Archive chat from 2007: Dulwich Hamlet FC. Anyone fancy going on Saturday ? (Aug 2007)

[editor]

The club are trying their best to get the game going:

The Club are doing everything possible to get the huge top of the table clash with Maidstone United played on Saturday

The pitch has been prepared, plastic sheeting laid down on the vulnerable parts of the pitch...and we are now in the proverbial 'lap of the gods' weather wise.

There is a prediction of snowfall tomorrow, or overnight on Friday evening. If this happens we need some of YOU, our loyal supporters to get to the ground early on Saturday morning, to clear snow, & do everything possible to get the game playable.

If this does happen we are appealing to you all, as many of you as possible, to get to the ground on Saturday morning, at 9.00am, to help clear the pitch, under the guidance of the groundstaff.

If & when the snow does come down we shall confirm the need for volunteers here, on Hamlet Pitchero.

If there is no update before Saturday morning we shall be posting a message on here at 8.00AM on Saturday morning...giving people notice to head to the ground for nine o'clock.

We DO require fans, if possible, to bring their own shovels & brooms, if possible, as equipment will be in short supply.

In anticipation, we would like to thank all of our fans who will be on stand by, and also appreciate there are some of you who would love to help, but cannot, due to work or family commitments, simple medical reasons, or will be caught up in snow themselves, & find it difficult to travel in.

In appreciation to those that do manage to get the ground we will have vouchers ready at the end of the session for everyone who puts in a shift of at least an hour's hard graft, of a voucher for the following:

SEASON TICKET HOLDERS:

Two free drinks from the clubhouse, or tea bar.

OR

One free drink from the clubhouse or tea bar AND one free burger.

For NON-SEASON TICKET HOLDERS:

You will receive ONE of the above

OR

A voucher for FREE ADMISSION to the Maidstone United game, which can still be used for the re-arrangement, even if the match is postponed.

Anyone who helps out, of course, does not have to take up these offers of vouchers, it is totally optional, as every penny spent helps our promotion push!

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/dulwichhamlet/news/groundstaff-appeal-for-help-on-834397.html

 

[Onket]

Good stuff.

Fingers crossed for them/you.

 

[TopCat]

I never did like them bars

 

[Brixton Hatter]

pitch inspection at 10.30am tomorrow...

 

[editor]

Here's the full press release:

Inspection planned for the morning
Lots of games are already postponed throughout the Ryman League card tomorrow.

We shall have a pitch inspection at 10.30am, tomorrow, Saturday morning.

We have plans in place to clear snow, covering is down on a lot of the pitch, & temperatures are predicted as a degree or two above freezing on Saturday, so there is a chance.

It depends on how far the temperatures drop tonight, & how heavy the snowfall is.

But Dulwich Hamlet Football club are doing everything we possibly can to try to stage the game.

Volunteers from our fans who want to come down and help should note that there will now be groundstaff at the stadium from 8.00am, rather than 9.00am...so the earleir the better!

There will be no further announcements regarding the pitch,hopefully, until the inspection.

So if you are travelling from Maidstone please do not set out until we have made a decision, in conjunction with the match officials at 10.30am.

Thank you.

*fingers crossed! I really fancy seeing this game tomorrow.

 

[sleaterkinney]

It's on, passed inspection

 

[Thimble Queen]

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/dulwichhamlet/news/match-on-today-v-maidstone-utd-837162.html

 

[editor]

Fantastic. So who's going? And bring yer thermals - this is going to be a proper old school football experience!

 

[Thimble Queen]

Yep we're going

 

[Brixton Hatter]

I'll be there too with Ms Hatter and a few others. Hopefully magneze and el-ahrairah are still up for it as well. I aim to get there about 2pm or shortly after....

You coming sleaterkinney ?

 

[Brixton Hatter]

All hail the 25 volunteers who cleared snow off the pitch this morning too!

