Peter Crouch joins the Dulwich Hamlet board

[blueheaven]

Hahahahaaha good spot pompeydunc

“Darke told The News: ‘The documentary follows the progress of Dulwich Hamlet, who have a lot of financial problems.”

When I look at that link I see the quote as "Darke told The News: ‘The documentary follows the progress of Dulwich Hamlet, who face financial challenges like a lot of clubs at that level.'"

Have they updated the article or have you misquoted it?

 

[B.I.G]

When I look at that link I see the quote as "Darke told The News: ‘The documentary follows the progress of Dulwich Hamlet, who face financial challenges like a lot of clubs at that level.'"

Have they updated the article or have you misquoted it?

I copied and pasted it so they must have updated it, you can believe I copied and pasted it as it has formatting and I'm too lazy.

Plus if I wanted to make some stuff up it would be wild and more explosive so you can believe that too

 

[AveryDave]

“However, the idea is he comes in and builds a football infrastructure, signing players, trying to sell players so they can bring in money for the club, and helping out the manager on the football side in any way he can.”

There's so much fun to unpack from that line alone.

Compound it with the financial stuff and it makes us sound like we're being run like a Sunday league outfit who will hawk any vaguely talented player to anyone who can rustle up a couple of quid and maybe some new training bibs. Must seem enticing to anyone thinking of investing some money in the club, or who might feel inclined to call into question the club's stability ahead of a monumentally important stadium development progamme.

From the club's perspective I'd suggest they need to either reel this Darke guy in (maybe not for the first time) and make it clear he needs to stop spouting hyperbolic nonsense to whoever will listen to him (The Portsmouth News!), or if he's accurate on any point, give some genuine clarity to the current state of the club and what Crouch's role is, which still remains pretty vague three months in.

And the usual caveat - I'm sure those closer to the situation will again feel frustrated with some of the feedback here, this post included - but if we aren't privy to what the benefits are or will be, we can only go on what's being put out there.

 

[bkbk]

Apart from the loan bit it seems a bit at odds with what Gavin said a month or so back too where he was pretty clear it was away from the football pitch he'd be supporting:

But long-serving Dulwich manager Gavin Rose said: “He might know a mate in football who can get us a loan but anything about being on the grass is not in an official capacity.

“It is about the opportunity to fundraise and raise awareness on issues that, at times, have gone by the wayside in the last few years – like our youth provision community schemes.

“It is mainly off the football pitch that we think Peter wants to get involved in and that we can benefit from.”

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

'Strictly off the pitch' seems very unlikely to be what a TV company producing a documentary about a football club will be after TBH.

 

[Stuart Fordyce]

Unless we've got injuries, do we need to add to the squad? We seemed to have the numbers Gavin was after - unless some folk are on game by game deals.

Moreover, it looks a good squad. Saturday was the sort of match we would have drawn or lost in the past two seasons, but we kept the head, on occasion played good football, and ground out a good result. That's despite Holland being missing and their mastery of time wasting, coupled to a fussy ref.

 

[Pink Panther]

Unless we've got injuries, do we need to add to the squad? We seemed to have the numbers Gavin was after - unless some folk are on game by game deals.

Moreover, it looks a good squad. Saturday was the sort of match we would have drawn or lost in the past two seasons, but we kept the head, on occasion played good football, and ground out a good result. That's despite Holland being missing and their mastery of time wasting, coupled to a fussy ref.

We've just added the two new defenders who were on the bench last Sunday but I don't know the exact nature of their deals. We will inevitably wish to add one or two more players at some point. Danny Cowley has managed at this level, so I would imagine Gavin is acquainted with him. He should be well able to judge which sort of young players would be of mutual benefit at a club in our division if any loan deals are forthcoming. However we did have that goalkeeper on loan from Portsmouth last season who never played (Duncan Turnbull?) who was subsequently recalled early!

 

[pompeydunc]

I copied and pasted it so they must have updated it, you can believe I copied and pasted it as it has formatting and I'm too lazy.

Plus if I wanted to make some stuff up it would be wild and more explosive so you can believe that too

I understand the journalist misquoted the producer, so it was corrected once noted. Urban power!

