Peter Crouch joins the Dulwich Hamlet board

[editor]

Just announced!

 

[Sue]

I thought you meant on here...

 

[Noss]

Is this in any way related: Peter Crouch lands brand new reality TV show to save failing football club ?

 

[editor]

Is this in any way related: Peter Crouch lands brand new reality TV show to save failing football club ?

Oh Gawd.

 

[Moroccan Sunset]

Is this in any way related: Peter Crouch lands brand new reality TV show to save failing football club ?

Just seen this too. Too much of a coincidence, got to be us.

 

[Moroccan Sunset]

Also, hate to be pedantic, but Crouch played for us when he was 19, not 17.

 

[Paula_G]

Just seen this too. Too much of a coincidence, got to be us.

Looking forward to it… Ready for my close-up Mr De Mille! Now where do I find a good agent…

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

Fucking hell really? How shit does that sound?

 

[editor]

Just seen this too. Too much of a coincidence, got to be us.

The days of 'The Dulwich Hamlet will not be televised' suddenly seem a very long time ago.

Celebrity led TV reality shows are just the fucking worst.

 

[editor]

And we only get to hear of it via the Daily Mirror?

 

[Paula_G]

The difference here is that Crouchy understands what this level of football is about. Amazing to be introduced to him last night & after 20 years he still remembered despite the changes! The one thing that does piss me off in the article is referring to Dulwich as a “failing” club; struggling maybe a lot of it through no fault of our own but definitely NOT “failing”

 

[Paula_G]

PS If anyone managed to grab a shot of yours truly with the “Twenty Foot Chicken” (joke for the older Hamlet fan) I’d love to see them as I might need them to convince my boss to rearrange my rota for filming!

 

[darryl]

And we only get to hear of it via the Daily Mirror?

A Mirror website report quoting a Sun exclusive, in fact: Peter Crouch bags new TV show with wife Abbey as he tries to save a footy club

The Sun, that well-known supporter of football. Think Discovery and Workerbee have some questions to answer.

 

[Pink Panther]

"As well as using his coaching skills, he will be thinking outside the box in a bid to get fans coming through the doors."

That explains his comments last night about working with Gavin and the players but not wanting to interfere.

Getting fans coming through the doors has been the least of our worries for the last few years, we've barely got space for everyone who turns up!

I think we should reserve judgement before criticising this. Let's not forget the club has been hit harder than most others by the pandemic, precisely because we're so reliant upon matchday income. The consensus is clearly that we don't want big money investors taking control and setting their own agenda for the club. A well known individual coming on board and generating commercial opportunities without a complete change of direction can hopefully aid the club's smooth recovery from the pandemic and the transition to the new ground.

 

[darryl]

this looks like the official press release: Worker Bee preps Crouch football doc for Discovery - Televisual

 

[Nivag]

Remember to take everything you read with a pinch of salt, I'm guessing it's being worded for TV/press land


Anyhoo, some nice pix here from Rob and Liam

 

[editor]

this looks like the official press release: Worker Bee preps Crouch football doc for Discovery - Televisual

Will he treat supporters to a half-time DJ set and a ‘robot’ dance?

Please, no.

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

Is crouching Peter a hidden dragon?

 

[Roger D]

Interesting.

Those of us of a certain vintage will just be relieved it isn't a reprise of the last straight to DVD, film shot at the Hill purporting to be Hamlet. I'll spare you the details as it's been given enough publicity here before.

In reality some of those involved had departed to Carshalton. As one of our official gleefully pointed out to a Robins official who was haranguing him over it.

 

[editor]

Buzz article Peter Crouch returns to Dulwich Hamlet FC to feature in new Discovery TV series

 

[Stuart Fordyce]

So is he joining Gavin and Junior in the dugout? Is he going to join Danny Mills for the tallest forward line in football?

 

[T Corcoran]

First the worlds tallest goalkeeper now potentially the worlds tallest strike partnership

 

[sleaterkinney]

What do we gain out of this?.

 

[Moroccan Sunset]

What do we gain out of this?.

