editor
hiraethified
3,000 officially (500 seated).
Attendances....
- Thread starter Jamie Wyatt
- Start date
vornstyle76
Dundela FC, Transpontine Diaspora Brigade
Look forward to seeing you. The capacity is 3,000 I believe.
Pink Panther
Well-Known Member
Ah, the way players act...so they have have mass brawls eh?
Anyway, the official Champion Hill capacity is 3,000. That is what the safety certificate is for. The current stadium record attendance is 2,856; earlier this season, against Hampton & Richmond Borough.
Anyway, the official Champion Hill capacity is 3,000. That is what the safety certificate is for. The current stadium record attendance is 2,856; earlier this season, against Hampton & Richmond Borough.
Sounds very familiar. I grew up in an area where rugby was the default winter sport, only ever played rugby, and had absolutely no interest in football at any level. Even three years ago I would have thought you were mental if you'd have suggested I would be obsessively supporting a non-league football team. Somehow it happened though, to the extent that I turned down free tickets to England v Australia last November because it clashed with the Kingstonian game. Tread carefully, its infectious......
You wouldn't like me...'Yawnion' bores me to tears. I very much prefer Rugby League...
Joe K
no al calcio con orchestra di ukulele
I used to try to like League as it seemed to be something Professional Northern Twats 'should' do, then I realised watching it made me want to pull my eyes out nearly as much as watching Union. Neither sport is going to give you at Erhun-at-Hemel moment.
Well that much I agree with...ironically the 'Erhun-at-Hemel' was something we can re-live, because despite the song and the stickers, Dulwich Hamlet WAS televised!
Taper
Mark McGann
Rugby Union is my first sport. East Midlands upbringing. Plus i was large enough to play at a decent level when young, despite no discernible sporting talent.
The Hamlet suits the rugby type well. The stuff that happens around the game is as important as the game itself. Good natured crowd too, with a profusion of sensible coats, flat caps, beards and beer.
Plus when teams from the backwoods come to Champion Hill, a lot of the game is played in the air, you see a lot of kicking for touch and the action is peppered with brutal tackles by large borderline obese men.
The Hamlet suits the rugby type well. The stuff that happens around the game is as important as the game itself. Good natured crowd too, with a profusion of sensible coats, flat caps, beards and beer.
Plus when teams from the backwoods come to Champion Hill, a lot of the game is played in the air, you see a lot of kicking for touch and the action is peppered with brutal tackles by large borderline obese men.
darryl
this wasn't supposed to happen
I live just down the road from Blackheath FC, who were founder members of the FA but walked out when hacking was outlawed - they're the world's oldest open rugby club.
Rugby on TV bores me to tears, but the few times I've ventured up the hill to watch Blackheath I've enjoyed it - once I've got my head around posh blokes shouting "CLUB!" and calling the referee "sir", I can appreciate the sport and it's nice and sociable and you can have a drink on the terrace and there aren't any idiots and it's very friendly. Which is a bit like Dulwich, frankly.
Rugby on TV bores me to tears, but the few times I've ventured up the hill to watch Blackheath I've enjoyed it - once I've got my head around posh blokes shouting "CLUB!" and calling the referee "sir", I can appreciate the sport and it's nice and sociable and you can have a drink on the terrace and there aren't any idiots and it's very friendly. Which is a bit like Dulwich, frankly.
Scutta
Live Fast Die Bizarre
I really hope we are not like some rugby fans, from my experience (talking about England here) I played to relatively decent level when I was younger as well and my dad preferred Rugby to football so used to go to a lot of games (before we won the world cup and couldn’t afford it after that) But at Rugby I have heard some of the most racist, sexist, homophobic abuse more than at a lot of football I have been to. The thing is its subtle and people either don’t notice it or don’t realise what they are saying or everyone is under the impression that they are better/don’t really mean it/just banter/ it’s ok “We’re the gentlemen, football fans are the thugs” (which imo is also very classist in itself)
I know this isn’t everyone and not trying to tar all rugby fans but there is a huge problem in rugby which most people are relatively blind to and don’t want to admit because they wouldn’t want to lower themselves. I find in football there are lot more visible fan groups willing to stand up against abuse like we are doing in Dulwich more than I believe I have ever seen in rugby (all though this may have have changed).
When people say its more like a rugby crowd what I hope they mean is that they feel safe. As I admit rugby on the outside has the illusion of being much safer than most football games however if you’re part of a minority group and you here the casual quips it can feel anywhere but safe. Dulwich crowd is hopefully just nice people watching football. We are Dulwich fans and we are proud to include everyone.
Don’t get me wrong I do still have huge admiration for the players as athletes and the game its self. But Rugby is not above football or nicer than football or fans better than other fans. There are just nice groups and not so nice groups in every sport. BUT to take a positive of what you said im glad people view us a s a nice group of fans
(ps. talking about union)
I know this isn’t everyone and not trying to tar all rugby fans but there is a huge problem in rugby which most people are relatively blind to and don’t want to admit because they wouldn’t want to lower themselves. I find in football there are lot more visible fan groups willing to stand up against abuse like we are doing in Dulwich more than I believe I have ever seen in rugby (all though this may have have changed).
