Barry Hearn is best known 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 combat and cue sports dominates headlines, his involvement in football is less publicised but equally compelling. In March 1995, a teenage Hearn, who first laid eyes on Leyton Orient when he was just 11, stepped in to rescue the club from the brink of insolvency.
He purchased the team for a symbolic £2.43 and set in motion a period of revitalisation. By 2007, three stands at Leyton Orient’s Brisbane Road had been rebuilt, and by 2012 Hearn had eliminated the club’s debt and poured roughly £8 million into its operations. 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.
Unfortunately, the club fell short, losing 4‑3 on penalties to Rotherham United at Wembley. Within two months of that disappointment, Hearn sold the club to Italian entrepreneur Francesco Becchetti.
After that episode Hearn spent nine years away from football, focusing on his myriad other business interests. Then, in July 2023, Matchroom entered a new chapter in grassroots football by sponsoring the home shirt of Brentwood Town, a modest Isthmian League North Division side located just 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.
"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," recalls Brentford chairman Jez Dickinson. "It was an entertaining game and Barry said afterwards, 'I'm never going to sit next to you again, Jez! Every time the ball went into the box, you were going up for a header and elbowing me in the side!' Barry is very much about passion and wearing his heart on his sleeve, so that's probably where we connected." Dickinson explains that after a few lunches, Hearn asked what he wanted.
"I said obviously I wanted him to get involved, but I wanted him to get involved because he wanted to get involved, not because I was asking him – and he said he'd do it," Dickinson says. While Hearn’s name naturally draws attention, it is Dickinson who has been the driving force since assuming the chairmanship in May 2019.
He describes the club’s condition at that time as having "no pathway for the youth into the first team," a bar that resembled a 1970s pub, and an ambition that was limited to simply staying in the league. Since then, Brentwood Town has made tangible progress. A brand‑new 3G pitch was installed in the summer of 2024, the side captured the Isthmian North Division title in the 2024‑25 season, and although they fell short in the subsequent play‑off final – a match that would have secured promotion to the National League South – the club’s trajectory is unmistakably upward. The club now operates a Centre of Excellence that accommodates 250 boys and girls aged six to twelve, a development Dickinson deems essential: "It's hollow if that isn't there." Dickinson has spent seven years laying the groundwork, and Hearn’s involvement promises to elevate the club to a new level.
The partnership works in a pragmatic yet inspirational manner. "I speak to him probably once a week, maybe twice, depending on what's happening," Dickinson notes. "He's hands‑on as much as his schedule allows. We sit down every couple of months, review the financials, and discuss progress.
He loves his numbers!" Even though Hearn is a minority shareholder, he deliberately avoids day‑to‑day management. "He looks at me and sees I'm already stressed enough – he doesn’t want any of that," Dickinson explains. Instead, Hearn’s presence raises the bar for what the club aspires to achieve.
Meetings at Matchroom are described as "quite inspiring" and leave Dickinson thinking, "let's go for it." He believes the impact of Hearn’s involvement is far more significant than the monetary contribution alone. "It’s probably ten times as important as the financial stuff he does – not that I don’t want the financial support, because that’s really important!" Hearn also serves as a powerful ambassador.
When Dickinson recently spoke to a potential sponsor, the sponsor replied that they were drawn in because Hearn had committed to a five‑year partnership and "doesn't do things by halves and won't give up easily." This confidence, Dickinson says, helps attract further partners and investors. On the pitch, Brentwood Town currently sit 18th in the Isthmian Premier Division after eight games, averaging just under 700 spectators per match. The club’s ambition is to push that figure to 1,000 this season, with plans for a 1,000‑seat stand already on the drawing board. However, the construction of the new stand hinges on the finalisation of the purchase of the Brentwood Centre Arena, a key piece of infrastructure for the club’s long‑term growth.
Looking ahead, Dickinson envisions the partnership with Hearn and Matchroom as a catalyst for sustained advancement. "Barry decided on a five‑year partnership to drive the club to the highest level of the pyramid possible.
Hopefully after those five years, there’ll be another five years! Realistically, if we're playing National League football in five years, that will be pretty successful for us. That would be excellent. It shows how much faith he and Matchroom have in us – it's down to us to deliver," he concludes.
The story of Barry Hearn’s involvement with Brentwood Town illustrates how a high‑profile promoter can bring more than capital to a non‑league side: he offers expertise, credibility, and a vision that can transform a modest community club into a contender for higher echelons of English football. The partnership underscores the potential for synergy between elite sport entrepreneurs and grassroots organisations, proving that with the right blend of passion, resources, and strategic planning, even the smallest clubs can dream big and work toward achieving those dreams. Play Super 6 for a chance to win £1m! Enter for free.