The independent fans fundraising scheme, launched last season, holds it's first AGM at Champion Hill, and all are invited! Neil Cole has the details...

Now the hangovers from the (many) championship winning parties have subsided, it's time to start planning for our assault on the Ryman Premier Division. The 12th Man Campaign had a first season to remember, raising over £5,000 from the generosity of the Dulwich Hamlet fans, which made an important contribution to the playing budget and helped our promotion push.

We are pleased to confirm that following discussions with the Club Committee and management team, the 12th Man campaign will be continuing for the 2013/14 season! The objective of the campaign remains the same, and our number one principle is that every penny raised will go to the club solely for use on the playing budget. First team manager Gavin Rose has already had a very positive meeting with the owner and the club committee, who have agreed an increase in the main playing budget to help us compete at a higher level. However, with competition sure to be tough in the Premier Division, extra funds will allow Gavin to widen his search for new talent that can give us a shot at challenging for a second successive promotion.

The objective of the 12th Man campaign for the season ahead is to be able to commit a regular sum to the club, that will allow Gavin to bring in one or two additional players, on top of the improvements to the squad made possible by the regular playing budget. We will continue to publicise those players who are being funded by the 12th Man campaign, so you can see exactly what difference the generosity of the fans can make to the club. Wouldn't it be great if we could replicate some of the success stories from last season, such as the 12th Man contribution that allowed us to secure Danny Carr under contract? Danny went on to score 23 goals for us before being sold to Huddersfield Town and bring further valuable funds into the club!

So how can you help continue the success of the 12th Man into the 2013/14 season? Here are a few ways…
• Regular standing order contributions to the 12th Man account are enormously valuable, as they allow us to forecast the amount of funds raised and provide a level of stability to the fundraising. Even a sum such as £1 a week direct from your account to ours can make a big difference. At the bottom of this article you will find a standing order form, and a set of instructions for how you can set this up.
• For those who prefer to give cash as and when they can, the 12th Man "bucket" will be back at home games this season! You can find us just inside the turnstile collecting for the campaign. All contributions are gratefully received, even if it's just some loose change from your pocket. And remember every penny goes to the club and will only ever be used for paying players.
• Do you have any ideas or thoughts on how to boost our fundraising efforts? Or just interested in finding out more about the scheme? We will be holding a 12th Man AGM on Tuesday 2nd July, at Champion Hill Staadium, in the Boardroom. MANY THANKS TO DULWICH HAMLET FOOTBALL CLUB FOR ALLOWING US USE OF THE PREMISES. We will be starting the meeting at 7.00pm and all are welcome.• We will be running a 12th man raffle to kick off the new season, at the friendly game against Premier League Crystal Palace, on Tuesday 6th August. Raffle tickets will be £1 each, with all proceeds going to the 12th man campaign. If you are able to donate a prize, please e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will make arrangements to collect it from you. You will be able to buy raffle tickets on the night of the game, with winners drawn and announced at half time.
• Keep your eyes peeled on the following sites for more news, fundraising updates, and details of special events – as we have lots planned for the season ahead. Follow us:
o On Twitter - @dhfc12
o On Facebook – Facebook.com/DulwichHamletFC12thMan
o On our new blog – www.dhfc12.tumblr.com
o Here on the DHFC website

We are also looking for more volunteers to help us run the campaign this year – if you are willing to spare a little time, please e-mail us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Thanks in advance for everyone's ongoing support… bring on another successful season!