Here's an interview with Chief Executive & Secretary of our Club, Martin Eede, which follows on from one with Chairman Jack Payne, earlier in the seasn

So Martin, part of the furniture at Champion Hill now, once decribed in the press as 'Mr. Dulwich' when you went to Fisher Athletic, you've had a lifetime in the game, how did you first come to Dulwich?

"I'd been at Molesey for about eleven years before that, of which I had been their chairman for around eight of them. In that time I had two managers under me, Tony Dunne & John Rains, & we got to the Premier Division, playing Dulwich a couple of times. Our last game of the season was away to Dulwich, & several of my former players had gone to Champion Hill, like Dave Coppin, Willie Lillington & Jon Egan. They invited me along to the Club Presentation night, which was the same evening, Frank Murphy was the manager then. The 'do' was upstairs, before it was converted into the gymnasium. I was introduced to Steve Dye junior, who ran the Club at the time, & it we all has a great time. About a week later I was indoors & got a phone call from Steve Dye senior, who then owned the Club, and he asked me to consider joining Dulwich Hamlet to run his Football Club, as he didn't have enough time, due to his other business. I considered it for a while, and got back to him to dsay 'yes', and that it all happened."

As you said, before that you were at Molesey, as manager and chairman. When you were just in management did you ever envisage being a boardroom person?

"No. As a one word answer! Never in a million years. I was the complete opposite to that type of person. When I was at Molesey, in the twelve months previous to me joining there was a mass coup, and the football club committee resigned en block, with the social club side of things taking over from the football club. It was sort of ok on the pitch,playing wise, but off the pitch a lot needed doing, so I decided to step in & got a good mate, Tony Dunne, to be manager. It was a bit of a gamble, he had been reserve team manager at Whyteleafe, & then of the first team at Chipstead. he did an excellent job for two years, but had to stand down due to pressure of his business commitments, as he had a building company. I then appointed John Rains, and he was happy to join. So once, I became a chairman, my judgement wasn't too bad."

You've also served on various League committees. Tell us a little about that, what does it involve?

"Well Nick Robinson, from the Isthmian League, was a bit of a thorn in my side at Molesey, who appeared to always make things difficult. But, as happens in life, led to a friendship, & he's one of my best friends now. I must have learnt a little from him. He later asked me, when I was at Dulwich, to go on the Ryman League committee for a couple of years. You work with the member clubs to try to dictate the policy of the League, while still having your own input. I have to admit that with a strong chairman like Alan Turvey, it can be easy to follow his influence, but having said that, I have a lot of admiration for him."

How did you start out in management, Worcester Park I believe it was?

"Yep, I'd been a non-league player at Dorking and Redhill, but time was creeping up on me. I was 35 or so, & I still wanted to keep playing, so joined Worcester Park, in the Surrey Senior League, which would be the level of the Combined Counties League Division One, step six, nowadays. A couple of mates were turning out for them. After about a year the manager left and they asked me to take over. & hey presto, we were runners up in the league and won the league cup. We also eon the Surrey Junior Cup, or was it the Intermediate Cup, at around the same time. Redhill, who were Athenian League, were thrown off of their town centre ground by their local council, which was outrageous really, and were forced to move to the edge of town, stuck out at Kiln Brow. Everyone left, bar a few, as they were not accepted into the new Isthmian division, where the rest of the Athenian clubs were swallowed up by, so they joined the London Spartan League. But it was still a strong league, with clubs like Yeading & Collier Row. A few mates were there, so I left Worcester Park, & we finished runners up at Redhill. I have to admit that I'd now got the management bug, and was quite ambitious to do well, & the social committee came down to meet me to go there. They said they had no money, no reserves, no youth team, do you want the job? So,naturally...I said 'yes'! "

Now you, yourself. You're not local, where are you from, and how did Dulwich grow on you? Why not a club closer to home?

"Well I'm from the Sutton & Carshalton area, originally, I live in Wallington now. So not a million miles away. The reason I first came here was that I was captivated by the history. Dulwich Hamlet are simple one of the giants of non league football. That might sound strange when toiling away in Division One south of the Ryman League, but many who we were equals with simply don't exist anymore, like Enfield, Leytonstone or Walthamstow Avenue. As for getting involved to one closer to home...nobody asked me!" (He said, with a smile on his face.)

