The new season is nearly upon us and we thank the Isthmian Premier League for that. It has been tough relying on the cricket, lawn tennis and Love Island as our only sporting crutch through the long Summer days. But now the smell of liniment and aggro is palpable, with Dulwich Hamlet’s first match on 12 August away at Hashtag Utd and the first home clash a 15 August belter against Smiley Face Town (or Canvey Island FC as they’re better known). We cannot wait but wait a little longer we must.
Prior to climbing the Everest of the 23/24 season, the Pink and Blues will have ambled through the foothills of the pre-season with rumbles against such eminences as Millwall U23s, Bromley and Welling. Now pre-season is a decidedly odd affair as new players are blooded and bonded and players looking for a club (A.Triallist, B.Real and C.Uoutthedoor ) are tested out for mettle, mastery and mojo. Our manager, non-league colossus Hakan Hayrettin and his old mucka Terry Harris, men for all seasons both, have been stitching together an impressive looking squad pretty much from scratch, with only a handful of players retained from last season and a few old Sons of Edgar Kail returning (Michael Chambers and Luke Wanadio). This is putting the Champion Hill balladeers under serious pressure as they seek to compose new terrace chants; plonking away at their Bontempi organs, sat pensively in their damp garrets.” Cem Tumkaya, mind and sense purified, Cem Tumkaya, mind and sense purified” is the best we could come up with.
Outside of Dog Kennel Hill Sainsbury’s yellow sticker bin, the best value you can get in East Dulwich is a Dulwich Hamlet season ticket. Such a ticket entitles the buyer to waft in to all DHFC home league games for both the men’s and women’s sides like a champ. For a full-fat adult ticket you need to stump up £182. But concessions (students, OAPs, NHS Workers, unemployed, DLA recipients etc etc) pay a mere £76, with teenagers paying their age and children below that age (and dogs, cats, parrots) getting in gratis. It’s the sale of the century we tell you. Details on how to buy can be found at https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/dulwichhamlet.
Oh and while we’re about it, you’ll want to get some pink and blue clobber for the terraces. The new shirt is a return to form, both home and away. And lovely stripes too, so good and forgiving for the big boned among us. Check out all your merch needs at www.dhst.org.uk
Up the Hamlet and see you all at Champion Hill.