 

[B.I.G]

I understand the journalist misquoted the producer, so it was corrected once noted. Urban power!

Convenient

 

[Stuart Fordyce]

We've just added the two new defenders who were on the bench last Sunday but I don't know the exact nature of their deals. We will inevitably wish to add one or two more players at some point. Danny Cowley has managed at this level, so I would imagine Gavin is acquainted with him. He should be well able to judge which sort of young players would be of mutual benefit at a club in our division if any loan deals are forthcoming. However we did have that goalkeeper on loan from Portsmouth last season who never played (Duncan Turnbull?) who was subsequently recalled early!

Think the loans have to be mutually beneficial, or emergency cover. Have to be some keeper to displace Charlie...

Also, if anyone knows about financially challenged clubs, it must be "Pay Up Pompey" supporters. How many times have they gone into administration, with monies owed to all and sundry?

 

[AveryDave]

Peter's been talking to the media ahead of the series being available to stream from 28th December.

Sounds like he's trying to do all kinds of things to help, but still find it frustrating that the only way we find out about them is when he's promoting the series.

Peter Crouch has been 'all in' as a non-league director of football

EXCLUSIVE: Peter Crouch is an artist of self-deprecation, but is keen to impress how serious this job is for him. The Del Boy of Dulwich? 'No, come on. Do I look like Del Boy? Definitely Rodney.'

www.dailymail.co.uk

Peter Crouch admits "no swearing and fighting" has left him baffled in new role

Peter Crouch became the director of football at non league side Dulwich Hamlet this summer, but had revealed that he is baffled by the lack of swearing and fighting at that level

www.dailystar.co.uk

 

[tonysingh]

Peter's been talking to the media ahead of the series being available to stream from 28th December.

Sounds like he's trying to do all kinds of things to help, but still find it frustrating that the only way we find out about them is when he's promoting the series.

Peter Crouch has been 'all in' as a non-league director of football

EXCLUSIVE: Peter Crouch is an artist of self-deprecation, but is keen to impress how serious this job is for him. The Del Boy of Dulwich? 'No, come on. Do I look like Del Boy? Definitely Rodney.'

www.dailymail.co.uk

Peter Crouch admits "no swearing and fighting" has left him baffled in new role

Peter Crouch became the director of football at non league side Dulwich Hamlet this summer, but had revealed that he is baffled by the lack of swearing and fighting at that level

www.dailystar.co.uk

Can you give more of a precis? Not clicking either of them right wing hate rags.

 

[AveryDave]

Can you give more of a precis? Not clicking either of them right wing hate rags.

Yeah, would ideally like to avoid them as well.

Probably not as daft or bombastic as some of the earlier pieces that played up the plight of the club - the Mail piece in particular covers a bit of his and the clubs history with some nice background - and he seems to genuinely be into it and trying to do stuff, albeit some bits that make it sound like we're a comedy outfit.

Selected 'highlights':

‘I loved it that night on the terrace,’ [the St. Albans game] he says. ‘Apart from the no swearing! I couldn’t understand it… why aren’t these people fighting?! It’s very pleasant... Dulwich is an affluent area and the games are nothing like I’ve ever experienced in football. Not the sort of football people that I know, a totally different vibe.’

The Dulwich board of directors wanted to hear Crouch’s plans for improvement before his arrival [he did a PowerPoint presentation to the Board with the help of his daughter before he came in, would be interested to see that...]

He is working contacts to source equipment to benefit manager Gavin Rose’s promotion bid. Training vests, heart monitors, an app that tracks each player’s performance. ‘I want it a little bit more professional, similar to what I had,’ he says.

'We only had one player at the start of the season. Gav and I went round trying to entice players to sign on less money. We’ve only got 14 really, plus some kids. The standard is good, it really is. To see them all signed up and happy, winning games, is special.’

‘I never want it to be seen as me coming here with the cameras as a circus. I completely understand all of those fears and the only way I can alleviate them is by getting stuff done, improvements that everyone can see... You don’t want someone strolling in and out again, leaving the club in a worse place. That is the last thing I want to do.'

