Dean Brennan (born 17 June 1980) is an Irish football manager, who is head coach of National League club Barnet.

Dean Brennan
Brennan in 2024
Personal information
Full name Dean Brennan
Date of birth (1980-06-17) 17 June 1980 (age 44)
Place of birth Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s) Winger / Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
Barnet (Head Coach)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2000 Sheffield Wednesday 0 (0)
2000 Bohemians 0 (0)
2000–2002 Luton Town 9 (0)
2002–2003 Hitchin Town 47 (20)
2003–2004 Stevenage Borough 17 (2)
2003–2004Hendon (loan) 4 (2)
2004–2005 Grays Athletic 45 (9)
2005–2006 Lewes 12 (2)
2006 Dunstable Town 3 (0)
2006 AFC Wimbledon 10 (0)
2006 Cambridge City 0 (0)
2006–2007 Chesham United ? (?)
2007 Hemel Hempstead Town 19 (1)
2007 Barton Rovers ? (?)
2007–2008 Halesowen Town 32 (22)
2008–2009 Corby Town 0 (0)
2009–2010 Aylesbury
2010–2011 Hemel Hempstead Town
2011–2012 Dunstable Town 40 (13)
Managerial career
2010 Hemel Hempstead Town (caretaker)
2012–2018 Hemel Hempstead Town
2018–2019 Billericay Town
2019 Kingstonian
2019–2021 Wealdstone
2021– Barnet
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

As a player he was a winger / attacking midfielder who played professionally for Sheffield Wednesday, Bohemians and Luton Town before spending the remainder of his career in the English non-league.

Playing career

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Brennan began his footballing career at Sheffield Wednesday but despite impressing at youth and reserve levels, he never made a first team appearance for the Owls. After being released by Wednesday in the summer of 2000, Brennan returned home to Ireland and went on trial at Bohemians. He made two appearances for the club in the FAI Super Cup but manager Roddy Collins decided not to sign the midfielder.

Brennan then went on trial at Luton Town and this time was more successful, earning a two-year contract at Kenilworth Road.[1] He made his debut for the club in a 2–1 defeat at Wigan Athletic soon after. However, he never became a regular first team choice and in 2002 moved to Hitchin Town.[2]

Luton would prove to be his last taste of League football as he drifted around the non-League scene with spells at Stevenage, Grays Athletic, Lewes, AFC Wimbledon, Cambridge City, Chesham United and Hemel Hempstead Town in the following years. In his brief spell with Wimbledon he earned the nickname "the Irish Beckham", a reference to his high quality crossing ability.[3] While at Grays he helped them win the 2004–05 FA Trophy.

Coaching career

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In August 2009, Brennan signed for Spartan South Midlands Football League Premier Division side Aylesbury.[4] In 2010, he rejoined Hemel Hempstead Town, and in March after the sacking of manager Gary Phillips, he was appointed as caretaker manager at the age of just 29.

Brennan began a second spell with Dunstable Town at the start of the 2011–12 season. He joined as player/coach and managed the team in cup ties. In May 2012 he rejoined Hemel Hempstead Town this time as manager.[5] He helped the Tudors to their highest ever finish (fourth in Southern League Premier Division) this meant that they had qualified for the playoffs. They reached the final against Gosport Borough, where they drew 2–2 which sent the game to penalties which was lost 5–4.

The following season saw promotion to the Conference South, after winning the Southern Premier League by 10 clear points.

After a disastrous start to their first season in the Conference South league, Hemel improved and eventually finished in a creditable 9th position, also reaching the First Round of the FA Cup where they lost at Bury 3–1.

The 2015–16 National League South season saw Brennan's Hemel narrowly miss out on the playoffs as Whitehawk pipped them on the final day to fifth place.

