Kevin Dennis

Dennis began his career in the academy at Premier League club Arsenal, before being released and signing a three-month contract with Second Division club Brentford during the 1996 off-season.^[3] He made the first senior appearance of his career as a 75th-minute substitute for Carl Asaba in a 2–0 defeat to Crewe Alexandra on 12 October 1996.^[4] Dennis broke into the team during the latter part of the 1996–97 season and made one appearance in the Bees' unsuccessful play-off campaign.^[5] He made just six appearances during 1997–98 and after the club's relegation to the Third Division at the end of the season,^[6] he signed a new one-year contract.^[7] Dennis was an unused substitute on one occasion during the 1998–99 season and was released in May 1999.^[5][8] Dennis made 21 appearances and scored no goals during three seasons at Griffin Park.^[5]

During the 1998–99 season, Dennis spent time on loan from Brentford at non-League clubs Chesham United and Welling United.^[8] In 1999, he briefly joined Isthmian League Premier Division club Hampton & Richmond Borough on a free transfer and then returned to Conference club Welling United,^[9] for whom he played until December 1999.^[8]

In February 1994, Dennis was convicted of manslaughter together with his brother, after the duo stabbed 20-year-old Simon Geary to death in the Highbury neighbourhood.^[10] In 2001, he was found guilty of the 1999 murder of 23-year-old Batatunde Oba in a fight at an Ealing nightspot.^[11] The conviction was later overturned on appeal.^[12]