Women's League & Cup Competitions 23-24

It has been a staggering 12 months for women's football in England, with the Lionesses crowned European champions at Wembley last summer, before beating Brazil at the same venue in the inaugural Finalissima in the spring, and a joyous run to this summer's World Cup final, which cruelly ended in defeat to Spain.

Domestically, there has been a swell in attendances for Women's Super League matches over the past year too, with Arsenal twice selling more than 40,000 tickets for games at the Emirates last season, played against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.

At the Hamlet last season, we managed to break our own attendance record for a women's game, with 631 watching us take on Gillingham in the FA Cup, and with league attendances averaging 350 for the campaign, we are hoping this continues.

If you are still relatively new to watching either women's side, here is a guide to the level of the pyramid you will be watching, and the cups involved too!

London & South East Regional Women's Football League

This is one of eight leagues at Tier 5 of the football pyramid. We have played at this level since 2017, when we were still playing under the guise of AFC Phoenix. The league sits below the WSL, Women's Championship and two levels of the Women's National League.

For the 2023-24 Premier Division, there are once again 12 member clubs, with only one promotion place available at the end of each season, that going to the champions. At the other end of the table, the two bottom sides after 22 games will be relegated to either Division One North or South of the league.

We finished second in our first two years at this level, just missing out on promotion as AFC Phoenix, before finishing first in both of the Covid-19 cancelled seasons, but sadly not being granted promotion. After finishing 5th in 2021-22, we finished 4th last season.

Our Reserves side compete in Division One North, finishing third in their debut campaign in 2021-22, before finishing 9th last season. The two sides are not permitted to play in the same division, meaning were the reserves to win their league this year, they would not be promoted unless our first team also won their division. Similarly, if the first team were relegated, the reserves would have to drop down a division!

Women's FA Cup

The top cup competition in women's domestic football in England, which was founded in 1970. It was designed to be an equivalent competition to the men's version, which has been played for around a century longer. Clubs from the top six tiers of the English league system are eligible to enter, with occasional entries from tier seven.

A series of byes based on the level of the league means that lower-ranked sides begin their FA Cup run earlier than those higher up the pyramid. There are three qualifying rounds and eight proper rounds to the competition. Should one of the qualifying round matches end as as a draw after 90 minutes, the games are decided from the penalty mark, with extra time brought in for the proper stages of the competition.

The Hamlet, along with the other sides at Tier 5, enter the competition at the Second Qualifying Round stage. Our reserves are not permitted entry to this cup. The competition is currently sponsored by Vitality.

Last season saw our best run to date in the competition, as we not only reached the proper stages for the first time, we also reached the Second Round, which saw us lose to Gillingham at Champion Hill.

The previous Champion Hill actually hosted the 1977 final, in which around 3,000 people saw Queen's Park Rangers beat Southampton!

L&SERWFL League Cup

This competition is open to every side that plays in either the Premier Division or Divisions One North and South of the London & South East Regional Women's Football League, meaning both our sides are eligible to take part. Games are decided by penalties if level after 90 minutes. The Reserves will enter from Round 1, with the First Team commencing their competition a round later.

Last season brought the First Team their best run in this competition, as they reached the quarter-finals for the first time before losing at Dartford. The Reserves' best run came the year before, when they reached Round 3.

L&SERWFL League Trophy

This is the secondary cup competition for sides from Divisions One North & South of the league, which usually starts after the commencement of the League Cup. Last season saw our Reserves enter at the Second Round stage, eventually reaching the last eight.

Capital Women's Senior Cup

This trophy is jointly run by the London, Surrey and Middlesex Football Associations, as well as the Amateur Football Alliance, with the clubs entering affiliated to one of those four organisations. The First Team reached the final of this competition in 2022, losing 2-0 to Ashford Town (Middx) in the final at Dorking Wanderers. Last season, we lost 2-0 at home to Actonians in the last-16. Games are decided by penalties if level after 90 minutes.

Isthmian Women's Cup

Replacing the Combined Counties Midweek Cup for this season, we will be entering the Reposs Isthmian Women's Cup instead. Last season included sides from Essex, Kent and London, and was won by Charlton Athletic, who beat Billericay Town on penalties at the Dripping Pan in Lewes.

Summer Completes Summer Signings

Forward signs on dual-registration after grabbing brace at Crawley AFC

The Hamlet have a new number nine amidst their ranks with the capture of Summer Roberts on a dual-registration deal from AFC Wimbledon.

Summer holds a unique feat of scoring for and against the Hamlet this summer, having netted for the Dons in their 5-1 victory at Champion Hill, before she netted a brace on her debut at Crawley AFC last weekend, with only the crossbar denying her a hat-trick in that game having won a penalty in the second half.

