BRENNAN JUST COULDN’T SAY NO TO ‘RICAY

DEAN Brennan says he couldn’t turn down the opportunity to manage Billericay Town – and now wants to emulate the successful model he created at Hemel Hempstead Town.

The 38-year-old revolutionised Hemel in his six years at the club, lifting them from the Southern League to the National League South play-offs, and an FA Cup first round.

The club gave Brennan his chance to move into management following a playing career with the likes of Hitchin Town, Stevenage, Grays Athletic and Halesowen Town which he will be forever thankful for.

“It’s like breaking up with your wife,” the Irishman told The NLP on his decision to move on and sign a three-year contract at Billericay. “The Hemel chairman, Dave Boggins, has been unbelievable to me. He gave a 31-year-old lad who had never managed an opportunity. I think I’ve paid him back with the success there.

“I’ve left a brilliantly structured football club. We sold players, we’ve won titles, we’ve challenged for the play-offs in the National League South, we created an academy, we setup a scouting structure. I’d like to thank him and his wife Emily for everything they’ve done for me.

“It was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down. It’s a very ambitious football club, very ambitious owner and we hit it off straight away.” Owner Glenn Tamplin sacked manager Harry Wheeler after the club’s first defeat this season and has since been in joint charge of the first team.

Tamplin confirmed on the club’s website he would be selling 50 per cent of Billericay and will stay in the dugout as Brennan’s assistant, with Stuart Maynard who has also joined from Hemel.

“What I liked about Glenn was that he was honest and was blunt,” said Brennan, who beat 13 other interviewees to land the job. “I can see he’s a good guy but I understand he’s a business man and needs to be ruthless.

“I don’t look into the past; I’m not that type of person. I judge people by who they are, I was brought up that way, and I think that’s very important.

“At the end of the day, if I don’t do the business, I lose my job, that’s the nature of the beast. That’s from the Premier League down to Step 7. That’s life and football.

“If the owner wants to be around the football, he can be around it. Once we work together, I control the football, that’s what was agreed and put in writing.”