Dulwich Hamlet 1-2 VCD Athletic
Champion Hill
Att: 1324
07/12/15
PDM first came across this curios club in Pink and Blue a few seasons back at Godalming. My main memory is of the group of 5 or 6 behind the goal singing non-stop, but all the same they were the same as 99% of teams we seem. Fast forward 2 years and I'd be watching them once more. This time at Kingstonian, where it was obvious there was something different. 200 fans from South London had turned up, still rowdy, and marked by a protest at the end of the game where THAT photo of a Dulwich fan hoisting two fingers to a photographer was taken. It wasn't just that though, it was the odd mix of supporters that they'd attracted.
As I looked through Twitter and other blogs I came to see the new approach being taken, not necessarily by the club, but indeed their supporters. Many sites list them as 'hipsters'. Through twitter I'd see that fans, particularly from the infamous Rabble, took it upon themselves to promote the local community and adopting a new mentality. Indeed, the matchday experience at Dulwich is something teams should start taking note of. Especially when considering that this season they're averaging 968 fans at home, including 2,800 (a record attendance) against Hampton. Not long ago averages hovered around the 200 mark.
From East Dulwich station you can see the floodlights, with the ground a 5 minute walk through the park. Fans were milling about even an hour or so before kick off, with Matt and I joining the queue into the ground. Outside buckets were on hand to raise money for charity, with the club promoting International Women's Day, we made our way in to have a first look of the ground. Unlike the former stadium on the site, this is less majestic in that, all focus is immediately drawn to the elevated stand along one side, with 'DHFC' proudly emblazoned into the wall behind. In here we went and I looked at the bar. The choice was wonderful. Locally sourced ale, Hamlet lager or Amstel. Ok, Amstel not so wonderful, but it was a decent club house with a wide selection.
Hamlet lager in hand we next went to the wonderfully named 'Mega Shed' where we felt it rude not to purchase a souvenier. I'd opt for the double sided scarf, with the back proudly proclaiming 'We've already won the morale victory', while Matt opted for the more traditional Pink and Blue scarf. Taking our place on the terrace our attention waned, I remarked to Matt how it was like we were stood in another country waiting for a game. Firstly, I'd seen that everywhere was stickers. This was brilliant, an english ground filled with stickers. But if that wasn't good enough, as fans began arriving the range of lager grew became more exotic. Red Stripe, Tyskie, Erdinger and several brands I'd not heard of were seen. People carried trays full of pint glasses in scenes not seen since I last graced the Rat Verlagh.
As the game wore on, my view of this was cemented (Not least by one song having German lyrics and several fans wearing Altona '93 merch because of their friendship) that this was how Dulwich were attracting new fans. Instead of maintaining the 'this is england, this is how we do things' mentality, they'd taken what what many moaned is missing and offered it on a plate. Literally, in the form of Bratwürst. This was a slice of the european experience in South London, tailored towards English needs. A solution so simple, yet so lacking from so many clubs. A sense of feeling that you're not another number through the turnstile, but are actually wanted there.
For the sake of non-bias, I will agree with some arguments that the politics of some fans iis unnecessary, although beyond the odd sticker/flag it wasn't very prominent. I've seen a lot worse. And yes, there may be fans that are there purely because it's trendy, but until you get them through the gate how do you know that they'll never come back?
We enjoyed it, so much so that I'll definitely be back, and more than likely see them away from home before the end of the season. If this makes me a Football Hipster, then so be it.
As I looked through Twitter and other blogs I came to see the new approach being taken, not necessarily by the club, but indeed their supporters. Many sites list them as 'hipsters'. Through twitter I'd see that fans, particularly from the infamous Rabble, took it upon themselves to promote the local community and adopting a new mentality. Indeed, the matchday experience at Dulwich is something teams should start taking note of. Especially when considering that this season they're averaging 968 fans at home, including 2,800 (a record attendance) against Hampton. Not long ago averages hovered around the 200 mark.
From East Dulwich station you can see the floodlights, with the ground a 5 minute walk through the park. Fans were milling about even an hour or so before kick off, with Matt and I joining the queue into the ground. Outside buckets were on hand to raise money for charity, with the club promoting International Women's Day, we made our way in to have a first look of the ground. Unlike the former stadium on the site, this is less majestic in that, all focus is immediately drawn to the elevated stand along one side, with 'DHFC' proudly emblazoned into the wall behind. In here we went and I looked at the bar. The choice was wonderful. Locally sourced ale, Hamlet lager or Amstel. Ok, Amstel not so wonderful, but it was a decent club house with a wide selection.
Hamlet lager in hand we next went to the wonderfully named 'Mega Shed' where we felt it rude not to purchase a souvenier. I'd opt for the double sided scarf, with the back proudly proclaiming 'We've already won the morale victory', while Matt opted for the more traditional Pink and Blue scarf. Taking our place on the terrace our attention waned, I remarked to Matt how it was like we were stood in another country waiting for a game. Firstly, I'd seen that everywhere was stickers. This was brilliant, an english ground filled with stickers. But if that wasn't good enough, as fans began arriving the range of lager grew became more exotic. Red Stripe, Tyskie, Erdinger and several brands I'd not heard of were seen. People carried trays full of pint glasses in scenes not seen since I last graced the Rat Verlagh.
As the game wore on, my view of this was cemented (Not least by one song having German lyrics and several fans wearing Altona '93 merch because of their friendship) that this was how Dulwich were attracting new fans. Instead of maintaining the 'this is england, this is how we do things' mentality, they'd taken what what many moaned is missing and offered it on a plate. Literally, in the form of Bratwürst. This was a slice of the european experience in South London, tailored towards English needs. A solution so simple, yet so lacking from so many clubs. A sense of feeling that you're not another number through the turnstile, but are actually wanted there.
For the sake of non-bias, I will agree with some arguments that the politics of some fans iis unnecessary, although beyond the odd sticker/flag it wasn't very prominent. I've seen a lot worse. And yes, there may be fans that are there purely because it's trendy, but until you get them through the gate how do you know that they'll never come back?
We enjoyed it, so much so that I'll definitely be back, and more than likely see them away from home before the end of the season. If this makes me a Football Hipster, then so be it.