Football fans, traditionally, have a bit of distrust for committeemen, directors & league officials. It's often a case of 'them' & 'us'. From your side of the fence how do you view supporters?

"Well, you have to realise I'm now heading towards my 66th year! How I feel now is totally different to how i felt even, say, fifteen years ago. Let's be honest, I've always been a bit of an agreesive type of person, not in a bad way, just the sort of person who wants to be successful. I guess I've mellowed with old age. When I see the way supporters get behind the team now, maybe it's a bit of a regret of mine that I didn't appreciate this when I was a bit younger, because without the fans a club is nothing. That has more than proved itself over the last couple of seasons, when I came back. We simply couldn't survive without the supporters."

In your Chairman's hat. in your first spell, tell us about the managers who you worked with and appointed. Were they successes or failures?

(Takes a deep breath...)
"Well I didn't appoint Frank Murphy, I inherited him, though we got on reasonably well. He was a likable fella, and had a terrific reputation in football, who did really well for us. John Ryan & Mick Browne? John was without a doubt an extrmely talented coach and football man, but wasn't so committed to the management side of things and left that to Mick Browne who didn't have a impressive rapport with the fans. I warned John several times that would be his downfall, and inevitably he had to go. Dave Garland was a long standing friend, who, I thought, did an excellent job under difficult circumstances, he kept us going with virtually no money, although we did get relegated in the end. When he was in charge we won the London Challenge Cup at The Valley and reached the First Round Proper of the FA Cup. He also unearthed Dave Stevens, and had his sons playing for us, so I'd say he was a success, overall. Les Cleevely i'd have to say was a failure,round about the time the Club was getting into panic mode, his appointment was maybe the wrong decision & inevitably we had to make a change. Gwynne Berry was a nice bloke, & we thought he could do a job for us, but unfortunaltely he had toom uch commitment to his own business, which you can understand. I don't think he realised how much was involved in management. And then I took over myself. I was not looking to be a manager again, that's for usre, but Dave Garland, Les Cleevely & Gwynne Berry all left in a short space of time, & we'd been relegated with a restrictive budget. Steve Dye junior asked me if I would take over. One of the first, or was it the first, game was against Barking & East Ham United & we won 7-1, it was all downhill after that, I should have packed it in then, after we peaked too early! But seriously, I think my record speaks for itself. To be honest for the rest of that season it was really damage limitation, trying to get some stability back into proceedings, with a side of triers and youngsters. In the second year I started sorting a side together,but with a massive financial disadvantage to some of the sides playing around us; the likes of Windsor & Lewes. That made it much harder to compete. There were a couple of decent years, where we went very close, including the play-off final against Wealdstone, where I still can't believe we didn't win. Poor old Meshach Nugent hitting the bar, in the shoot out that would have taken us up. The last year to a year and a half of me being manager I shouldn't really have embarked on. But there was a change of owner, who wanted us up, we went to Hastings and won 4-0, but hit a brick wall, really, by December. It became obvious we needed a change of direction and Wayne Burnett came in, starting a fantastic period. His style of football was a joy to watch, he took players out of the Kent League, like Chris Dickson, who we couldn't stop moving on. Long before the end of the season I think he'd decided to go to Fisher Athletic, and with all honesty I felt it was time for a change all round, so I moved there as well."

As manager, both with your previous clubs, and here, who were your best signings?

"That's not the easiest question to sping on me, but at Molesey it was Willie Lillington, who came to Champion Hill, and Michael Rose. The most fantastic partnership up front, that led us through three divisions. Peter Adeniyi, at Dulwich...to be honest I'd better pass on this one, as I don't want to leave anyone out. But I've got to mention Gavin Rose. The way things have transpired up to now, having brought in Gavin & Junior Kadi into the Club, first as players, then to run the Youth Team, and now as managers has certainly worked in the long term. Having thought a little I'd have to say top of the list for Dulwich would have to be Omari Coleman, but let's move on to the next question."

Ok then. There must have been one or two proverbial donkeys as well...

