Brentford charity and academy thrive as legacy of technical director Death of Rob Rowan at 28 in 2018 shocked the club and prompted them to help set up a heart health charity.
“I remember celebrating the header from Mads Bech Sørensen’s long throw against Arsenal in our first Premier League match and it felt like Rob was sitting next to me,” says the Brentford director Nity Raj.
He had been promoted to that role after almost four years at the club, mostly as the head of football operations, but nine months later, in November 2018, the former Celtic scout had a fatal cardiomyopathy episode – similar to a heart attack.
Rowan had been tipped for a long and successful career in football after becoming Brentford’s technical director at the age of 28.
In partnership with the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals Charity, Resuscitation Council UK and several other local organisations, it aims to increase awareness of cardiac health issues and ensure everyone has the skills to save a life.