When people say its more like a rugby crowd what I hope they mean is that they feel safe. As I admit rugby on the outside has the illusion of being much safer than most football games however if you’re part of a minority group and you here the casual quips it can feel anywhere but safe. Dulwich crowd is hopefully just nice people watching football. We are Dulwich fans and we are proud to include everyone.
Don’t get me wrong I do still have huge admiration for the players as athletes and the game its self. But Rugby is not above football or nicer than football or fans better than other fans. There are just nice groups and not so nice groups in every sport. BUT to take a positive of what you said im glad people view us a s a nice group of fans
(ps. talking about union)
vicarofsibley
80087355
I don't trust rugby. Or any sport where the ball isn't round.
Joe K
no al calcio con orchestra di ukulele
'The stuff that happens around the game' has always been just as important at football as it has at rugby.
Joe K
no al calcio con orchestra di ukulele
I really hope we are not like some rugby fans, from my experience (talking about England here) I played to relatively decent level when I was younger as well and my dad preferred Rugby to football so used to go to a lot of games (before we won the world cup and couldn’t afford it after that) But at Rugby I have heard some of the most racist, sexist, homophobic abuse more than at a lot of football I have been to. The thing is its subtle and people either don’t notice it or don’t realise what they are saying or everyone is under the impression that they are better/don’t really mean it/just banter/ it’s ok “We’re the gentlemen, football fans are the thugs” (which imo is also very classist in itself)
I know this isn’t everyone and not trying to tar all rugby fans but there is a huge problem in rugby which most people are relatively blind to and don’t want to admit because they wouldn’t want to lower themselves. I find in football there are lot more visible fan groups willing to stand up against abuse like we are doing in Dulwich more than I believe I have ever seen in rugby (all though this may have have changed).
When people say its more like a rugby crowd what I hope they mean is that they feel safe. As I admit rugby on the outside has the illusion of being much safer than most football games however if you’re part of a minority group and you here the casual quips it can feel anywhere but safe. Dulwich crowd is hopefully just nice people watching football. We are Dulwich fans and we are proud to include everyone.
Don’t get me wrong I do still have huge admiration for the players as athletes and the game its self. But Rugby is not above football or nicer than football or fans better than other fans. There are just nice groups and not so nice groups in every sport. BUT to take a positive of what you said im glad people view us a s a nice group of fans
(ps. talking about union)
Quite. I absolutely hate that 'game for gentlemen played by thugs; a game for thugs played by gentlemen' shit. Football is obviously not perfect but I never see any effort in Union to put it's house in order and that's because so many rugby fans behave like racism, sexism, homophobia and so on are simply not present in their sport. Complete denial. A microcosmic version of how the middle classes tend to think of their racism, sexism, homophobia as being somehow less bad or damaging than the working-class right.
Scutta
Live Fast Die Bizarre
exactly
Y Dychrynllyd
CPD Pentrefan Dulwich
I guess rugby union has a different appeal, and appeals to a different social strata, in London and the South East of England than compared to South Wales. It isn't a toffs game in Wales which I guess is what it is in England. I can easily see how that'll put someone off, it'd put me off.
Non-league football is pretty similar in nature to amateur/semi-pro club rugby (in the South Wales Valleys) in my experience. Wholly working-class, community-spirit, reliance on volunteers, club-house culture, etc. Just a different code.
There's plenty I dislike about rugby mind: the WRU, the Welsh media's obsession with it, etc. We weren't even allowed a football team to represent our school when I was growing up and was pretty much forced to play in its rugby team. Pro rugby is a bore to watch, I don't care much for our national team and dislike the spectacle that surrounds it, but I'll go watch our semi-pro club side when I'm back at my parents' and they're playing. It feels pretty removed from all the things I dislike about rugby in a way, sort of a "civic" activity I guess. There's no 'glamour' to it, just like in non-league football.
I've overwhelmingly been to more football games than rugby, so it's a bit unfair to compare in that sense, but I've definitely heard worse things said at the football. And without question more violence and the threat of violence. That isn't to say that rugby fans are saints, they ain't, I guess it just manifests in different ways. Pricks is pricks wherever they are.
Football is just a better sport!
Non-league football is pretty similar in nature to amateur/semi-pro club rugby (in the South Wales Valleys) in my experience. Wholly working-class, community-spirit, reliance on volunteers, club-house culture, etc. Just a different code.
There's plenty I dislike about rugby mind: the WRU, the Welsh media's obsession with it, etc. We weren't even allowed a football team to represent our school when I was growing up and was pretty much forced to play in its rugby team. Pro rugby is a bore to watch, I don't care much for our national team and dislike the spectacle that surrounds it, but I'll go watch our semi-pro club side when I'm back at my parents' and they're playing. It feels pretty removed from all the things I dislike about rugby in a way, sort of a "civic" activity I guess. There's no 'glamour' to it, just like in non-league football.
