Dan Tana 1935-2025 | OneFootball

All at Brentford are deeply saddened by the passing of former club chair Dan Tana.

Born in Čibutkovica, Yugoslavia (modern day Serbia), Tana grew up in Belgrade and later moved to London in 1973.

A striker with Red Star Belgrade, Anderlecht, Hannover and Montreal, he stated: “I felt I had more to give to the game and to do that I had to be in a soccer culture. Football was calling me home."

Having attended regular football gatherings, Tana met then-Brentford manager Frank Bluntstone and was subsequently asked to join the club’s board, purchasing five shares at 50p each.

At that time, the Bees were at the bottom of the Fourth Division (now League Two).

Tana, one of the most important and influential figures in the Brentford’s post-war history, helped stabilise the club and later became chair.

Under his stewardship, Brentford earned promotion to the Third Division at the end of the 1977/78 season alongside manager Bill Dodgin Jr.

He remained involved with the club until 2002, when he resigned from the board.

Away from Brentford and his long-standing association with Red Star Belgrade, Tana was a highly-successful restaurateur, best known for being the proprietor of an eponymous restaurant, Dan Tana's, in West Hollywood, California.

He was also an actor and film producer.

Everyone at Brentford would like to pass on their condolences to Dan’s family and friends at this very sad time.