Barry Hearn is widely recognised 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 familiar faces in global sport promotion.
While his work in combat sports is well documented, his involvement in football is less publicised but no less fascinating. In March 1995, Hearn rescued Leyton Orient— a club he had first watched as an eleven‑year‑old— from the brink of liquidation by purchasing it for the symbolic sum of £2.43.
Over the next twelve years he oversaw a massive transformation of the club’s infrastructure. By 2007 three sides of Brisbane Road had been completely rebuilt, and by 2012 the club was debt‑free after Hearn reportedly poured around £8 million into it.
The 2013/14 season saw Orient reach the League One play‑off final, where they narrowly missed promotion to the Championship after a 4‑3 penalty shoot‑out defeat to Rotherham at Wembley. Only two months later Hearn sold the club to Italian entrepreneur Francesco Becchetti. After a nine‑year hiatus from football, Hearn returned to the grassroots game in a different capacity.
In July 2023 Matchroom became the shirt sponsor of Brentwood Town, an Isthmian League North Division side located just three miles from the Matchroom headquarters. The following year Hearn took a minority shareholding in the club, and during the summer a five‑year partnership, described as "a significant investment," was formally 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," explains Brentwood chairman Jez Dickinson. "It was an entertaining match and Barry later said, '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 adds that after a few lunches, Hearn asked what he wanted from the partnership. "I told him I wanted him involved because he wanted to be involved, not because I asked him," Dickinson recalls.
"He agreed straight away." While Hearn’s name naturally draws attention, Dickinson has been the driving force behind Brentford's recent progress since taking over as chairman in May 2019. When he arrived, the club lacked a clear pathway for youth players to reach the first team, the clubhouse resembled a 1970s pub, and the ambition was simply to avoid relegation. Since then, a brand‑new 3G pitch was installed in the summer of 2024, the side clinched the Isthmian North Division title in 2024/25, and although they fell short in the play‑off final that would have secured promotion to the National League South, the foundations have been firmly laid.
A key part of that foundation is the Centre of Excellence, now home to 250 boys and girls aged six to twelve. "It's hollow if that isn't there," Dickinson says, underscoring the club’s commitment to developing local talent. Over seven years he has built the structural and cultural base, and Hearn’s involvement offers the opportunity to elevate the project to a new level. The partnership operates on a relatively informal yet focused basis.
"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.
Every couple of months we sit down, review the financials and assess progress. He loves his numbers." Although Hearn holds a minority share, he deliberately stays out of day‑to‑day management.
"He looks at me and sees I’m already stressed enough, so he doesn’t want to add to that," Dickinson explains. "His role is more about raising the bar subconsciously. When we meet at Matchroom, it’s inspiring – you leave thinking, ‘let’s go for it.’" Dickinson believes the impact of Hearn’s presence extends far beyond the financial injection. "It’s probably ten times as important as the money because his reputation gives confidence to potential partners.
When I spoke to a prospective sponsor, they said they were keen precisely because Barry is committing to five years and doesn’t do things by halves. That creates trust and makes other organisations want to get involved." On the pitch, Brentwood currently sit 18th in the Isthmian Premier Division after eight games, drawing an average attendance of just under 700 fans. The club’s ambition is to push that figure to 1,000 by season’s end.
Plans are already in motion for a 1,000‑seat stand, but the development hinges on finalising the purchase of the Brentwood Centre Arena, a critical piece of infrastructure for future growth. Looking ahead, Dickinson envisions the partnership propelling Brentwood up the English football pyramid.
"Barry signed a five‑year deal to take the club as high as possible. Ideally, after five years we’ll be playing in the National League. If that happens, it will be a massive success.
And then we’ll look to extend the partnership for another five years." In summary, Barry Hearn’s entry into non‑league football mirrors his earlier successes in larger‑scale sports: a combination of strategic investment, brand‑building, and genuine passion for the game. By aligning his high‑profile reputation with Brentwood Town’s grassroots ethos, the partnership aims to transform a modest community club into a competitive force capable of climbing the football ladder, while simultaneously fostering youth development and strengthening community ties.
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