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From the Commercial & Community column, which appeared in the official matchday programme on Saturday

Welcome to Champion Hill this afternoon, for our first ever home Ryman League match with Farnborough FC.

We are also pleased to say hello to a group of pupils, teachers, family & friends from Oliver Goldsmith Primary School, in Peckham. They are part of our ongoing Club initiative to attract new support from across our corner of South London. I have been asked by some of our supporters why we give out free tickets for specific matches to local primary schools, when we admit all under-twelve-year-olds free of charge already. It’s actually quite simple. When we offer a voucher to a school each one is valid for up to four people. And that includes adults. So their parents, old siblings, wider family or neighbours can come along as well. Many younger children won’t be allowed to come along on their own, so it encourages whole families to enjoy the ‘Champion Hill matchday experience’…and plenty get the bug and come back. Those who don’t return will still have had a half-decent afternoon, and will spread the word through their family and friends, which will-in turn- encourage others to come along…and so it goes.

Personally, I find it such a shame, when other clubs ask ‘what we are doing’ to attract crowds, then look aghast when we say we offer freebies to adults. Well think about it…one hundred per cent of nothing is nothing…they would not be at a game without their voucher. And at the game will still spend some money, on drinks & food, or a scarf. Then some will return. Crowds to not magically improve…it takes a lot of hard work reaching out into the local community, over many months, indeed seasons.

Another way we proudly do this is by staging events like the forthcoming ‘Syrian Refugee Awareness’ game FC Assyria. And here is a prime example of the Dulwich Hamlet family all pulling together. Sometimes there are those who do not get the credit they deserve. Many, many hands are working together on this match, but without the foresight & huge input from someone like the Supporters’ Trust Chairman, Mr. Duncan Hart, these things would not happen, as he constantly works with the Club. It’s easy for people to feel the effort they put in, both personally and for their organisation, in his case our Trust, are not acknowledged, but I am more than happy to praise him, which I am sure he might be embarrassed about, as he likes to keep more of a low-profile on these matters. Rest assured we always like to ‘name check’ fans who work with the Football Committee on these sort of things. So thank you, Duncan, for working in tandem with us Club officials, as you always do. It’s amazing you find the time really, considering you also follow your ‘first love’ Portsmouth FC; as well as your grass-roots support of Peckham Town FC.

Some of you may have noticed, even commented on via the official messageboards, that we have recently agreed a new relationship to provide Music promotions courtesy of Shoot Matchday, who provide new tracks to the club free of charge. The music promo company provides individual music playlists and polices to football clubs with the specific aim of involving local talent, local record labels and a selection of credible new releases from artists that love the beautiful game. They care about what is played and will be working hard on each matchday playlist to bring the best new tracks and local labels & artists to the clubs PA system. If you’d like to recommend a track, please tweet us at https://twitter.com/DulwichHamletFC This weekend’s matchday music policy see’s local south London based record label Domino serve up the music ahead of Kick Off. Domino are known for high quality, representing acts such as Arctic Monkeys, Anna Calvi, Hot Chip, Steve Mason and Franz Ferdinand.

The Domino inspired playlist features exclusive tracks from the new Animal Collective album, ‘Painting With’, not due for release until Friday 19th February. This is an exclusive here at Dulwich Hamlet - you’ll be the first to hear these tracks in the UK! And if the press release is anything to go by, you’re in for a treat: "Dizzyingly upbeat and gloriously realized, their new LP bounces and pops with an urgent, ecstatic energy, propelled by polyrhythmic beats and gurgling modular synth, with Noah Lennox and Dave Portner’s vocals gleefully falling in and out of syncopation and off-kilter harmony."

Other Domino star strikers on display this weekend include new tracks from The Last Shadow Puppets, The Bohicas, Steve Mason, Bill Ryder Jones and The Range. Listen to the latest Dulwich Hamlets playlist on spotify - Follow our official playlist here: https://spoti.fi/1QoTvhg

There’s so much more I could report on, but space is limited, so I’ll finish my column by reminding you to keep on looking at the official Club website at www.dulwichhamletfc.london for all of the up-t-date news on The Hamlet…from both on & off the pitch.

Liam Hickey (Football Committee, Commercial & Community Team)Tel 07967 212353