(Laughs) "Well I'm not going to name them, I know who you want me to mention from a certain play-off! Some players may not have been as skillful as others, but all made their own, what's the word...they brought something to the table."

You've been in the game a long time, and are well respected in places. Who do you respect most, from down the years? I know, for example, you were very close to the late John Rains, of Sutton United fame.

" Very much so. John was, the thing with John was he had this way, apart from having done everything there was to do in non league, he was a superb player, a real leader. He had a very special trick of being able to get people to contribute to him, without you realising it. ther was another fella I started out with called Norman Dearlove, who I played for in the sixties. He always pretended to be surprised when he got a decent side out. In terms of football & working together Wayne Burnett was a terrific chap & still is, a good friend of mine. And I hold a lot of respect for Gavin too, he has established us as a successful side playing football that's easy on the eye, while at the same time keeping some firm principles.I'm think I'll leave it there, if I were to think of others from outside our Club I could says lots of people."

It came as a bit of a shock to Dulwich fans when you left for Fisher Athletic. Even more so after you came back, when you briefly jumped ship for Croydon Athletic. Are you here for good now?

"Well you can never say never. At the end of the day though, the Fisher situation was kind of not completely of my own making. I certainly felt I'd had a good run at the job with Dulwich, and if truth be known was under quite heavy pressure to go to Fisher, shall we say. The Croydon Athletic thing, well I suppose I fell for what was being sold to me. Their then manager Tim O'Shea spoke to me at length, and he was absolutely convinced that they were going somewhere as a club. At my time of life I wanted to be involved in some success & progress, at the time it seemed a good option. But to answer your last part, there's no reason at all to consider leaving Dulwich again, but in all honesty it does feel like I've been 'fighting fires' for twelve of the sixteen years I've been here, but having said that the last couple of seasons have been thoroughly enjoyable on the football side, but sometimes outside pressure can wear you down."

Your official role is Club Secretary, & you're also described as the Chief Executive. Personally I know the amount of work you put in, but many fans won't know what that roles means..

"Chief Executive is a fancy title really, it gives you more clout, which allows me to get involved more than just the secretarial side. Which isn't a small job in itself. Basically I help the Football Club run smoothly."

Now for some more lighthearted football questions. Out of all the players you've seen at Champion Hill during your time here, if there was such a thing a 'mythical footballing time travel', who would you most love to play for us now?

"Ooh, another good question! I think it would be either one of Paul Whitmarsh, Willie Lillington or Omari Coleman.And I think they would all fit into Gavin (Roses's) style of play, I certainly think they would. They were all very good players."

It must be said you're reknowned for your love of food! So what's your favourite tea bar, and what would be your ideal tea bar menu?

"A nice crispy bacon roll, and adding, for part two some crisp chips, not soggy. Right, name some good ones? Of our current sides, looking down the table...hmm, funnily enough I'm struggling to name a really good one, but Whitstable wasn't bad from memory. Certainly not Whitehawk! Bognor have a very good one, they set the standards."

Back to pitch matters. How does the current team compare to previous ones?

"It compares very favourably in terms of playing football that's good to watch, but the final judgement will come when it achieves something, that's not me trying to be clever, but a trueism. We've still not won anything for almost ten years, when we won the London Senior Cup, beating Tooting & Mitcham. Nothing will delight me more than getting promoted."

What was your single best moment at Dulwich?

"Ah, I think you'll remember this one, our first game at the new Tooting ground, when Peter Adeneyi raced in at the far post to head the winner with moments to go, we were losing I believe. The other one would be beating Tooting, again, in the London Senior Cup Final I just mentioned, at Hendon. Only a couple of days after we lost to Wealdstone, in the play-off. It was a great performance that showed real character to get a result after that."

And the worst?

"Quite obvious, I don't have to say it do I? Meshach Nugent, the poor las hitting the woodwork, should be ironwork really nowadays, but it's the same thing. That miss meant we didn't get the promotion I'd been aiming for for three years to get back into the Premier Division. The fight still goes on. Somewhere there's a photo of me sitting all alone, distraught, in the dugout, after that game!"

Time to cheer up, now for the funniest...

