Defender returns for third spell in pink and blue.

Hakan Hayrettin has added another defender to his squad ahead of pre-season, bringing back former Hamlet man Michael Chambers from Billericay Town.

The 28-year-old returns to the club for a third spell, having previously played for us during the 2011-12 season and then again between 2016 and 2019, helping us earn promotion to the National League South in 2018.

Michael originally came through the academy to make his first team debut as a 17-year-old in an Isthmian League Cup game against Burgess Hill Town in October 2011, and would make nine appearances in total before Crystal Palace came calling for him.

During his time with the Eagles, he had loan spells with Harrow Borough and Welling United, joining the latter on a permanent basis in 2015.

A return to the Hamlet followed a year later, and Michael would become an integral part of the sides which reached the FA Trophy quarter-finals and then promotion in his first two seasons back, playing 94 times across those seasons, earning a place in the Isthmian Premier Team of the Season in 2018.

He would also play 30 times in the National League South in our first year at that level, scoring in our brilliant away win at Woking that year. His performances caught the eye of National League giants Wrexham, signing for them in the summer of 2019.

Spells with Chelmsford City and Bromley followed, before he joined Billericay, where he became a key figure, captaining the side, and appeared more than any other player as the Blues were relegated from the National League South in 2022. Last season, he reached the 100 appearance mark as Billericay finished 10th in the Isthmian Premier Division.

"I’m over the moon to be back, it’s a place that I’ve had a lot of good memories and spent a long time and we were largely successful here so fingers crossed we can do that again," said Michael.

"Dulwich is a club I know well and love, has a massive fanbase and the infrastructure has come on leaps and bounds since I was last here, and now I believe it is only right to get the on-field things back in order."

"I’ve been speaking with Hak and Terry a lot since the end of the season, and for me, it was important to sign for a management group who have won things, know how to win things and know how to put a squad together to win, which is something I may not have considered much in my career before."

"When you sign for a club like Dulwich, the aim is to win promotion, it’s a process I have been part of before but it is long and gruelling and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly, but I am excited for the challenges of this season."

"The fans have always been great here, and the number’s probably doubled since I was last here, I hope we can give them lots to cheer about this year, and I know they will help us through games as well."

"Anyone who knows me will say I’m laid back and bubbly and hopefully a funny person to be around in the group, but as I’ve grown up I think I’ve also become more of a leader and someone to look up to in the dressing room. Having the captaincy at Billericay has helped me to grow as a person too, I think younger players should feel they can come and talk to me."

“Michael is well-known to the club and won promotion here previously, he’s now a lot more mature as well,” added Hakan.

“It is important that he has that affinity with the club, he also wanted to come back here and also be in a team that is challenging.”

“I’m going to be pushing Michael all the way to get the very best out of him, he’s proven at this level and the one above therefore he was someone I felt we needed to bring in to help the club push in the right direction.”

“He’s got bags of experience and is still at a young age, and he is one of those lads that wants to do the right things for this club.”