Without wishing to sound too crude, probably publicity and cash.

Agree with Pink Panther's sentiments above though - the club must have taken one helluva financial whack (as indeed most businesses have) over the last 18 months. If doing a documentary with Peter Crouch, who does have a genuine connection to our club, and getting him on the board of directors helps ease some of the problems, then I can only see it as a positive. Well done to whoever got it sorted.

There's clearly a marketing bent to this, but also worth remembering the story around Crouch's stint as a Dulwich player: when we sold Dave McEwen to Spurs, they offered us 3 players on loan in return. Two of them reportedly refused to stoop as low as the Ryman Premier and were ultimately hoofed out the club. Crouch was the only one that said he'd drop down and play for us. Clearly an awful lot has happened since then, but he wasn't an egotist as a 19 year old professional and part of me hopes/thinks that maybe that humility and groundedness is still there. He's obviously getting something out of this with the TV deal, but it sounds like he's ensuring the club benefits as well - remarkable for a bloke that only played 6 games for us over twenty years ago.

 

[editor]

I rather hoped that yesterday's announcement was that we were going to drop down a league or two and tell the National League to GTFO.

I'm sure Crouch has got a lot to offer the club, but given that the ground has been pretty much full for the 12 months (pre Covid) this is just going to make the place even more rammed (post Covid restrictions) - and lure in a load of numpties who want to run shoulders with celebrities or get their face on TV.

I can definitely see how it might be good for the club's finances, but perhaps not so good for a certain section of the fan base who prefer their nonleague football without a reality TV show attached.

 

[cybershot]

it’s the nicest guy ever in football. There’s no way it will be made to make him or the club look stupid.

 

[David Clapson]

I rather hoped that yesterday's announcement was that we were going to drop down a league or two and tel the National League to GTFO.

I'm sure Crouch has got a lot to offer the club, but given that the ground has been pretty much full for the 12 months (pre Covid) this is just going to make the place even more rammed (post Covid restrictions) - and lure in a load of numpties who want to run shoulders with celebrities or get their face on TV.

I can definitely see how it might be good for the club's finances, but perhaps not so good for a certain section of the fan base who prefer their nonleague football without a reality TV show attached.

Hopefully the downside will be temporary because the numpties won't stick around after the cameras have gone. But the club will have a nice boost to its finances which could make life easier for quite a while.

 

[Roger D]

it’s the nicest guy ever in football. There’s no way it will be made to make him or the club look stupid.

Peter isn't likely to have much control over what is / isn't aired. That's the domain of others.

If it's people who understand non league or have open minds, it should be ok. If they turn up with pre-conceived ideas, it could get interesting. I'm sure the club will have done some background checks prior to signing off on this.

Memories of a 4-4-2 article, when it was highly respected. A journo turned up when we played Hendon away. He clearly already knew his angle. It was North v South London, two teams who hated each other and 22 pub players who had stinking hangovers and no talent.

Actually most of the 22 players had been on the books at a professional team at some point. It was a decent game with few fouls and the two clubs got on fine. Hamlet Supporters won the Hendon fundraising quiz a week or two earlier.

It probably flogged a few magazines though.

 

[Paula_G]

The “numpties” won’t be the ones getting their faces on television anymore than they might do on an average Saturday on MOTD. A lot of what goes on screen will be behind the scenes focusing on the volunteers & fans dealing with the day to day running of the club along with things like fundraising & Dulwich’s incredible record of inclusivity. Feel very proud, incredibly humbled and even more accepted for who I am to be part of this…

 

[1927]

As an outsider with no connection to Dulwich whatsoever, apart from travelling through as a kid when my grandparents lived in West Wickham, and a sister who lives in Forest Hill and who’s partner and son are West Han fans, but do attend games at Champion Hill (I believe) I can see the benefits. I have only been interested in DH as a result of my presence on these boards, but have come to love them through their upheavals and they are everything that a community club should be. Maybe the increased exposure will increase not just physical attendances, but interested non attendees like myself. Surely that can only be a good thing! I am quite prepared to be told I’m wrong.