OUR 25/26 KITS
We’d like to thank the history group for leading the efforts in rediscovering what a Dulwich Hamlet kit should be and setting down the principles for our kit design.
From Roger Deason…
I’ve never given much thought to new kit. It just turns up, despite being a subject which sees passionate opinions held. Then, late last season, Hamlet asked the History Group to select a template for the 2025/26 kit. This template was passed to a kit designer who delivered the final design. The remit was the home kit needed a historic link and to “reclaim” pink; the away kit should move away from red, white and black.
The initial idea was to re-visit the 1925/26 narrow stripe kit. When that design appeared late last season as a one-off kit marking the centenary of the first Altona match, it felt wrong to release a virtually identical kit. We moved to the earliest known pink and blue kit: the halves from 1900/01. Worn by Hugh Lloyd, one of two brothers “who taught us how to play”, this was the inspiration for the 2025 kit.
Hamlet have typically worn white or yellow second kits, we ruled these colours out feeling the risk of clashes was too high. We looked to clubs who feature in our history, settling on Red Star FC. We couldn’t think of any likely opponents wearing green and blue, so ran with it. Les verts et blancs are a club Hamlet fans enjoy a good relationship with, following a visit there by the late Mishi Morath. Red Star fans actively protested against their club being taken over by 777 Partners. 777’s collapse last season saw Red Star face serious challenges. We wish our friends over the water well.
All green was out, due to colour blindness. Halves contained too much white, risking clashes. Quarters nearly won but there was a feeling that as we're blessed with a “who’s that?” kit when people see a Hamlet fan, why not do the same with the second kit? With Liverpool having worn green and white quarters recently, we decided to do something no-one could mistake for a Premier League club. The check pattern also contrasts well with most other kits.
We hope you like the new kits.
Moving forward the club are fixing the shades of pink and blue you see today, rather than chopping and changing shades. Also, on grounds of sustainability and affordability, Also, on grounds of sustainability and affordability, we are working on plans to phase in a longer kit cycle rather than re-designing both kits every year obviously taking into consideration that sponsors may change.
And thanks also to Richard Watts for this Q&A on the challenges we set…
What is our real home kit design, i.e. why the halves?
The club’s original playing colours were “white shirts and dark knickers.” Pink and blue was soon adopted, in recognition of prominent players the Lloyd brothers. It was said the Lloyds had “taught us how to play”, and they were old boys of Westminster School and Dulwich College respectively, whose respective colours were pink and navy blue. The earliest known version of pink and blue shirts is the halves design we have chosen for this season.
Which pink and which blue are really our traditional colours?
It is impossible to be certain. The club switched to playing in royal blue from 1966 through to 1994, hence many supporters who began following the club during that era will remember those kits fondly. The pink in those kits often faded badly, running with the blue through repeated washing, and assumed a dull lavender shade by the end of the season. In selecting the precise shades of pink and blue for this season’s kit, we attempted to match them as closely as possible to the tones used for past classic shirts, including the original “Ernie Toser shirt” from the 1937 FA Amateur Cup Final. However, modern fabrics are very different to the heavyweight cotton shirts worn 90 years ago, so it’s difficult to make an exact match. We have therefore chosen bold shades that aim to stand out clearly under floodlights, resist repeated hot washing, and clearly distinguish our players from their opponents. Above all else, “no one else plays in pink” except for Corinthian Casuals, so we want pink to be a prominent part of our playing kit.
Why have we not had a traditional away colour?
We rarely needed a change kit in the days when near clashes were tolerated much more so than in the modern age, as very few other clubs played in pink or navy blue shirts. The earliest photographic evidence of Hamlet change kits shows us playing in plain white shirts away to St Albans City more than 100 years ago, with the same navy blue shorts and pink & navy blue stockings as the home kit.
Why the green and white?
The first time Hamlet wore green and white as a change kit was in the 1992-93 season, when playing away to St Albans City. Our pink & blue striped home kit and all yellow away kit both clashed with the host club’s blue & yellow stripes. A green & white kit was borrowed from the club physiotherapist’s Sunday team as a third choice. It served its purpose, so for the following season a change kit of green & white striped shirts with green shorts was ordered. Further green & white striped change kits were used during the mid-1990s and the middle of the following decade. None of our likely opponents plays in blue and green, therefore a predominantly green kit is unlikely to clash with anyone else’s predominantly blue home kit, so there should be no need for a third kit. We have opted for the chequered shirts pattern, as it gives us a unique look not associated with any other club’s green and white shirts, as well as providing additional contrast with any striped or hooped opponents’ shirts.
