Former Sheffield Wednesday academy product Dean Brennan is in talks with League Two outfit Swindon Town to become the club’s next manager, according to the latest reports.
The Irishman never made an appearance for Sheffield Wednesday but went on to play for clubs such as Luton Town, Stevenage and AFC Wimbledon before retiring in 2012 and making the next step in his career by going into coaching.
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Brennan has managed the likes of Hemel Hempstead Town, Billericay Town and Wealdstone before being appointed as the head coach at non-league club Barnet in 2021, taking over from Champions League-winner Harry Kewell early into the 2021/22 campaign.
In his first season in charge, Brennan led the Bees to an 18th-place finish in the National League before guiding the London club to the play-offs in his second season in charge. Unfortunately, Barnet lost to Boreham Wood in the quarter-finals.
Nevertheless, this season, Brennan’s men finished second, but as is the cruelty of the play-offs in England’s fifth tier, Barnet missed out on promotion to the English Football League once more following a heavy defeat to Solihull Moors in the semi-final.
Now, Brennan is being linked with a move away from the club. According to the Swindon Advertiser, Swindon Town are in discussions with the 43-year-old about becoming the next manager at the County Ground to succeed interim boss Gavin Gunning.
It is unclear whether or not Gunning will stay on should his compatriot be appointed as the new manager of the Robins, having been caretaker manager since Michael Flynn was relieved of his duties in mid-January.
Writer’s View
This could be a good appointment by Swindon, bringing in a manager who has had relative success in one of the hardest divisions to get promoted from, following the pathway of Notts County who signed Stuart Maynard earlier in the season. Coincidentally, Maynard was assistant manager to Brennan during his time at Wealdstone.
Barnet were one of the league’s great entertainers this season, boasting the second-best attacking record in the National League, so Swindon can expect exciting football if the former Sheffield Wednesday man takes over this summer.
Deputy Head of Writing