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Attendances....

2,856 - Dulwich hamlet V Hampton & Richmond Borough - 6th September 2014

Totally unbelievable

Todays gate takes Dulwich Hamlet average gate this season at home to 1,110 (todate)

Highest Global Non-League attendances this season (Top 5)

1 Bristol Rovers 7019
2 Wrexham 4068
3 Grimsby 3785
4 Forest Green Rovers 3781 (against Bristol Rovers)

5 Dulwich Hamlet 2856
 
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The only moans I've seen were about the bar. There's a lot of lost revenue when people can't get a drink, I tried twice during the first half and it was half a dozen deep both times so I gave up. Luckily I'd had a skinful before the match by getting there early.
 
The bar wasn't really able to cope was it. A lot of people went out to Sainsburys and brought cans in. Some of the problem is the building which in the short term they can't do anything about but not using the full bar seemed a bit daft tbh.
 
I think as has been mentioned before it's the sins of the past which are spoiling the here & now. Numerous issues with late parties, no licence etc... means that we have to operate under stricter rules regarding alcohol. Now while yesterday was unique we have problems with a crowd like Margate. The bar staff need to have pre-pulled lagers and plenty of them. Ideally these should be done before the game, before half time and before the end of the match. Although if they have more staff then that'll always help. I tend to find that if the crowd is decent then you try and beat the half time rush thus creating a catch 22.

The catering issue is something else and is something that I thought would be easy to sort. Get a local company who offer/run ice-cream vans, book 2 or 3 for yesterdays game at about £100/£150 a pitch. We have to do it as the catering area where it is and when busy will mean people blocking either the Supporters Shed & 12th man stand or if the queue snakes the other side the only viable way into the bar.

My uncle tried to beat the half time rush yesterday for a burger and was told 15 mins before hand that nothing was ready yet and to come back later, needless to say he didn't.
 
Monkeygrinder's Organ said:
The bar wasn't really able to cope was it. A lot of people went out to Sainsburys and brought cans in. Some of the problem is the building which in the short term they can't do anything about but not using the full bar seemed a bit daft tbh.
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I'd have thought the logical thing would have been to put the real ale barrels on the other bar.
 
EDC said:
There a mention in today's Observer. "Dulwich Hamlet's crowd of 2856 was bigger than four games in League 2 and 300 more than Crawley managed in League 1".
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Our figure was actually a few hundred more than that, but we haven't declared the true figure as it exceeded the official capacity of 3,000. Everyone staffing an entrance had a clicker to count the numbers accurately.

Befroehand I think the club was hoping to possibly get 2,000 if we were lucky.
 
Blimey - that's amazing. Congratulations to all involved. I remember saying to people that I thought the average attendance would creep up and over the 1,000 mark towards the end of the season, but looks like I was unduly pessimistic!

The bar was heaving - people had sweat dripping off them it was so hot packed in there. I went in half-an-hour into the first half, got out as the second half was kicking off.

I popped into the Ivy House on the way home, had a chat with the guv'nor and took home one of vornstyle76's posters as a souvenir...
 
It wouldn't surprise me if the figure was higher. People were streaming in through the gate long after the turnstiles closed. Great day, even them mrs enjoyed it.
 
I was expecting 15-1600 yesterday. To find out we had even more than the capacity is even more amazing but something we shouldn't shout about too loudly! I'd love to know (and hope) that we covered all the costs and had some left over. One thing is for certain we aren't maximising revenue for these big gates when it comes to refreshments.
 
I finally arrived in the 90th minute in time to register my attendance (but not in the official figures)

came from central London in record time and parking on a double yellow line (apologies)

so pleased to be part of it, even if just for 4 minutes

everybody played a role in this incredible attendance record

congratulations to everyone, the old and the new, the dinosaurs, the faithful, the nouveaus, the nouveaus nouveaus , the artists, the banner makers, the poster makers, the singers, the tweeters, the bloggers, the pod-casters, the sports writers, the tweeters, the photographers, the fanzine makers, the web site organisers, the drummers, the turnstile staff, 12th man group, the security staff, fans trust, the club committee, the programme and advertising staff, volunteers, DIY staff, the living wage campaigners, advertisers, the leafleters, the street posters and decorations, the march organisers, the bar and catering staff, the club shop staff, and of course the players, manager, coaching, physio staff and churlish not to mention the Owners ......(did I forget anyone ... sorry)


