I'd usually be pegged as a left-leaning sort, or at least a 'progressive' handwringer, especially on Charlton Life, but there's something about the way Dulwich purvey their particular brand of politicised support that rubs me up completely the wrong way. Their avowed moral superiority over every single other club ever (except maybe St Pauli) grates incredibly hard - how dare they presume other clubs can't show similarly broad-minded attitudes, preferably without the unmistakable reek of socialist champagne? While attitudes to female, gay, nonanglowhite or disabled supporters need to be continually addressed in the expressly patriarchal culture of English football, that is not to say that clubs like Charlton haven't made exceptional strides in all of these regards, acting as a shelter for lefty internet policers like me AND raving goonerhaters, not to mention supporters of all stripes and persuasions. Not that the process of progress is ever done - Dulwich, in fact, seem to think it is and that they have achieved nirvana. The sheer smugness of this is self-evident. The way their supporters' team played was also quite smug, thinking they'd roll up and beat us just by turning up - not even bringing on their most threatening player until half time when it was clear we were no pushovers. Thinking they'd roll up and beat us with a keeper under 5 feet tall (or at least, playing such a keeper in some addle-brained ploy at demonstrating inclusivity, or worse yet, using that keeper as a sort of implied excuse in the case of defeat). Oh no, ableism! I've said too much! Lefty credentials handed in, I'm off to form a loyalist colony with Dowman, or something
Anyway, if you want to be progressive about supporting Charlton, go and watch the ladies' team now and then, as I am planning on doing very soon (or the Upbeats!)
Watching the Charlton first team feels pretty progressive these days, especially when Im surrounded by co-workers who dont see past the top 5 of the prem....
I'd usually be pegged as a left-leaning sort, or at least a 'progressive' handwringer, especially on Charlton Life, but there's something about the way Dulwich purvey their particular brand of politicised support that rubs me up completely the wrong way. Their avowed moral superiority over every single other club ever (except maybe St Pauli) grates incredibly hard - how dare they presume other clubs can't show similarly broad-minded attitudes, preferably without the unmistakable reek of socialist champagne? While attitudes to female, gay, nonanglowhite or disabled supporters need to be continually addressed in the expressly patriarchal culture of English football, that is not to say that clubs like Charlton haven't made exceptional strides in all of these regards, acting as a shelter for lefty internet policers like me AND raving goonerhaters, not to mention supporters of all stripes and persuasions. Not that the process of progress is ever done - Dulwich, in fact, seem to think it is and that they have achieved nirvana. The sheer smugness of this is self-evident. The way their supporters' team played was also quite smug, thinking they'd roll up and beat us just by turning up - not even bringing on their most threatening player until half time when it was clear we were no pushovers. Thinking they'd roll up and beat us with a keeper under 5 feet tall (or at least, playing such a keeper in some addle-brained ploy at demonstrating inclusivity, or worse yet, using that keeper as a sort of implied excuse in the case of defeat). Oh no, ableism! I've said too much! Lefty credentials handed in, I'm off to form a loyalist colony with Dowman, or something
Anyway, if you want to be progressive about supporting Charlton, go and watch the ladies' team now and then, as I am planning on doing very soon (or the Upbeats!)
From what I can tell, they're nice Middle class boys who've done their homework on Ultra culture (probably starting with St. Pauli hence the whole highly public 'left wing / right on' stance).
As a result, cleverly designed Dulwich Hamlet stickers, preaching their self proclaimed moral superiority (typical trust fund faux lefty position) are cropping up on hand dryers and urinals all over London.
Anyone would think that another club with a traditional 'stockbroker belt but once saw ID or Football Factory, so fancy a bit of it' type fanbase have suddenly put ticket prices up, forcing some fans onto a self righteous quest for something more 'authentic' (ie it's cheaper, which is not something to advertise at a dinner party in Banstead)
This thread seems to have turned into some spoof CL thread where all the repressed anger gets let out.
Tenner in at Dulwich, you can drink while watching the match, swap ends at half time, people take their kids (for free) and they can run around, nobody gets any hassle. And the football under manager Gavin Rose is usually pretty good. It's that simple.