I've overwhelmingly been to more football games than rugby, so it's a bit unfair to compare in that sense, but I've definitely heard worse things said at the football. And without question more violence and the threat of violence. That isn't to say that rugby fans are saints, they ain't, I guess it just manifests in different ways. Pricks is pricks wherever they are.
Football is just a better sport!
editor
hiraethified
With thanks to Dulwich Mishi I've added his piece about the type of fans that come to Champion Hill and added a plug for tonight's game:
http://www.brixtonbuzz.com/2015/01/the-many-types-of-dulwich-hamlet-fans-which-one-are-you/
http://www.brixtonbuzz.com/2015/01/the-many-types-of-dulwich-hamlet-fans-which-one-are-you/
Taper
Mark McGann
Most of what I said was tongue in cheek. And this isn't a rugby forum. But...
Rugby isn't a middle class sport in large swathes of England: the SW and much of the East Mids for instance. I'm a working class Comp school boy and played it as my first sport. And the majority of the England team is ex state school; a big change from a few decades ago (a result of professionalism and the club academies).
As for Racism and homophobia, well it is far from perfect. But I note that rugby has, unlike football, has seen LGBT players at the highest level (both codes) and currently has an openly gay international referee. The latter got some abuse recently from elements in the crowd and the reaction to that was suitably strong and supportive.
Each to their own, I suppose. But there's much to admire in rugby, from which football could learn.
Rugby isn't a middle class sport in large swathes of England: the SW and much of the East Mids for instance. I'm a working class Comp school boy and played it as my first sport. And the majority of the England team is ex state school; a big change from a few decades ago (a result of professionalism and the club academies).
As for Racism and homophobia, well it is far from perfect. But I note that rugby has, unlike football, has seen LGBT players at the highest level (both codes) and currently has an openly gay international referee. The latter got some abuse recently from elements in the crowd and the reaction to that was suitably strong and supportive.
Each to their own, I suppose. But there's much to admire in rugby, from which football could learn.
PartisanDulwich
Well-Known Member
I am English and support England at Football, but have always found myself supporting Wales, Ireland or New Zealand in Rugby due to class nature of "most" English ("southern") Rugby Union when I was younger - Did go to a Saracens game coupled of years ago at Wembley and that was very multi cultural
Of course if your Cornish you have your own nation to support
Of course if your Cornish you have your own nation to support
Scutta
Live Fast Die Bizarre
of course there is and vice versa.
Even if that's just the amount of mistakes football have made as a professional sport, TV rights, money, alienation of fans etc etc....
Scutta
Live Fast Die Bizarre
Again that's also fantastic, I very much respect the work Ben Cohen has done as well. I suppose my point was much to do with how its ignored amongst the fans. Working class or middle class. It's the attitude that rugby is not football ergo there isn't a problem that frustrates me.
I just hope at Dulwich we don't get complacent enough to stop challenging the behaviour or keep up the anti discrimination work because we don't think it happens here any more...
Last edited:
Champion_hill
Well-Known Member
I really, really hate English rugby for all of the reasons listed above. Welsh rugby I have no issue with.
What I find particularly odd is the way in which the majority of the people that I have come across who enjoy drawing comparisons between the two sports (to the detriment of football), don't actually attend live games. Instead they perch on their sofa's watching England play a few times a year on TV and then make out they're fanatics. I am yet to find a worse feeling in this world then being introduced to someone at a party who when the subject of football arises, politely states 'actually I'm more of a rugby man myself'. It sends shudders down my spine just thinking about it.
There's a lot that rugby supporters could learn from football.
What I find particularly odd is the way in which the majority of the people that I have come across who enjoy drawing comparisons between the two sports (to the detriment of football), don't actually attend live games. Instead they perch on their sofa's watching England play a few times a year on TV and then make out they're fanatics. I am yet to find a worse feeling in this world then being introduced to someone at a party who when the subject of football arises, politely states 'actually I'm more of a rugby man myself'. It sends shudders down my spine just thinking about it.
There's a lot that rugby supporters could learn from football.
tasty_snacks
Active Member
What you've done here is dressed up anecdotal observations as fact, then used it to support some bluster about RU being a middle class sport whilst attacking a 'middle class' ethos - which is all subjective. I don't think you'll find anyone in a Champion Hill crowd who thinks the above issues aren't pertinent (maybe that's naive, I'll settle for 'very few'). I also think there are more than a 'very few' people at CH who you would cast as 'middle class,' although I've only a loose imagining of what exactly that might be from your perspective. At the very least the two observations seem incompatible.
Joe K
no al calcio con orchestra di ukulele
I've also written 'it's' rather than 'its',so I should be sacrificed in the centre circle at half time tonight.
Similar threads