Ah, yes. You'll know about this as you tipped off the 'Non League Paper'! It was a game down at Worthing. Just before half time Worthing put theb all into the back of the net.I went into one, doing my usual kick the bucket down the touchline, sort of thng, as I wasn't happy, & had my back to the goal, so actually missed the 'goal' being disallowed for offside, and us taking the free kick. I went into the dressing room at half-time thinking we were one nil down, & started throwing everything about bar the proverbial kitchen sink. Danny Ward was the only one brave enough to pipe up: "What are you on about, it's nil nil!"

Thinking of 'funny', there must have been quite a few things that have happened since you came to Dulwich, that were either funny, or maybe 'kept behind closed doors'. With passing time, can you tell us one or two?

"I'll tell you one. When we had Margate in the Trophy, and we cleared all that snow off the pitch. I think we were one down, or something, at half time, and one or two players were saying we weren't playing well. I said that we were, & "if I say we then we are, and if anyone doesn't like it there's the door!" At which point Steffan Ball, who was sub, got up and left the dressing room. As he got to the door my assistant, Peter Burdett, with his usual dry humour, said "Leave your tracksuit here", which would have left him with no clothing, which broke the ice. Basically I'd switched Peter Adeneyi to a forward for the game, and he was just sulking because I'd left him on the bench."

I know, in the past, you have gone on end of season holidays with players. What goes on tour stays on tour,but come on...anything printable?

"Erm, well back in the Frank Murphy days, there were trips to Kos, the likes of Lee Akers, Willie Lillington, Jon Egan and so on, that was a good one, it doesn't take too much working out some of the antics that went on there, but I'm not going to reveal anything..use your imagination! But one thing that was funny was the pre-season trip I arranged, when we went up to North Ferriby to play them, and another local side on the Sunday. That was down to the Dulwich fan who moved up there, & was involved with Ferriby, a lovely lad, think he was a musician. Anyway, I went to sort out the hotel bill on the Sunday morning, and the receptionist informed me that the coach driver's bill for his room was well into three figures, as it turned out he'd spent most of the night watching blue movies on the cable channel, thinking they were free!"

Last few questions, back to things Champion Hill. When you first came to Dulwich what were your expectations, and did things pan out as you thought? Did you ever think you'd made a mistake?

"I never made a mistake, even in the first year here, when I recall it was all doom and gloom about Frank Murphy, & how we were going to get relegated, but we almost won the league. But don't get me wrong, there have been lots of ups and downs, but I'm still here, even if it seems like I'm fighting fires every week, but I enjoy it, otherwise I wouldn't be here, that's the key."

You were instrumental in a Club XI hosting a Belgian side, Temploux, in the summer, pre-season, even though it ended up a bit too one-sided. If a stronger club wanted to come over, like Union Royale Namur, who hope to be in the Belgian Third Division next season, & would be a much stronger test for Gavin Rose & the team, would you be more amenable to that?

"Oh yes, definately. I was hoping that was what we might have had this season, but the gap was huge. But if they did want to come over the planning would have to start early, as it takes time to get such a fixture cnfirmed, what with all the paperwork, from both Football Associations, with it being an international fixture.It's always a mark of respect & an honour when anyone comes over from Belgium, whether it's fans who come to watch us, or a team to play us."

So what are your hopes for the future? Where do you think we will be in,say, five years time?

"My hope for the immediate future is to get promoted. I'm not really looking beyond that at the moment."

The supporters have set up the independent "12th Man" scheme. How does it help the Club, and do you think it will be a success?

"I think it's fantastic-for two reasons. Firstly, it's obviously excellent to find all of the supporters banding together to help the Club in hard times to boost the budget and make the difference. Secondly, for morale it's invaluable as it makes the people involved feel as if they have a stake in the team, which everyone in the Club can be part of. It's a tremendous initiative."

And-phew!-to finish, what's your take on the Leatherhead game, or as the fans are calling it 'Wallgate'?

"My take on it was that this was an abysmal decision by the referee. The abandonment should never have happened. Any official who was in charge should have used common sense and finished the game, & if he had we wouldn't be talking about this now. Other referees, up to the highest levels, are in agreement with this."

(Please note: This interview was conducted BEFORE we reached the League Cup Final, hence no questions about it, thank you.)