Barnet head coach, Dean Brennan, is facing charges for allegedly making sexist remarks towards referee Kirsty Dowle during a match against Shrewsbury Town in September. If found guilty, Brennan could receive a ban of up to six matches. The incident occurred when Dowle showed Brennan a red card for dissent in the first half, leading to an angry reaction from the coach. Dowle documented Brennan’s comments in her report, prompting an FA investigation that resulted in the charge.
In an announcement on Wednesday, the FA stated that Brennan has been charged with breaching FA Rule E3 for his behavior towards the match official during the League Two fixture. The charge alleges that Brennan acted improperly and/or used abusive and/or insulting language towards the referee, with an “Aggravated Breach” involving a reference to gender. Brennan has until December 9 to respond to the allegations.
While cases of alleged sexist comments are uncommon, there have been previous incidents, including one involving Dorking Wanderers head coach and owner, Marc White, who received a six-match ban for a similar offense. The FA introduced a minimum five-match ban for discriminatory language in 2013, which was increased to six matches in 2019. Sanctions for such offenses can vary based on aggravating or mitigating factors.
Despite the controversy, Barnet currently holds the fourteenth position in League Two, having lost only two games since the incident with Shrewsbury Town. The team’s next EFL fixture is scheduled for December 9 against Bristol Rovers, coinciding with Brennan’s deadline to respond to the FA charge. Brennan joined Barnet as head coach in September 2021, following Harry Kewell’s departure. The team is not participating in the FA Cup this weekend.