Supporting Two Teams Takes Diversity To A New Level

It is perhaps assumed that simply by their larger attendances, Premier League Clubs would attract a more diverse group of supporters than an Isthmian League team such as Dulwich Hamlet.  Maybe it's because of its location; it's history; maybe due to the travels of its supporter's football team; or the mix of players, but those that follow Dulwich Hamlet must be near the top of any diversity league.

Photograph courtesy M Morath.

There are the usual groups that make up the attendance at many non-league grounds at this level.  There's the middle-aged men that like a pint and may or may not have been involved in running up and down the high street while following a league team in the past.  There's also the group which includes men and women who have found that non-league football can provide an excellent creche facility, that also allows you to keep an eye on your child, watch football, have a pint and talk bollocks.  Relatives that come along to watch their sons play or hope they get a game off the sub's bench form a further  group.  Finally in this list of usual suspects, there are the Committee Members selling all sorts of 'golden' tickets, who 'know where you live' as a gentle encouragement to purchase.

Aside from these, Dulwich Hamlet also has a group of younger supporters that sometimes forms into a band consisting largely of drums and trumpets and memorably turned up in onesies at Leatherhead.  The second impromtu band within the club is sometimes made of the  'Turkish Ultras', who have attended games ever since Erhun Otzumer, the Non-League Messi arrived and add strongly to the cacophony.  A more recent but quieter addition is Ged TheGiraffe.

Photograph courtesy of Dulwich Hamlet Facebook page

Less regular, but exciting additions to games have included around twenty Belgians, supporters of the fourth tier club Union Royale Namur.  These supporters have attended both at Champion Hill and what might be consided almost a home game for them at Folkestone, much to the surprise of the locals.  Having been on some typically strong Belgian beer all day, their support at the Folkestone game was vociferous throughout the game and rewarded with a Dulwich win and post match photo on the pitch with the team.  The presence of the travelling Belgians was clearly noted by the home supporters since in the return league game they spent some time chanting "where's your Belgians gone"?

Altona 93 and Dulwich Hamlet supporters on 9 March 2013.

Most recently, as a result of the diligent efforts of MM in finding a German football team formed in 1893 and a supporter's football team trip to Hamburg, over 50 Germans supporters from Altona FC attended the home game against Sittingbourne.  Altona FC currently play in the fifth tier of German football.  The Altona supporters took the attendance well over 500 and resulted in a big increase in takings at the club shop and the bar.  Additionally, a great deal of extra noise and colour was provided on the terraces.  Again, Dulwich's  European guests were rewarded with a win in the league game, although the Dulwich supporters also won their game 6-2 against Altona supporters on the Sunday.

Dulwich Hamlet has also become the focus of an Italian connection recently largely through social media.  A group of Italian supporters inspired by the "passion of the English game" have started a website English Football Station, @EFSblog.  They have adopted the club and plan a visit shortly.  Let's hope Dulwich can continue the winning run.

It is genuinely exciting to attend games where large numbers of foreign supporters have turned up not to see a Premier League team, but to see Dulwich Hamlet in the Ryman League South.  They bring both their own songs and also join in with the usual chants, but all with their own distinctive accents.   The credit for starting and maintaining these links must go to MM and the small group of enthusiasts that turn out for the supporter's football team.    They certainly greatly add to the support, noise and interest surrounding the game, but goes largely unreported.  Are there any other clubs at this level that have this diversity of supporters and particularly relationships with foreign supporters?