People come for the first time, like it, and bring their mates. And their partners. And then their mates bring their mates. And their partners bring their mates. And so on.
The anti-homophobia/anti-sexism initiatives there are reminiscent of when Charlton were proudly working to combat racism. It's better for this world than singing "we can see you holding hands" at Brighton fans. And it brings a few more people through the turnstiles, too. Remember that, welcoming people?
Sure, the recent Dulwich thing is partly an accident of geography and recent demographics, but it's working. The old Dulwich fans (and there's still a load of those) get on with the new. People are just enjoying themselves. I wonder how long it'll last for - people will get nostalgic for when there were just 600 there, or Gavin Rose will get an offer he can't turn down. But for now, it's fun.
Because that's what's going to football's about, having fun, isn't it?
I'll be at Champion Hill this afternoon, i've been watching the Hamlet for over 40 years, with the past 25 years being rationed depending on clashes with Charltons fixtures and although i have very little in common with the middle class crowd that gets over there now if it wasn't for them Dulwich probably wouldn't be here now being owned by property developers as they are currently. The football Gavin Rose tries to get his team to play at times over the past 5 years has been some of the best i've seen and for a tenner this can't be knocked. So i will be taking my 5 month old son with me today to Dulwich for his first ever football match just like my Dad took me and my Grandad took him and personally i don't care about all the political nonsense as long as there's non-league football at Champion Hill for me to watch ever other Ssturday that's fine by me. AFKA, to answer your question generally a croed of around 500 to 800 for a game like VCD. Which is fantastic at that level.
I went for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I enjoyed it. Good beer which you could drink at your seat. A higher than average ratio of beards, but the majority of the ground was non hipster (lots of dads with their kids). Didn't get the impression of any sanctimoniousness. Game was a terrible nil nil though.
This thread seems to have turned into some spoof CL thread where all the repressed anger gets let out.
Tenner in at Dulwich, you can drink while watching the match, swap ends at half time, people take their kids (for free) and they can run around, nobody gets any hassle. And the football under manager Gavin Rose is usually pretty good. It's that simple.
People come for the first time, like it, and bring their mates. And their partners. And then their mates bring their mates. And their partners bring their mates. And so on.
The anti-homophobia/anti-sexism initiatives there are reminiscent of when Charlton were proudly working to combat racism. It's better for this world than singing "we can see you holding hands" at Brighton fans. And it brings a few more people through the turnstiles, too. Remember that, welcoming people?
Sure, the recent Dulwich thing is partly an accident of geography and recent demographics, but it's working. The old Dulwich fans (and there's still a load of those) get on with the new. People are just enjoying themselves. I wonder how long it'll last for - people will get nostalgic for when there were just 600 there, or Gavin Rose will get an offer he can't turn down. But for now, it's fun.
Because that's what's going to football's about, having fun, isn't it?
You make it sound almost as enjoyable as watching rugby is, up and down the country, in the Welsh Valleys and Scottish Borders.
This thread seems to have turned into some spoof CL thread where all the repressed anger gets let out.
Tenner in at Dulwich, you can drink while watching the match, swap ends at half time, people take their kids (for free) and they can run around, nobody gets any hassle. And the football under manager Gavin Rose is usually pretty good. It's that simple.
People come for the first time, like it, and bring their mates. And their partners. And then their mates bring their mates. And their partners bring their mates. And so on.
The anti-homophobia/anti-sexism initiatives there are reminiscent of when Charlton were proudly working to combat racism. It's better for this world than singing "we can see you holding hands" at Brighton fans. And it brings a few more people through the turnstiles, too. Remember that, welcoming people?
Sure, the recent Dulwich thing is partly an accident of geography and recent demographics, but it's working. The old Dulwich fans (and there's still a load of those) get on with the new. People are just enjoying themselves. I wonder how long it'll last for - people will get nostalgic for when there were just 600 there, or Gavin Rose will get an offer he can't turn down. But for now, it's fun.
Because that's what's going to football's about, having fun, isn't it?
"Big business, that's what football's all about. That, and savage groin - crunching fouls, obviously!"
This thread seems to have turned into some spoof CL thread where all the repressed anger gets let out.
