Dulwich Hamlet are breaking the confines of the traditional stereotypes attached to an English football team.
You will not hear the same vitriolic chants or threats of violence that too often ring out around English stadiums, nor will you find a crowd only consisting of belligerent adult men.
Gone are the overpriced pints of tepid name brand lager and pies that often leave you questioning what is contained within the trappings of that soggy pastry.
Instead, Champion Hill, home of the Hamlet, has shed those outdated tropes and feels rejuvenated.
The Rabble (Dulwich Hamlet’s fans) now consist of not just football obsessed men, but football obsessed women and children too.
In a quest to learn more about the Hamlet, the Rabble and what sparked the change in attitudes, SWL spoke to the head of the Dulwich Hamlet Supporters Trust, Tim Scott.
Scott said: “It doesn’t matter what your background is, whether you’re black or white, lesbian, gay or straight. Everyone stands next to each other for the love of the club – that’s what we’re united over.”
The conscious effort to be more inclusive has led to Dulwich hosting the first ever game of a full XI made up of transgender women versus a team of cisgender women, becoming the first non-league team to wear Rainbow Laces and hosting Stonewall FC, the UK’s most successful all-gay football club.
Dulwich Hamlet and the supporters trust’s efforts to change the footballing experience for those who come to Champion Hill are also shared by long-time supporter and writers Stewart McGill and Vincent Raison.
Dulwich now features in the pair’s new book ‘The Roaring Red Front: The World’s Top Left-Wing Football Clubs.’
Raison found himself alienated by the rising cost of ticket prices to see Premier League football, but his local club turned out to be a saving grace.
He said: “Some friends were going and so I joined them for a game and I found myself enjoying football again.
“I found myself really turned off from modern football but it was a joy listening to the Dulwich fans singing witty and non-generic songs and just generally enjoying themselves.”
However, as any fan of a non-league club will be able to tell you there is always the looming spectre of money, or the lack of.
The Price to Play Report published last year revealed that an estimated 2,600 clubs had been forced to cease operations in 2022 alone.
Prior to, and during the Covid-19 pandemic, Dulwich were dangerously teetering towards the abyss and found themselves having to make financial decisions based on how much beer and food was sold at each game.
The supporters trust now own around a third of the shares of the club, allowing the fans to become even more involved with the decision making in the club.
This has created a stronger relationship with its local community, supporting charities like Wrap Up London, which aims to provide winter clothing to those who need it.
Wrap Up’s CEO Jon Meech said: “Dulwich Hamlet have been really supportive for the last three years and have organised a local coat collection for us which has been absolutely amazing.”
Telling the club’s story without mentioning the late superfan Mishi Morath would not be doing it justice, as he is often credited with starting many of Dulwich’s initiatives and holds a legendary status at Champion Hill.
Raison added: “He was a big character and a lot of the initiatives were started by him, when Peter Crouch did his show (Save Our Beautiful Game) I heard a few fans say they didn’t mention Mishi much.
“He had passed away a few years earlier so it really shows the kind of impact he had on the club.”
The decision to become an inclusive place to watch football and a club who interacts with local businesses is a great ethical decision, but it has also proved to be a savvy business choice as thousands flock to each home game.
Scott added: “The club is now sustainable, debt-free and profitable, for all three of those things to happen at the same time in football is unheard of.”
Featured image credit: Katie Chan via Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA 4.0 licence