"No such thing as Society" RUBBISH

Build it and they will come

We are building & strengthening our Community
 
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Al Crane said:
I was expecting 15-1600 yesterday. To find out we had even more than the capacity is even more amazing but something we shouldn't shout about too loudly! I'd love to know (and hope) that we covered all the costs and had some left over. One thing is for certain we aren't maximising revenue for these big gates when it comes to refreshments.
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I hasten to add that I didn't see anything remotely resembling a safety hazard. The official 3,000 capacity seems a fairly random round number and I'm sure no one ever calibrated it by actually putting people into the ground. It's a modern ground with plenty of exit gates and flat standing areas, the only real issue is the limited terracing meaning a lot of people will have had a restricted view.

Big credit to all the club officials and supporters who helped publicise and promote the occasion. I don't think anyone could have expected to attract quite so many punters. If we're ever in a position to host a similar event again I guess temporary catering and toilet facilities in the corners may help.
 
Pink Panther said:
If we're ever in a position to host a similar event again I guess temporary catering and toilet facilities in the corners may help.
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While there's obviously not going to be another crowd like that any time soon we could easily see a fairly regular gates of over 1000, so they should be looking at this sort of thing anyway.

With the bar as priority of course.;)
 
Pink Panther said:
I hasten to add that I didn't see anything remotely resembling a safety hazard. The official 3,000 capacity seems a fairly random round number and I'm sure no one ever calibrated it by actually putting people into the ground. It's a modern ground with plenty of exit gates and flat standing areas, the only real issue is the limited terracing meaning a lot of people will have had a restricted view.
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I would assume the 3000 capacity has been calculated based on the space available on the terraces and in the seats with an allowance for fire escape width i.e the fire brigade/building control agree the capacity. I didn't feel like there was a lack of space at all so I think it sounds low. Only issues I can see are as you say, limited terracing but also the width of the access in front of the stand which doesn't work very well.
 
708 attendance against AFC Hornchurch
last year 607 and we also lost 2-3

This Season DHFC lowest attendance 513 is still higher than highest for 19 other Ryman Premiership Clubs
 
PartisanDulwich said:
708 attendance against AFC Hornchurch
last year 607 and we also lost 2-3

This Season DHFC lowest attendance 513 is still higher than highest for 19 other Ryman Premiership Clubs
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Hornchurch also brought a lot more support last season than yesterday. In fact, apart from Margate with their additional glory hunters lured by the likelihood of watching an expensively assembled promotion winning side all season, all the teams we've played at home seem to have brought less support than last season.
 
In terms of fanbase you've kind of outgrown the Isthmian league. In terms of football, you're pretty much on the cusp of something similar if you can keep hold of Gavin and his sidekicks.

As a well-wisher and casual supporter,[Keegan Mode] I'd absolutely love it [/Keegan Mode] if you got promoted and eased onto regular four-figure attendances. With all the less-than-white clouds on the horizon over the stadium, I really feel that this could be your time to kick-on another click and confound the property developers and local-authority wallahs who seek to diminish the value of a real community football club.

I have no idea what might be sustainable for DHFC but I'm quite sure that more progression is attainable and all that everyone, squad and fans, needs to do is keep on keeping on for the time being.
 
Lewes is always kind of held up of an example of what's sustainable - I was speaking to one of their marketing guys a while back (he's no longer there sadly), and he mentioned that getting promoted to the conference nearly ruined them ( I mean yeah, some explicable reasons for that given them not keeping the manager and stuff). I see a lot of parallels in the Academy, etc, wondered if the community owned model was ever on the horizon - guessing not given recent shenanigans with ownership, debt, etc? Would definitely be up for it, though.
 
iamwithnail said:
Lewes is always kind of held up of an example of what's sustainable - I was speaking to one of their marketing guys a while back (he's no longer there sadly), and he mentioned that getting promoted to the conference nearly ruined them ( I mean yeah, some explicable reasons for that given them not keeping the manager and stuff). I see a lot of parallels in the Academy, etc, wondered if the community owned model was ever on the horizon - guessing not given recent shenanigans with ownership, debt, etc? Would definitely be up for it, though.
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We'll see but it's not impossible. It's fairly safe to say that the new owners have no interest in running the club long term, and the club is hardly a saleable asset that will bring in loads of money, so if they get their new flats they might well be amenable to turning the club over to community ownership.
 
