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 contributions to combat sports are well documented, his involvement in football is less publicised yet equally fascinating. In March 1995, a young Barry Hearn—who had first laid eyes on Leyton Orient when he was just eleven—stepped in to rescue the club from the brink of insolvency.
He purchased the struggling side for a symbolic £2.43, a transaction that would later be remembered as a turning point for the East London team. Over the next decade, Hearn invested heavily in the club’s infrastructure. By 2007, three stands at Brisbane Road had been completely rebuilt, and by 2012 he had cleared all outstanding debts and poured roughly £8 million of his own money into the operation. The 2013‑14 season saw Orient reach the League One play‑off final, offering a rare opportunity to ascend to the Championship.
Unfortunately, the club fell short, losing a dramatic penalty shoot‑out 4‑3 to Rotherham United at Wembley. Just two months later, Hearn sold the club to Italian businessman Francesco Becchetti, stepping away from football for nine years while he continued to dominate the world of combat sports. His return to the beautiful game came in July 2023, when Matchroom agreed to sponsor the home shirts of Brentwood Town, a modest Isthmian League North Division side situated only three miles from the Matchroom headquarters. The following year Hearn deepened his involvement by acquiring a minority shareholding in the club, and earlier this summer a five‑year partnership was announced, accompanied by what the club described as "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 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 recounts that after a few lunches, Hearn asked what he wanted from the partnership. "I said I wanted him to get involved because he wanted to get involved, not because I was asking him," Dickinson says, adding that Hearn immediately agreed.
Although Hearn’s name naturally draws attention, Dickinson has been the driving force behind Brentford Town’s recent resurgence since taking the chairman’s seat in May 2019. He observed that before his tenure there was "no pathway for the youth into the first team," the club bar resembled a 1970s pub, and the ambition was simply "to stay in the league." Under his stewardship the club installed a brand‑new 3G pitch in the summer of 2024, captured the Isthmian North Division title in the 2024‑25 season, and narrowly missed promotion after losing a play‑off final that would have taken them to the National League South.
A key part of the club’s long‑term vision is its Centre of Excellence, which now accommodates around 250 boys and girls aged six to twelve. "It's hollow if that isn't there," Dickinson stresses, underscoring the importance of a strong youth pipeline for a sustainable future. Dickinson has spent the past seven years laying a solid foundation, and Hearn’s involvement is seen as the catalyst that could elevate the club to a new level.
"I speak to him probably once a week, maybe twice, depending on what’s happening," Dickinson notes. "He’s hands‑on as far as his availability allows. We sit down every couple of months, review the financials and discuss progress.
He loves his numbers!" Although Hearn holds a minority share, he makes it clear he does not wish to run day‑to‑day operations. "I look at you, Jez, and you’re stressed enough. I don’t want any of that!" he told Dickinson. Instead, his influence is more subtle: by being associated with a high‑profile figure, the bar for what the club can achieve is automatically raised.
"We’ll have a catch‑up at Matchroom and it is quite inspiring; you walk away thinking, ‘let’s go for it,’" Dickinson explains. He believes this psychological boost is perhaps ten times more valuable than any direct financial injection. Hearn also serves as a powerful ambassador for Brentwood Town.
When Dickinson recently approached a potential sponsor, the prospect replied that they were keen because Hearn’s five‑year commitment signaled seriousness and durability. "If he’s committing to five years, he doesn’t do things by halves and won’t give up easily. It creates confidence with us and people looking to be partners," Dickinson adds. On the pitch, Brentwood Town currently sit 18th in the Isthmian Premier Division after eight games, drawing average crowds of just under 700 spectators.
The club’s ambition is to push that figure to 1,000 by season’s end, a target that dovetails with plans for a new 1,000‑seat stand. However, the construction of the stand is contingent on finalising the purchase of the Brentwood Centre Arena, a piece of property that will serve as a hub for future growth. Looking ahead, Dickinson envisions the partnership with Hearn and Matchroom as a springboard toward higher tiers of English football. "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. In summary, Barry Hearn’s foray into non‑league football mirrors his earlier successes in snooker and boxing: a combination of strategic investment, genuine passion, and a willingness to raise standards across the board. For Brentwood Town, his partnership represents not just financial backing but a vote of confidence that could transform a modest community club into a competitive force within the English football pyramid. Play Super 6 for a chance to win £1m!
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