On 18 September 2018, Brennan and his assistant Stuart Maynard were appointed by team owner Glenn Tamplin as the managerial team at National League South side Billericay Town.[6] However, they both had their contracts terminated by Tamplin after less than four months in the job on Wednesday 16 January 2019.[7]

On 12 February 2019, Brennan was named as the new manager of Isthmian League Premier Division side Kingstonian. Stuart Maynard was also confirmed as the club's new assistant manager. However, on 16 March 2019, following a breakdown in relations with a club director over player liaison and team strategy, Brennan and Maynard re-evaluated their position and resigned after just five games in charge.[8]

On 21 May 2019, Brennan was named as the new manager of National League South side Wealdstone, with Stuart Maynard as his assistant manager.[9] In the shortened 2019–20 season, Brennan led the club to automatic promotion to the National League, as champions of the National League South. In December 2020, he turned down an approach from Barnet F.C. to be their manager. On 2 February 2021, Brennan resigned from his role at Wealdstone, with Maynard remaining at the club.[10]

Barnet

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On 10 June 2021, Brennan joined National League side Barnet in the Head of Football role with Harry Kewell taking on the role of Head Coach.[11]

On 20 September 2021, after Harry Kewell (former Head Coach) was dismissed from Barnet F.C. as Head Coach after having lost five and drawn two his seven games, Brennan was appointed as Caretaker Head Coach of the club.[12] On 17 February 2022, Brennan stepped back from his role of Head of Football instead becoming Head Coach on a permanent basis.[13]

The 2022–23 season saw Barnet in the play-off picture, ending 2022 in fifth position with Brennan being awarded with the National League Manager of the Month award for December[14] and a new contract until 2026.[15]

Barnet once again ended up in the play-offs during the 2023-24 season after finishing 2nd, as Brennan was named the National League Manager of the Month for April.[16] Following the conclusion of the season, Barnet confirmed that they had received an approach from Swindon Town however Brennan remained fully committed to the club.[17]

Managerial statistics

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As of 21 December 2024
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team Nat From To Record Ref
G W D L Win %
Hemel Hempstead Town (caretaker)   31 March 2010 30 June 2010 8 2 3 3 025.00 [18]
Hemel Hempstead Town   24 May 2012 17 September 2018 304 140 78 86 046.05 [18]
Billericay Town   18 September 2018 16 January 2019 23 10 5 8 043.48 [19]
Kingstonian   12 February 2019 16 March 2019 5 0 1 4 000.00 [20]
Wealdstone   21 May 2019 2 February 2021 60 32 9 19 053.33 [21]
Barnet   20 September 2021 Present 177 87 36 54 049.15 [22]
Total 577 271 132 174 046.97

References

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  1. ^ "Luton Town: Dean Brennan". Luton Town F.C. Archived from the original on 20 June 2010. Retrieved 6 February 2010.
  2. ^ "Club guide". The Daily Telegraph. London. 8 August 2002. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013.
  3. ^ "Player profiles: Dean Brennan". AFC Wimbledon. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2010.
  4. ^ "Aylesbury Football Club: Dean Brennan". Aylesbury F.C. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  5. ^ "Brennan Back at Tudor's Helm". NonLeagueDaily.com. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. ^ @hemelfc (18 September 2018). "Breaking news" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  7. ^ "Management Departure". 16 January 2019.
  8. ^ "Dean Brennan leaves Kingstonian".
  9. ^ "Wealdstone FC appoint Dean Brennan as manager". 21 May 2019.
  10. ^ "Club Statement: Dean Brennan". Wealdstone FC. 2 February 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  11. ^ "Brennan and Kewell to spearhead new era at The Hive London". barnetfc.com. 10 June 2021. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  12. ^ "Harry Kewell: Barnet sack manager after seven winless games in charge". BBC Sport. 20 September 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  13. ^ "A message from Dean Brennan". barnetfc.com. 17 February 2022.
  14. ^ "Let's Meet December's Big National League Award Winners!". thenationalleague.org.uk. 9 January 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  15. ^ "Contract extension for Dean Brennan". barnetfc.com. 5 January 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  16. ^ "April's All-Stars Claim The National League Honours - The Vanarama National League". www.thenationalleague.org.uk. 30 April 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  17. ^ "CLUB STATEMENT | DEAN BRENNAN". www.barnetfc.com. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  18. ^ a b "Hemel Hempstead Town FC: Matches". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  19. ^ "Billericay Town FC: Matches". Perform Group. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  20. ^ "Kingstonian FC: Matches". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  21. ^ "Wealdstone FC: Matches". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  22. ^ "Barnet FC: Matches". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
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