 

[sleaterkinney]

Yeah, I'm going

 

[el-ahrairah]

leaving shortly. was going to stay at home because 'm bloody freezing here inside, but then i thought i might as well be cold somewhere fun.

 

[editor]

I'm leaving in a minute. I'm going to walk there, I reckon.

See you all there. Come on the Hamlet!

 

[editor]

It's bloody off.

 

[editor]

Match referee called the match off at 1.35
Despite the best efforts of all the ground staff and volunteers the match referee decided that a couple of areas of the pitch were unplayable.

Poor Maidstone fans will probably be in Dulwich already. I'm well disappointed.

 

[Thimble Queen]

We're going to the fox on the hill instead if anyone wants to join editor sleaterkinney el-ahrairah

 

[editor]

Poot old el-ahrairah is already there!

 

[magneze]

Just heard. Was halfway out the door. Really fancied seeing this.

 

[editor]

Modern football, isn't it? Oh look! A snowflake! A player might trip on that. Call health and safety! Abandon the game quickly!

 

[Brixton Hatter]

Boooo... We were right outside the ground as well. Poor Maidstone fans, long journey back. Talen refuge in the fox on the hill (which has a fire!)

 

[editor]

I'd love to join you in the pub but the mighty Mrs Mills are playing a gay night later on so I need to stay relatively sober. But once the gig is over, I will get smashed!

 

[el-ahrairah]

well, i got there, found it was off, and went home via a caff. at least it wasn't a long journey!

 

[gaijingirl]

Completely missed this.. we go from time to time.. definitely up for it another time.

 

[el-ahrairah]

next time eh people?

 

[Onket]

I'd probably be up for an evening game towards the end of the season. Can't really do weekends now that I live so far away.

 

[el-ahrairah]

yeah, we should take advantage of the week-night games really.

 

[Onket]

I would obviously encourage anyone local to go before then, though (as well)!

 

[editor]

Nice message on the Hamlet's site:

It was a case of 'oh so close', as The Hamlet did their best to stage the only non-league game in the South-East
A hardy band of fans were out of their beds before the sun had risen, to be at the ground for an eight o'clock start, in what was to be an ultimately in vain herculean effort to get the match played.

Brooms & shovels in hand, the large group of over 25 supporters grafted for almost six hours, boosted by the initial hopeful inspection by the
local non-match Isthmian referee. The snow plough worked it's magic, covers were removed, & any remaining compressed white stuff was cleared.

There were fans of all ages, men & women, who answered the rallying cry, the oldest being senior citizen Mark Hutton, the youngest two and half year oldArchie Patrick, who insisted on braving the cold morning with his father Will, the little lad going to work with his own little spade!

Sadly, all in vain, even with fans using their initiative & getting an industrial hot air blower, over the parts that were still too hard. the vast majority of the pitch was certainly playable, but-quite rightly-the match referee had the ultimate safety of players from both sides to consider when he called it off, with much reluctance, just after half past one.

Dulwich Hamlet Football Club would like to thank every single person who gave up their Saturday to try to get the game on. The simple words 'thank you' are not sufficient to express the gratitude the Club owes you all.
And apologies to the fans of Maidstone United..we had every hope that we would beat the weather, & were extremely confident we would. We are not the sort of Club that wants supporters to make wasted journeys when they visit us. It is sadly, part of being a loyal non-league fan, which our fans will be able to relate to down the years, when they have gone to games with late postponements on their travels.

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/dulwichhamlet/news/hamlet-fans-finally-thwarted-b-837550.html

 

[editor]

Here's their remaining home fixtures - I'm not sure when the Maidstone game will be rescheduled. :

09.02.13 Merstham FC H 3.00pm
16.02.13 Three Bridges H 3.00pm
26.02.13 Walton and Hersham H 7.45 pm
09.03.13 Sittingbourne H 3.00pm
23.03.13 Whitstable Town H 3.00pm
01.04.13 Chipstead H 3.00pm
13.04.13 Walton Casuals H 3.00pm
27.04.13 Burgess Hill Town H 3.00pm