Barnet’s manager, Dean Brennan, could be banned for six matches after becoming the first EFL manager to be charged by the Football Association with making sexist comments towards a referee. Brennan has been charged with an aggravated breach of FA rule E3.1 for offensive remarks allegedly made to Kirsty Dowle during Barnet’s League Two defeat against Shrewsbury in September.
Brennan was sent off by Dowle for dissent midway through the first half, which is understood to have triggered an angry response from the manager. Dowle noted Brennan’s comments in her post-match report, triggering an FA investigation, which has concluded with the charge.
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Brennan is alleged to have acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words towards Dowle. He has been charged with aggravated breach for allegedly making reference to her gender.
The Dorking owner and manager, Marc White, was given a six-match touchline ban last summer for offensive remarks about women he made on a podcast. On Under the Cosh podcast before a National League South fixture, White said: “More women refs now, so you have to pay a bit more respect, do you know what I mean? You have to pay a bit more respect, like help them park.” The FA charged White with an aggravated breach of rule E3.1 in May and a six-game ban was imposed the following month.
In 2013 the FA introduced a minimum five‑match ban for proven cases of discrimination after the Luis Suárez and Patrice Evra racism case, with the tariff increased to six games in 2019. The minimum sanction applies to offences involving racism, homophobia or any other form of discriminatory language or behaviour. The ban can be increased depending on aggravating factors or reduced if there are strong mitigating factors.
The FA declined to comment. Barnet FC were approached for comment.
