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 recognizable promoters in the global sport arena. While his work in combat and cue sports dominates headlines, his involvement in football is less widely reported but no less 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 schoolboy. He purchased the struggling side for the symbolic sum of £2.43, effectively pulling it out of the brink of bankruptcy. Over the next decade, Hearn poured substantial resources into the club: by 2007 three stands at Brisbane Road had been rebuilt, and by 2012 the club was debt‑free after an estimated £8 million of investment. The 2013‑14 season saw Orient reach the League One play‑off final, a chance to ascend to the Championship, only to lose 4‑3 on penalties to Rotherham at Wembley.
Two months later Hearn sold the club to Italian businessman Francesco Becchetti, marking the end of his first football chapter. For nine years Hearn focused on his other ventures, but his passion for the beautiful game never waned. In July 2023, Matchroom became the sponsor of the home shirt of Brentwood Town, a modest Isthmian League North Division team 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 Brentwood chairman Jez Dickinson. "It was an entertaining match 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 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 engine of change since becoming chairman 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 limited to merely 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 clinched the Isthmian North Division title in the 2024‑25 season, and although they fell short in the play‑off final that would have secured promotion to the National League South, the club now boasts a Centre of Excellence with 250 boys and girls aged six to twelve. "It's hollow if that isn't there," Dickinson notes, emphasizing the importance of a strong youth pipeline.
Dickinson has spent seven years laying the groundwork, and Hearn's involvement is seen as the catalyst that could elevate the club to the next tier. "I speak to him probably once a week, maybe twice, depending on what's happening," Dickinson says. "He's hands‑on as much as his schedule allows. We sit down every couple of months, review the financials – he loves his numbers!" Although Hearn holds a minority share, 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. "What he does is raise the bar, subconsciously, for what I want to achieve. A catch‑up at Matchroom is inspiring – you walk away thinking, 'let's go for it.' It's probably ten times more important than the financial input, though the money is crucial too." Hearn also serves as a powerful ambassador. When Dickinson approached a prospective partner, the prospect said they were attracted by Hearn's five‑year commitment, noting that "he doesn't do things by halves and won't give up easily." This confidence, Dickinson believes, helps attract further sponsorship and community support.
On the pitch, Brentwood Town currently sit 18th in the Isthmian Premier Division after eight games, drawing just under 700 fans per match. The club's ambition is to push attendance to the 1,000‑mark this season, with plans for a 1,000‑seat stand contingent on finalising the purchase of the Brentwood Centre Arena. Looking ahead, Dickinson envisions the partnership propelling Brentwood as far up the football pyramid as possible. "Barry decided on a five‑year partnership to drive the club to the highest level of the pyramid we can reach.
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.
It shows how much faith he and Matchroom have in us – it's down to us to deliver," he says. In summary, Barry Hearn's involvement with Brentwood Town illustrates how a seasoned promoter can bring more than just capital to a grassroots club. His reputation, strategic insight, and willingness to be an engaged, albeit minority, stakeholder are already reshaping the club's ambitions, infrastructure, and community profile. As the partnership matures, Brentwood Town hopes to translate that momentum into on‑field success, higher attendances, and perhaps, in the not‑too‑distant future, a place in the National League.
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