DEAN SHOWS A LEAP OF FAITH

A FRESHER TAKE ON NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL

- David RICHARDSON

DEAN Brennan had suddenly ended up on the football scrapheap in March 2019.

The Irishman had forged a good reputation in NonLeague for his six-year spell at Hemel Hempstead Town – and then it all went wrong.

Brennan, a midfielder for many lower-league sides such as Luton Town, Hitchin Town, and Stevenage Borough, re-joined Hemel in 2012 to become a manager after a brief stint as caretaker two year earlier aged 29.

In his first season he led them to the Southern Premier League play-off final where they lost on penalties to Gosport Borough – the previous season the club had finished 19th, avoiding relegation only on goal difference.

The following year they won the title with 102 points, ten ahead of Chesham United in second, to reach National League South and the highest level the club had played at.

Highly respectable 9th, 6th, 12th place finishes followed along with an FA Cup first-round appearance before a defeat to Braintree Town in the 2018 play-offs.