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.
Denne historien er fra December 27, 2020-utgaven av The Non-League Football Paper.
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Denne historien er fra December 27, 2020-utgaven av The Non-League Football Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
CRAIG'S BOOSTS
MANAGERIAL stalwart Craig Edwards is back in charge of Barking – 23 years after he left!
LENNIE GETS THE LOVE
VETERAN caretaker chief Lennie Lawrence says he is “excited” to be handed the reins at Hartlepool United permanently – just a few weeks before his 77th birthday!
MOTORS FEELS LIKE HOLMES!
WHEN he was younger, Danny Holmes played video games that simulated being a football manager.
REES HITS FAB FOUR AS TOWN ROMP IT
RICARDO REES struck four times to help Merthyr Town maintain their spot at the top of the table with a dominant home win against play-off chasing Havant & Waterlooville.
DULWICH DISPLAY DELIGHTS COACHES
GOALS from Danny Mills, Luke Wanadio and Lorenzo’s stoppage-time finish fired Dulwich Hamlet to a comfortable win over fellow play-off hopefuls Potters Bar Town, though the scoreline doesn’t tell the full story.
ANCHORS A RAPID
ASHTON UNITED hit two goals in two minutes to come from behind to win at Stockton Town.
SEAGULLS KEEP THE HEAT ON ROMANS
BATH City were made to pay for their mistakes by high-flying Weston-super-Mare.
CLINICAL COLEMAN KEEN AS MUSTARD
CIAN COLEMAN’S hat-trick lifted Buxton to their highest league position of the season as they became the latest side to frustrate Scunthorpe.
KEV SEES RED IN REE PANT!
SOUTHEND United boss Kevin Maher hit out at referee Abigail Byrne following his side’s defeat to Yeovil Town at Roots Hall.
MARVEL MATTY DENIES MOORS
BOTH managers insisted their teams deserved more after Altrincham came from behind to steal a point in a six-goal thriller at Solihull Moors.