Southwark Council Cabinet decision kicks off our new stadium build plans
I am excited to report on the completion of a key step forward in our journey to commencing work on the new stadium.
Yesterday we attended the Southwark Council cabinet meeting in which the decision was taken to appropriate the section of land on Greendale for planning purposes that will become our new stadium.
We would like to thank the planning office, the members, the cabinet and the leader of Southwark Council for their careful stewardship through this phase. We have always advised our fans that it is important for due process to be allowed to take its course and this was no exception. The report and recommendations submitted by the planning office for members to vote on was carefully authored over the last few months and written representations were invited from the community and taken into consideration prior to their recommendation being presented to the cabinet.
I was honoured to be allowed to make a deputation in person at the cabinet meeting on behalf of the club and I would like to thank the cabinet for hearing our representation on the importance of this decision to the club and our community.
So, what does this really mean for us as a club and for fans? Our approved development scheme included land owned by the council and land owned by the stadium owners and this is the first administrative step towards development starting on both sections of land. It’s a huge leap forward for the club as it means we can now kick off our plans for building the new terraces and pitch on the derelict astro turf in parallel with the plans already underway on the stadium owner’s site with the first phase being the relocation of the mobile phone mast.
I look forward to coming back with an updated timetable for you and you can also read the council’s statement on this decision via the link below:
https://www.southwark.gov.uk/news/2025/kick-new-football-pitch-and-stadium-plan-dulwich-hamlet-fc
On behalf of the club
Ben Clasper, Chairman
How to apply to attend our youth team trials
Following our announcement that we will be restarting youth football at Dulwich Hamlet Football Club we are pleased to open applications to participate in our summer trials.
Applications are invited from boys who will be in years 12 or 13 from September 2025 and who have experience playing in the Kent Youth League or the Tandridge League or have experience at county, district or academy level.
Please note that the application form should be completed by a parent, guardian or responsible adult with your personal details as well as the player’s information.
Dulwich Hamlet FC Youth Trial Form
Whilst we plan to expand our youth team offering in future we are starting small with only one side and with some pre-existing players and so we may not be able to accommodate all applications this time round and if players are not successful in being invited to trial it is not a reflection of ability it will be down to limited availability and having to focus on what we are looking for to complete the first squad. We aim to be able to offer other opportunities in future in this and other age groups and to start our youth provision for girls’ football.
On behalf of the club
Ben Clasper, Chairman
Volunteer for the Hamlet!
For many years the club has had a small team of dedicated fans who have worked tirelessly to ensure the club's success in East Dulwich.
We are looking for more fans to join us for the 2025-2026 season who would like to contribute to making the club an even bigger asset to the local community.
Volunteering for DHFC is a perfect way to combine your favourite sport with community work. It can give you the opportunity to develop skills within various areas of the football club. It is also a great chance to be part of a fun, open-minded and caring community of people who love football and supporting the local community. We have plenty of opportunities for you to get involved with the beautiful game.
Volunteering with us provides an opportunity to gain the tools and foundations for further career progression. Some of our previous volunteers have gone on to work for the FA, Peloton, Manchester City and many more.
Why volunteer for Dulwich Hamlet?
- Support your local football club.
- Build the skills on your CV and make new professional connections.
- Make new friends and be part of a diverse community.
- There are a variety of different roles available for you to choose from.
What are the current roles available?
Matchdays
We have a number of roles available on match days, you can work as many or as few matches as you wish to fit in around your schedule.
- Stewarding
- 50/50 Sellers
- Programme Sellers
- Ball person
For more information on volunteering with us on match days, please contact the community team at
Dulwich Hamlet Supporters’ Trust (DHST) shop
There are also roles with the Dulwich Hamlet Supporters Trust! Either as part of the elected Trust Board or behind the scenes in other ways, they are always looking for volunteers with a range of skills to support on fan led initiatives to support the club.
They also always need help in the Mega Container, where alongside a member of the Trust Board, you will provide support with shop sales including handling a till, helping with customer queries and working in the stock room. The shop opens before the game, at half time and then again at the end!
To find out more contact Chloe at
Community
Dulwich Hamlet has been a constant supporter of our local community, whether here in the local area or across south London. Workshops with our partners Show Racism the Red Card for example provide opportunities for local school children to learn outside of a normal classroom environment. To further improve our community offering on a matchday and during the week.
- Mascot Liaison
- School Liaison
For more information on volunteering with us on match days, please contact the community team at
Media
Join our ever-growing media team and gain experience first-hand in football media. Current volunteers are undertaking degrees at university whilst previous volunteers now work at some of the biggest organisations in English football as well as major news outlets including the BBC.