They have said as much verbally.It is up to us as supporters, to put pressure on them to keep their word, but I am sure they will expect fans to back the ground move in return. Which I do 100%. Some fans still think that building around the current pitch, and keeping us where we are is an option.
That is simply not the case, and would be the beginning of the end...
We MUST grasp the oportunity of a purpose built stadium, next door, built to our specifications, with the potential for a proper community club, and with a long-term lease.
I believe that is the ONLY way our Club will survive and prosper.
 
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Word is getting around. Speaking to one of the new students at work today, he said he was a Chester fan, so I mentioned Dulwich to him. Turns out he's already got it down as something to go to during his time in London.:)
 
Over 1000 again today. Around that mark is becoming quite regular, at least for Saturday games. Amazing really.:)

The bar is a nightmare though. I don't really want to start bringing in cans, especially now they have generally excellent ales in the bar, but I missed a big chunk of the game yesterday just getting a round of drinks in.
 
Monkeygrinder's Organ said:
Over 1000 again today. Around that mark is becoming quite regular, at least for Saturday games. Amazing really.:)

The bar is a nightmare though. I don't really want to start bringing in cans, especially now they have generally excellent ales in the bar, but I missed a big chunk of the game yesterday just getting a round of drinks in.
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The attendance was fantastic for a game with a no more than average away following, no freebie promotions, and just the good form of the visiting team as an added attraction.

Unfortunately the bar situation is inevitable. We can't make it any bigger and far more people want to use it. Apparently Maidstone have a similar problem and in their first season at the new ground their commercial manager reckoned they could sell twice as much beer on matchdays but simply did't have the capacity to physically do so, hence the pop-up bar behind the goal which I don't think we're allowed to do because of licensing restrictions..
 
A suggestion for the bar staff (perhaps Pompey Dunc can pass this onto the manager):
Popular drinks could be pre-poured and lined up behind the bar ready to hand over to thirsty customers which will speed up the process of getting a drink. I don't know whether there are good reasons not to do this (freshness perhaps) but I've seen it done successfully at other clubs. The only other thing would be to get more staff but I assume that it becomes unprofitable at some point if you're having to be pay more staff.
 
Pink Panther said:
Unfortunately the bar situation is inevitable. We can't make it any bigger and far more people want to use it. Apparently Maidstone have a similar problem and in their first season at the new ground their commercial manager reckoned they could sell twice as much beer on matchdays but simply did't have the capacity to physically do so, hence the pop-up bar behind the goal which I don't think we're allowed to do because of licensing restrictions..
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Yes I can believe that. Last year I spent ages at the main bar getting nowhere and eventually gave up. When we found the little bar down the other end we were able to get served very quickly.
 
Al Crane said:
A suggestion for the bar staff (perhaps Pompey Dunc can pass this onto the manager):
Popular drinks could be pre-poured and lined up behind the bar ready to hand over to thirsty customers which will speed up the process of getting a drink. I don't know whether there are good reasons not to do this (freshness perhaps) but I've seen it done successfully at other clubs. The only other thing would be to get more staff but I assume that it becomes unprofitable at some point if you're having to be pay more staff.
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We've had a chat previously on the issue. I'll raise again. How has the food been for last few games? Any improvements there?
 
pompeydunc said:
We've had a chat previously on the issue. I'll raise again. How has the food been for last few games? Any improvements there?
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In a word, shambolic! On Saturday there was confusion over whether they were even selling hot food. At the last midweek game there was a chap from the bar helping out at the tea bar and they were doing their best but I'd say it was only marginally better than what was served up on the pitch! The tea bar is hit and miss this season and I don't know what's going on behind the scenes but one week we've got duck confit the next bog standard burgers.
 
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