I didn’t get to see The Hamlet’s last home game. But I have a belter of an excuse for not doing so.
Just shy of four weeks ago, on August bank holiday, I’d had myself a bit of a heavy Saturday and come early Sunday morning I found myself staggering, bleary-eyed, around the streets of North London.
Ever the sybarite, I was keen to make the most of the whole weekend mindful there was a workless Monday to recover. But there was it seemed bugger all opportunity to trip the light fantastick around Old Street at such a junior hour.
Indeed I was pretty close to calling it a day and had started to wearily finger my Bolt. But then, as if by magick, there appeared before me an oasis of luminosity, replete with flashing lights, repetitive noises and pure party pep.
It’s one of them fancy super-clubs I thought and, rejuvenated of spirit, glommed myself onto the raving rank making its way towards the rumpus. Entrance was free it transpired and I was greeted by a young woman who sat me down and started asking some rather personal questions. Age was fair enough, but my weight, allergies and drinking habits seemed a bit otiose.
New licence requirements I suppose. Once she’d tapped the details of my shame into a computer, she exclaimed “right, head back” and proceeded to drop a load of drugs into my eye. MDMA I guess because my pupils dilated and I was overcome with gnawing anxiety. Dazed and confused, I stood up and was guided to another small room.
The chill-out room I think because another woman there bid me lie down on an elevated chaise before declaring “small prick!” I was about to dispute this, but before I could she’d injected some more drugs straight into my bloody eyeball. This made my face and my assailed oculus completely numb and I started to drool a little. Horse tranquiliser I’m guessing.
This place was turning out to be pretty mental. In no position to protest, I was wheeled into the club itself, where a couple of DJs wearing face-masks were spinning some sort of Trance music. Into which I was quite getting, before suddenly they stuck a couple of tubes into my mince, sucked the jelly out of it, before replacing the void with a psychedelic gas that made everything look like an early Floyd light-show.
A couple of hours later, somewhat perplexed, I was kicked out onto the street, still reeling. I mean I’m pretty broad-minded, but that place was way too hardcore for me and I won’t be going back in a hurry.
If it sounds like your bag however then you might want to head to the Moorfields Vitreoretinal Emergency Clinic of a Sunday morning. The upshot of these frolics was that I couldn’t see much by the time the Leatherhead game came around and I had to give it a swerve.
I will be there today, however, as we welcome The Pride of the Low Weald to Champion Hill. My vision’s still not 100%, but I figure I’m used to watching The Pink and Blues with one eye shut a lot of the time, particularly when we’re defending our goal. Up The Hamlet.
It is with sadness we bring you news of the passing of former Dulwich Player Eric Allinson.
Eric made 213 appearances for the club and co-managed the reserves team and later played for a DHFC veteran’s team alongside Dave Barker, Vic Heasman and Ray Purvis.
He also had spells with Bromley and Hendon He ws an active member of the Former Players Association and visited Champion Hill with the association on numerous occasions.
Eric’s son Paul told us “Dad played for Dulwich back in the day and he absolutely loved the club”
“Dad didn’t have much when he passed but what he did have was an extensive collection of football programmes (literally thousands) and football books. I currently have 20+ boxes of lever arch files in my house filled with football memorabilia!”
“We’re having a celebration of life for him at Westerham Golf Club in Kent on Sunday 29th September from 12-6pm to remember his life and allow people to tell stories and have beer etc. “ Dad loved this idea over a traditional funeral.
The boom and bust of the annual fixture list is upon us as we flip from four home fixtures in August to today’s hosting of Horsham being our only men’s game at the Hill during September.
Of course, some of that is down to the cup exit and the randomness of cup draws which could also mean we only have one home game next month as well so keep an eye out on the usual platforms for fixture announcements.
After the nature of the disappointment against Leatherhead we were clear that we wanted to see a response and as responses go I can’t think of a better one than the shift the team put in at Canvey Island.
That win leaves us six points better off than we were after the same number of games last year but it was not so much the result that was remarkable but how we secured it.
I would not mind betting it is the first competitive game in which the keeper was the only player to finish in the same position they started with half a dozen injuries requiring not just a shuffling of the pack off the bench but those on the pitch having to swap positions with every substitution.
There were not too many challenges that I felt were nasty or cynical but Canvey were certainly physically present and picked up a handful of cards as a result. So it was pleasing to see that our own team did not get drawn into the conflict and looked intent on winning the game rather than the battle.
A late winner and no bookings was more than I expected to leave with when things were at their toughest. Horsham had the better of the fixtures against us last season on their way to the play offs and will be looking to improve on their semi-final defeat this time around.
They are also on another FA Cup run following their victory against Dorking last week (who they also beat least season on their way to the first round proper where they took Barnsley to a replay).
So we should expect them to be high on confidence and I hope our week off gives us a better chance of fielding more of the players who hobbled out of the Canvey game.
On Saturday we will be marking Childhood Cancer Awareness month by holding a fundraiser for the Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group.
The group are a leading children’s cancer charity and the UK and Ireland’s professional association for those involved in the treatment and care of children with cancer.
We will be selling 50/50 tickets around the ground which you can buy by cash or card. 50% of the money raised will go to the winner and 50% to the CCLG.
If you would like to help with selling tickets, please email
Dulwich Hamlet FC and Altonaer FC von 1893 (Altona 93’s official name) are pleased to announce that, to celebrate 100 years of the first meeting of both clubs in 1925, the Dulwich Hamlet men’s team will be traveling to Hamburg as part of their preparations for the 2025-26 season.
The highlight of this celebration will see both teams playing each other at the Adolf Jäger Kampfbahn (or AJK, Altona 93’s home stadium) on Saturday 12 July 2025, which will be the fifth time we have played each following Altona’s visit to Champion Hill in July 2023.
During Easter 1925 Dulwich Hamlet travelled to Germany on tour and played three matches, the first of which was against Altona ‘93. Both teams, that day, boasted their finest players, Adolf Jäger in the black, white, and red colours of Altona 93 and Edgar Kail in the pink and blue of the Hamlet.
Many decades later a chance meeting between the late Mishi ‘Dulwich’ Morath and Altona ‘93 fan Jan Stover at the AJK, a friendship between both fanbases began and eventually led to the next match against each other in July 2015 when Altona ’93 travelled to South London, some 90 years since that that initial game in 1925.
Since then, Dulwich Hamlet travelled to Hamburg in 2018 and the most recent fixture saw Altona 93 visiting East Dulwich last summer.
“This friendship continues to thrive years after that chance meeting of Mishi and Jan at the AJK. Back in 1925 nobody could have imagined that a century later both clubs would be coming together to celebrate 100 years since that very first meeting.
Both clubs' ethos and community spirit mirror each other and I know that the weekend, next July, will be a very special occasion". Mark Scoltock, Dulwich Hamlet FC Director.
“100 years after our first match in 1925, the celebration in July 2025 is more than just football. It's a special moment with close friends, uniting us as family. Both clubs share a commitment to inclusivity and standing up for important socio-political causes. We’re excited for a weekend filled with joy and unforgettable memories. It’s going to be amazing." Mirja Grupe, Altona 93 Secretary
Between Thursday 10 July to Sunday 13 July there will be more opportunities for both sets of supporters to meet up, more information on these events will be published nearer the time.
Finally, a supporters' group has been set up, to not only raise funds towards the teams travel costs, but offering advice and guidance for those supporters' who may be considering traveling to the game in July 25. If you are interested in getting involved with this group, please email Mark Scoltock (Scolly) in the first instance: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Dulwich Hamlet men return to Champion Hill on Saturday to take on Horsham. You can get your tickets here