The 19-year-old enjoyed a successful spell at our league rivals Fulham last season, scoring six times in 15 appearances during the second half of 2022-23 after arriving on a dual-registration deal from London Bees. Prior to playing for the Bees, she was in the development side at Watford, netting 12 times in 10 games during 2021-22.

"I’m excited to have the chance to join Dulwich on loan." said Summer. "The squad and management have made me very welcome and we all have big ambitions for this season."

"Summer is someone we have kept an eye on for a year or so," added Ryan Dempsey, "we wanted to bring her in last summer but her parent club at the time opted to send her elsewhere. We have to say a big thank you to AFC Wimbledon, with whom we have a great relationship."

"Summer fits the profile of the sort of player we have bee looking for, she's energetic, technically can strike a ball very well, another player who has come in this summer and asked lots of questions and wanting to learn, she's bubbly and offers that physicality in attack which balances what we have in that area of the field."

"The goal she scored against us in the friendly shows she has the pace to get away from defenders, and for us against Crawley she looked good in the 18-yard box, showing good finishing and instincts as well as good link-up play

Midfielder Phoebe Read Added To Dempsey's Squad

Ryan Dempsey has filled the midfield gap left by the departure of Ella Wales-Bonner by signing Phoebe Read.

The midfielder ended last season at Hammersmith in Division One South of the Greater London Women's Football League, two divisions below the Hamlet, scoring twice in three appearances as her side won the title on goal difference. She also played for Hammersmith the previous season too, and has also represented Millwall, Watford and been in the England set-up at youth level.

Phoebe appeared twice in our pre-season schedule this summer, coming off the bench in the first game against Rising Ballers, before putting in a Player of the Match performance away to QPR in the 2-2 draw.

Phoebe was training with our Reserves side a few years ago, but suffered a serious injury which prevented her from lining up for the side.

"Dulwich is a team I’ve had my eye on for a long time and being here it’s easy to see why." said Pheobe.

"The set up and standard of play is amazing at this level and something I’ve been looking for for a long time. I’m so excited to be joining this year - we have a very talented group of hard working and competitive players who will challenge each other to be the best they can be both on and off the pitch."

"This season we want challenge in every single competition and the belief and drive in the squad can definitely take us all the way. The coaches, players and fans have made me feel at home already and I can’t wait to get started this season."

"Phoebe is a technically gifted player," added Ryan. "She can play off both feet and is a box-to-box midfielder so can get up and down the pitch."

"She can find passes really well and break forward to support attacks, and enjoys getting stuck in as well, and can definitely play in any of those three midfield positions that we like to use. She has really great experience from her playing days and I'm excited to see that energy from midfield."

Welcome Searle... And Searle!

Twin defenders Tia and Morgan Searle join after successful trial this summer

Ryan Dempsey has bolstered his defensive options ahead of the new season with the signing of twin defenders Tia and Morgan Searle.

The duo appeared twice during our pre-season games this summer, starting in the 5-0 win at Welling United and the 4-0 success over MK Dons U23s at Champion Hill.

Last season they played their football in Tier 3 with Crawley Wasps, with Morgan playing in 17 National League Southern Premier Division games, and Tia in 15. Prior to joining Crawley last summer, they worked with Jamie Broughton in the Crystal Palace Development side, appearing alongside other Hamlet players past and present in Izzy Franklin, Eman Kassem, Lily Price and Saskia Reeves-Priestley.

Tia is left-footed played predominately and will likely operate as a left-back, although she is also adept at playing at centre-back or wing-back. Morgan by contrast is right-footed and plays as a centre-back, but can also fill in on the right side of defence.

"I’m really looking forward at starting my journey with Dulwich," said Tia, "all the staff and players have been very welcoming which will help me push on to have a very successful season with a great bunch of talented girls."

Morgan added, "I am really looking forward to the season ahead at Dulwich Hamlet with the amazing girls and coaches."

"We tried to get Tia and Morgan in last year because of their qualities both on and off the pitch," said Ryan, "they both possess great leadership qualities, their communication is very good and both are energetic."

"They can both play in multiple positions, and they fit the profile in what we were looking for this summer in terms of age and how much they want to learn and develop. Having played Tier 3 football last year, they have gained invaluable experience, and since coming in they have fitted in really well with the group and impacted the games they have played."

"We always want to bring young players into the club and help them to develop and move up the pyramid, but also help us to move towards Tier 4 and Tier 3 and Tia and Morgan will help with that."