Whether you’re a photographer looking to expand your portfolio or want to take your first steps in the industry volunteering as part of the Dulwich Hamlet media team is the perfect place to begin or further develop your skills.
- Match day commentary
- Photographers
- Camera Operators
- Match day social media
- Graphic Designer
- Video Editor
For more information on volunteering within the media team, please contact Media and Communications coordinator Kian at
Ground maintenance
We are keen to hear from fans who can offer their trade skills and be added to our pool of tradespeople who can help us throughout the year.
For more information on volunteering with us, please contact the community team at
If you feel like you have a skillset that can assist us here at Champion Hill, then please email
Our committed group of hardworking volunteers are the heartbeat of our football club, and we can’t wait to welcome more into the Dulwich Hamlet family.
Aimee-Lou Caldecourt on National Volunteer Week 2025
“Volunteers are crucial at this level”, states media volunteer Aimee-Lou Caldecourt when asked to reflect on both her role and the involvement of other club volunteers this National Volunteer Week.
“As part of the media team we all work extremely well together to provide the fans with high-quality content every matchday. This isn’t just the media volunteers, but everyone at the club that I’ve spoken to have Dulwich running through their blood, they’re the absolute backbone of the club, and in non-league in general.”
Starting at the beginning of the season, Caldecourt has undertaken a number of match-day media roles since joining, contributing to the team of media volunteers who connect the fans to football every week.
One of the main streams for this is the commentary broadcast, with a team going live for both the men’s and women’s fixtures each week to bring those at home closer to the action.
“It's funny actually because if you had told Aimee-Lou from a year ago that she’d be anywhere near a microphone and commentating on football, I genuinely would have laughed. But it has actually been one of the most enjoyable parts of the season for me.”
Her dive into commentary also created one of her fondest memories of the season and one she will continue to look back on with pride.
“The women’s cup final game against Arsenal was a particularly proud moment. I was leading the commentary for the game and, although the result wasn’t what we wanted, the atmosphere was electric, with so many of the Pepper Army out on that Tuesday night in Uxbridge. It might be my favourite game of the season!”
Commentary, however, was far from the only measure in which Caldecourt’s voluntary experience has pushed her out of her comfort zone, with the entire experience being a platform for her to grow as a journalist while completing her second year at university.
“I’ve developed a lot of different skills this season. One personally for me is interviewing people. I struggled a lot with confidence and had really bad imposter syndrome, but since I had the chance to interview Ryan Dempsey and Lucy Monkman for a university assignment, I have become much more confident in the craft.”
When asked about her passion for sports media, Caldecourt acknowledged that it has not been an area that she was always interested in, but that her volunteer role at the club this season has certainly facilitated her enthusiasm.
“It wasn’t until I started applying for universities that I started looking into working in the football industry. Originally, I was looking at teaching courses! So I’m relatively new to all of this, but I have loved every second of it. My journey really started with supporting the growth of the women’s game and has grown to actively gaining experience, which Dulwich have supported this season.
Obviously, the club has a huge reputation in non-league and as soon as the opportunity presented itself to me, I thought it would be silly to let it pass. The club aligns with my personal values and I knew instantly it would be a perfect fit for me.”
Having now completed the campaign, Caldecourt has taken time to reflect on such an opportunity, and how the voluntary experience at the club has better prepared her for her future career.
“This season was my first full season in football and has taught me that football is unbelievably unpredictable. I love the unpredictable nature though, no two match days will ever look the same which really excites me.
“I’ve learned to expect the unexpected. I went in quite naive to begin with, but since seeing out this season I’ve learnt that anything can happen in this field of work, and just by getting myself out there in the community and volunteering at the club I’ve had so many other opportunities come my way which I never expected to happen.”
Looking ahead to another season at the club, Caldecourt said: “I really just can’t wait to get stuck in again, hopefully get to more away games, travel to new places. I also definitely want to talk to the fans a bit more next season about how much the club means to them, and just be more involved!”
Finally, Caldecourt commented on what she would miss the most if her time at the club was coming to an end.
“I’d miss absolutely everything! I’d miss working with so many amazing people every week because they are really what makes the whole experience so enjoyable and memorable for me. I absolutely love creating content for fans as well, and listening to all the positive feedback I get from them all genuinely makes my week.”
Interested in volunteering at Dulwich Hamlet FC? Email our community team with what you'd like to get involved in. Whether it's media work or helping us with ground maintenance we're always looking to add to the team. Email:
Address
Champion Hill Stadium,
Edgar Kail Way,
East Dulwich,
London.
SE22 8BD.
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