Tenner in at Dulwich, you can drink while watching the match, swap ends at half time, people take their kids (for free) and they can run around, nobody gets any hassle. And the football under manager Gavin Rose is usually pretty good. It's that simple.
People come for the first time, like it, and bring their mates. And their partners. And then their mates bring their mates. And their partners bring their mates. And so on.
The anti-homophobia/anti-sexism initiatives there are reminiscent of when Charlton were proudly working to combat racism. It's better for this world than singing "we can see you holding hands" at Brighton fans. And it brings a few more people through the turnstiles, too. Remember that, welcoming people?
Sure, the recent Dulwich thing is partly an accident of geography and recent demographics, but it's working. The old Dulwich fans (and there's still a load of those) get on with the new. People are just enjoying themselves. I wonder how long it'll last for - people will get nostalgic for when there were just 600 there, or Gavin Rose will get an offer he can't turn down. But for now, it's fun.
Because that's what's going to football's about, having fun, isn't it?
"Big business, that's what football's all about. That, and savage groin - crunching fouls, obviously!"
If anyone wants to crunch Robbie Savage's groin, that's fine by me, although he sounds like someone's already done it.
The company my old man worked for either owned or had a very big say in the running of Dulwich Hamlet back in the 1960's / 70's. In the late 60's, Dulwich played the England world cup winning team in a charity match and my dad managed to take me in to the England dressing room straight after the game, which for a young kid getting well in to football was a real treat.
Apart from the shock of seeing my footballing heroes walking around with their meat and veg swinging about lol, one thing that I remember clearly was the Dulwich fans song to the tune of Lilly the Pink. It went along the lines of "we'll drink a drink a drink to Dulwich the pink the pink the pink, winners of the amateur cup 5 times."
Weird how some little things stick in your mind for years.
Comments
Anyway, if you want to be progressive about supporting Charlton, go and watch the ladies' team now and then, as I am planning on doing very soon
As a result, cleverly designed Dulwich Hamlet stickers, preaching their self proclaimed moral superiority (typical trust fund faux lefty position) are cropping up on hand dryers and urinals all over London.
Anyone would think that another club with a traditional 'stockbroker belt but once saw ID or Football Factory, so fancy a bit of it' type fanbase have suddenly put ticket prices up, forcing some fans onto a self righteous quest for something more 'authentic' (ie it's cheaper, which is not something to advertise at a dinner party in Banstead)
Yeah, us handsome devils all vote Tory or UKIP.
Doesn't he have to die first?
Tenner in at Dulwich, you can drink while watching the match, swap ends at half time, people take their kids (for free) and they can run around, nobody gets any hassle. And the football under manager Gavin Rose is usually pretty good. It's that simple.
People come for the first time, like it, and bring their mates. And their partners. And then their mates bring their mates. And their partners bring their mates. And so on.
The anti-homophobia/anti-sexism initiatives there are reminiscent of when Charlton were proudly working to combat racism. It's better for this world than singing "we can see you holding hands" at Brighton fans. And it brings a few more people through the turnstiles, too. Remember that, welcoming people?
Sure, the recent Dulwich thing is partly an accident of geography and recent demographics, but it's working. The old Dulwich fans (and there's still a load of those) get on with the new. People are just enjoying themselves. I wonder how long it'll last for - people will get nostalgic for when there were just 600 there, or Gavin Rose will get an offer he can't turn down. But for now, it's fun.
Because that's what's going to football's about, having fun, isn't it?
AFKA, to answer your question generally a croed of around 500 to 800 for a game like VCD. Which is fantastic at that level.
I went for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I enjoyed it. Good beer which you could drink at your seat. A higher than average ratio of beards, but the majority of the ground was non hipster (lots of dads with their kids). Didn't get the impression of any sanctimoniousness. Game was a terrible nil nil though.
I lived in East Dulwich my entire school life and didn't feel inclined to go there once - played there though in the South London Schools cup final.
Apart from the shock of seeing my footballing heroes walking around with their meat and veg swinging about lol, one thing that I remember clearly was the Dulwich fans song to the tune of Lilly the Pink. It went along the lines of "we'll drink a drink a drink to Dulwich the pink the pink the pink, winners of the amateur cup 5 times."
Weird how some little things stick in your mind for years.