Harry Attridge and Emma Warren

I woke up on Sunday, it was early in the morning. I jumped on the 484, ‘cause Champion Hill was calling.

I’ll drink the tinnies ‘til I can’t tell past from present, and all I know is, we’ll give a less-than-pleasant reception to our top-of-the-league rivals in today’s titanic clash!

It cannot be understated how pivotal today will be. I am positive that us fans, and the players, and Club staff alike, will all look back on whatever transpires today, as a season-defining afternoon. So, with this in mind, us fans must ensure that we all sing and chant and shout ourselves hoarse, and wave our flags, and play our various brass and woodwind and percussion instruments with the intensity of the Searle Twins bossing the actual football pitch. (Who am I kidding? I couldn’t hold a candle to their work rate!)

Last week we were finally back in action after an extended winter break. It had evidently taken its toll on both the Pepper Army and Catherine Rose’s announcements, with plenty of gaffs on both sides! Not so for the team though, who carried their momentum through after nearly a month off and were straight back on top. The most effective opposition in that league cup tie with Ashford was seemingly their crossbar. The Hamlet came storming through to a 4-1 victory, topped off with Erin’s masterful rendition of the “Hills” legendarium. It seems both on the pitch and off, everyone was full of joy to be back in action, with perhaps a little extra from the lovely news of Brit and Lucy’s engagement. I suppose that’s one way to stop players defecting to Fulham!

The excitement didn’t stop there. Post-match, we were on tenterhooks as we scrambled for updates (piling around Jatin and Lee and co.) from the Reserves team’s truly valiant Cup endeavours, versus the treacherous and slippery Fulham. Our dreams of splitting the Pepper Army in half (for just a day, Jets-versus-Sharks style) to support both DHFCW teams against each other, were so sadly dashed. Fulham further fulfilled their propensity for fun-quashing by putting the kibosh on playing that next round tie actually at Craven Cottage, following swift and effective lobbying for such a rearrangement by our esteemed Twitter admins.

Fulham’s loss. They obviously had heard the racket we made at The Den last season, and ran scared. (Their alternate rejection notice: “No vuvuzelas please, we’re Billericay.”)

However, the campaigning spirit burns on, with Erin joining the Pepper Army contingent on the March for Palestine yesterday, bringing our well-practiced chanting voices to add to the cause. And hopefully, onward, for a steady march over the league leaders today!

P.S. Here’s hoping we’re all invited to The Saylor-Monkman Spicy Wedding Of The Century!