‘Some people don’t want it to be too glamorous. Or don’t want to go up too high. There are some people who like being non-league, which of course is nice but you have to aspire to something.'

The training ground — or lack of one — is the bane of Crouch’s existence right now. Sessions are on the first-team pitch, which the women’s side also use, and there are fears for its state over winter. [there's a long bit about how he's trying to sort out a permanent place for the first team to train, the current target being a school sports ground near Elephant & Castle] I had to sort of blag our way into a school to train really, I’ve agreed to give a talk to some of the kids!’

‘You know what is so difficult?’ he asks. ‘I always come in with the intention to do this or that and then the moment I walk in there is always a problem! Something has happened. We can’t train. Or the floodlights have failed. Everyone was holding floodlights on the pitch to see if they were bright enough at one point.'

 

[tonysingh]

Yeah, would ideally like to avoid them as well.

Probably not as daft or bombastic as some of the earlier pieces that played up the plight of the club - the Mail piece in particular covers a bit of his and the clubs history with some nice background - and he seems to genuinely be into it and trying to do stuff, albeit some bits that make it sound like we're a comedy outfit.

Selected 'highlights':

‘I loved it that night on the terrace,’ [the St. Albans game] he says. ‘Apart from the no swearing! I couldn’t understand it… why aren’t these people fighting?! It’s very pleasant... Dulwich is an affluent area and the games are nothing like I’ve ever experienced in football. Not the sort of football people that I know, a totally different vibe.’

The Dulwich board of directors wanted to hear Crouch’s plans for improvement before his arrival [he did a PowerPoint presentation to the Board with the help of his daughter before he came in, would be interested to see that...]

He is working contacts to source equipment to benefit manager Gavin Rose’s promotion bid. Training vests, heart monitors, an app that tracks each player’s performance. ‘I want it a little bit more professional, similar to what I had,’ he says.

'We only had one player at the start of the season. Gav and I went round trying to entice players to sign on less money. We’ve only got 14 really, plus some kids. The standard is good, it really is. To see them all signed up and happy, winning games, is special.’

‘I never want it to be seen as me coming here with the cameras as a circus. I completely understand all of those fears and the only way I can alleviate them is by getting stuff done, improvements that everyone can see... You don’t want someone strolling in and out again, leaving the club in a worse place. That is the last thing I want to do.'

‘Some people don’t want it to be too glamorous. Or don’t want to go up too high. There are some people who like being non-league, which of course is nice but you have to aspire to something.'

The training ground — or lack of one — is the bane of Crouch’s existence right now. Sessions are on the first-team pitch, which the women’s side also use, and there are fears for its state over winter. [there's a long bit about how he's trying to sort out a permanent place for the first team to train, the current target being a school sports ground near Elephant & Castle] I had to sort of blag our way into a school to train really, I’ve agreed to give a talk to some of the kids!’

‘You know what is so difficult?’ he asks. ‘I always come in with the intention to do this or that and then the moment I walk in there is always a problem! Something has happened. We can’t train. Or the floodlights have failed. Everyone was holding floodlights on the pitch to see if they were bright enough at one point.'

Ta. I owe you a Bovril.

Gotta say, I might be misreading the intent in that first paragraph but fuck me it's annoying. Can't quite explain why.

 

[blueheaven]

The training ground — or lack of one — is the bane of Crouch’s existence right now. Sessions are on the first-team pitch, which the women’s side also use, and there are fears for its state over winter. [there's a long bit about how he's trying to sort out a permanent place for the first team to train, the current target being a school sports ground near Elephant & Castle] I had to sort of blag our way into a school to train really, I’ve agreed to give a talk to some of the kids!’

Surprised by this part - I have a memory of it being announced a couple of years ago (I think the same time as it was announced we were going full-time) that the club had secured a local school sports ground to be used as a training ground. Did I imagine that?

 

[scousedom]

Surprised by this part - I have a memory of it being announced a couple of years ago (I think the same time as it was announced we were going full-time) that the club had secured a local school sports ground to be used as a training ground. Did I imagine that?

