jez, already stressed enough; I don’t want to add to that.’" Dickinson adds that Hearn’s presence raises the club’s aspirations, even if the financial contribution is modest. "Our meetings at Matchroom are inspiring – you leave thinking, ‘let’s go for it.’ That psychological boost is probably ten times more valuable than the cash itself. He’s also a fantastic ambassador.
Potential partners are more willing to engage because Barry commits for five years and never does things halfway. It builds confidence." Brentwood currently sit 18th in the Isthmian Premier Division after eight games, drawing just under 700 spectators per match. The club’s goal is to push attendance past the 1,000 mark this season, with plans for a 1,000‑seat stand awaiting the finalisation of the Brentwood Centre Arena purchase. Looking ahead, Dickinson believes the five‑year partnership is designed to propel Brentwood as far up the football pyramid as possible.
"Barry’s aim is to take us to the highest level we can reach. If we’re playing National League football in five years, that will be a massive success.
After that, we hope for another five‑year stretch. The faith he and Matchroom have shown is huge; delivering on it is now on us." In summary, Barry Hearn’s foray into non‑league football mirrors his earlier successes: a blend of strategic investment, personal passion, and an ability to inspire those around him. By aligning his brand with Brentwood Town, he provides not only financial backing but also a powerful endorsement that could transform a modest community club into a competitive force within the English football hierarchy.
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