Hamlet v Lewes (Isthmian League) Saturday 16.03.24

[Taper]

Is it possible to like both rugby and Dulwich Hamlet? I must confess I like both.

 

[Roger D]

England RU also attract a lot of people who rarely / never watch live RU. There were lots of people watching the six nations in the pubs in Farnham on Saturday. Half a mile away Farnham RUFC, who play a reasonable level, were in action. I'm sure I recognised some of them from watching Farnham Town, I definitely recognised several as regular TV football watchers in the same pubs.

Many of the groups were there when I was in town pre Farnham Town and still there when I returned post match, clearly intending to stick around for the England match. It was an occasion for them. There seems to be a much bigger football / rugby crossover than there used to be, albeit only for big international RU.

Ex Badshot Lea School FC centre forward and Farnham RUFC Junior Johnny Wilkinson probably had something to do with that.Farnham RUFC 's new ground is in Wilkinson Way. Their old one is now home to Badshot Lea FC' senior teams.

 

[jimbarkanoodle]

Is it possible to like both rugby and Dulwich Hamlet? I must confess I like both.

Of course but when you see the hoardes at Hamlet who are just happy to be able to stand around and get pissed, chatting about work, recent exotic holidays and their wild nights out in Clapham without paying much attention to the game, who are then not there because there is rugby on the TV, I just wonder why they wouldn't choose to do it at a rugby match instead. If they did, maybe they could jangle their keys every time there is a penalty, which is quite often in rugby (i think). They'd have a hoot!

 

[Alex W]

Was too late for a seat on Saturday but found a good spot near the opposition bench

To be honest it was one person especially who had decided the day was all about him

He'd already engaged with their manager before kick off and was delighted when he got a response, turning around to someone in the seats saying he'd "got him" already and pointing and doing the wanker sign

He carried on in a similar manner for most of the first half and just before ht called their assistant manager a clown, he heard and was ready to have a go back

The manager turned round and politely said why don't you just enjoy your Saturday and let us do the same

He was ready to go back again at which point I tapped him on the shoulder and told him he'd been behaving like a twat for the whole game, he said something like he was just having a laugh but we didn't hear a peep from him for the rest of the game

Was too late for a seat on Saturday but found a good spot near the opposition bench

To be honest it was one person especially who had decided the day was all about him

He'd already engaged with their manager before kick off and was delighted when he got a response, turning around to someone in the seats saying he'd "got him" already and pointing and doing the wanker sign

He carried on in a similar manner for most of the first half and just before ht called their assistant manager a clown, he heard and was ready to have a go back

The manager turned round and politely said why don't you just enjoy your Saturday and let us do the same

He was ready to go back again at which point I tapped him on the shoulder and told him he'd been behaving like a twat for the whole game, he said something like he was just having a laugh but we didn't hear a peep from him for the rest of the game

Well done for telling him off. The only way we stop this behaviour is self-policing it, but people do seem to behave once they've been politely confronted (god knows how many times I've asked daytrippers behind the goal to stop calling the opposition keeper a "nonce" or a "paedo").

 

[Taper]

Of course but when you see the hoardes at Hamlet who are just happy to be able to stand around and get pissed, chatting about work, recent exotic holidays and their wild nights out in Clapham without paying much attention to the game, who are then not there because there is rugby on the TV, I just wonder why they wouldn't choose to do it at a rugby match instead. If they did, maybe they could jangle their keys every time there is a penalty, which is quite often in rugby (i think). They'd have a hoot!

Do these hoardes number more than a handful? Not sure I've seen or heard many that match your description.

 

[jimbarkanoodle]

Do these hoardes number more than a handful? Not sure I've seen or heard many that match your description.

Well yeah, that was kind of the point being made with attendances being noticeably down in the hundreds due to the 6 Nations.

 

[Bugpowder Dust]

I struggle a lot with the depiction of 'hoardes of people drinking beer and chatting to their mates' because after 20 years of following Hamlet home and away thats still how I spend a fair chunk of my time...

And I too started out not knowing the names of the players or who we were playing, until over time the score becomes more important and before you know it you are looking at the fixture list and making plans to visit a new ground or whatever.

 

[Paula_G]

England RU also attract a lot of people who rarely / never watch live RU

Remember being in France at the time of the 2007 World Cup. Ahead of the semifinal a French TV reporter was interviewing England “fans” outside the Blue Eyed Maid on Borough High Street. At the end of the interview they rather let the mask slip with a chant of “Millwall!”