I think they can use Alleyn’s (I think) from time to time. But not for every session they would want to do. And possibly that is restricted more in term time with covid protocols etc. Sorry, that’s not exactly encyclopaedic knowledge…

 

[Taper]

Isn't the plan they develop the [St Olave's?] playing fields just down the road off Greendale? Or one of those fenced off sites around Greendale

 

[Stuart Fordyce]

Also, given we are flying at the moment, do we still qualify as a struggling club?

 

[Tony_LeaS]

Wonder who the one good player is that has got the club into 3rd.

 

[EDC]

Isn't the plan they develop the [St Olave's?] playing fields just down the road off Greendale? Or one of those fenced off sites around Greendale

I’m sure that was announced a couple of seasons ago that they were training there and local schools were invited & participating. Looks a bit of a mess over there right now though.

 

[editor]

Also, given we are flying at the moment, do we still qualify as a struggling club?

Ah but that's only because of the presence of Crouch sweeping up the leaves off the terraces and being around Champion Hill with his film crew. See! It's working already!

Roll cameras! Cue documentary awards!

 

[PartisanDulwich]

The St Olaves site seems rarely used - what a waste

 

[Bugpowder Dust]

As you walk on the footpath heading away from the ground, you have St olaves playing field on the left with the pavilion where we trained in the full time season (woefully underused) and another fenced off ground on the right which I don't know who owns (criminally underused).

I've always wondered why the 'save greendale' mob don't bat an eyelid about the latter; it's been left to grow wild since covid for no benefit to the local community whatsoever.

 

[blueheaven]

As you walk on the footpath heading away from the ground, you have St olaves playing field on the left with the pavilion where we trained in the full time season (woefully underused) and another fenced off ground on the right which I don't know who owns (criminally underused).

I've always wondered why the 'save greendale' mob don't bat an eyelid about the latter; it's been left to grow wild since covid for no benefit to the local community whatsoever.

Has the whole full-time thing been completely abandoned now, then? Have we gone back to training in the evenings?

 

[EDC]

As you walk on the footpath heading away from the ground, you have St olaves playing field on the left with the pavilion where we trained in the full time season (woefully underused) and another fenced off ground on the right which I don't know who owns (criminally underused).

I've always wondered why the 'save greendale' mob don't bat an eyelid about the latter; it's been left to grow wild since covid for no benefit to the local community whatsoever.

I think that field had something to do with Charter School, I’m not 100% certain of that though.

 

[Cyclodunc]

As you walk on the footpath heading away from the ground, you have St olaves playing field on the left with the pavilion where we trained in the full time season (woefully underused) and another fenced off ground on the right which I don't know who owns (criminally underused).

I've always wondered why the 'save greendale' mob don't bat an eyelid about the latter; it's been left to grow wild since covid for no benefit to the local community whatsoever.

more re-wilding should be happening. Get some wild pigs, longhorn cattle and fallow deer and wild ponies on there

 

[blueheaven]

Doesn't seem to be any other mention of this on here, but Peter Crouch was on The One Show last night and spoke quite a lot about his current role. It's probably up on iPlayer by now.

 

[editor]

Doesn't seem to be any other mention of this on here, but Peter Crouch was on The One Show last night and spoke quite a lot about his current role. It's probably up on iPlayer by now.

Comes to something when you have to watch the One Show to find out what's happening at your local non league team.

 

[AveryDave]

Comes to something when you have to watch the One Show to find out what's happening at your local non league team.

Disappointing but perhaps not surprising that Crouch has been willing to put time to promoting the programme rather than communicating with the fans.

He’s clearly been doing a lot of stuff, and just feels like a shame that details of that are seemingly being held back for the benefit of the documentary - I’m sure he’d have got more support and engagement if it had been made public on a regular basis.

 

[editor]

Disappointing but perhaps not surprising that Crouch has been willing to put time to promoting the programme rather than communicating with the fans.

He’s clearly been doing a lot of stuff, and just feels like a shame that details of that are seemingly being held back for the benefit of the documentary - I’m sure he’d have got more support and engagement if it had been made public on a regular basis.

It's exactly what I expected. Documentary and self-promotion comes first every time, with the fans coming absolutely last.