Dulwich Hamlet

The club was formed in 1893 and spent a hundred years or so in a division now called the Isthmian League, which occupies tiers 7 and 8 of the English football pyramid of leagues. They won that league several times, most recently a lower division of it in 2013. They are five-time winners of the London Senior Cup, most recently in 2004; that’s a competition of the London Football Association. Isthmian league attendances are typically in the hundreds, if that, but The Hamlet set the league record in 2015-16, averaging more than 1,300 per game.

They have played on this site almost continuously since 1912, and their ground, Champion Hill, was first built in 1931. It was actually used in the 1948 Olympics, with South Korea beating Mexico there 5-3. In the 1980s, when the club had financial trouble, they sold some of the land for a Sainsbury’s, and the stadium was rebuilt in 1992 to abide by the new safety restrictions.

More financial troubles came along, and The Hamlet were forced out of Champion Hill in March 2018 by the property’s owners, Meadow Residential. They played at Imperial Fields, the home of rivals Tooting & Mitcham United, until December of that year. Ironically, it was while in exile that Dulwich Hamlet finally got themselves promoted out of the Isthmian League. They beat Hendon on penalties in the playoff final to get up to the National League South, tier 6 of the pyramid.

Dulwich Hamlet have done quite well at attracting new folks into their fold of supporters; in fact, they were named Community Club of the Year by the Football Foundation in 2016. They also have taken on more than a little progressive politics, launching various antidiscrimination and antihomophobia programs; you’ll see rainbows all over the ground. Their fans—the hardcore call themselves The Rabble—also engage in a wonderful, and usually long-lost, tradition of switching ends at halftime, so the team is always moving toward their own supporters.

Meanwhile, London is becoming one of the most in-demand, and therefore expensive, places to live in the world. Housing prices are insane, which means there is money to be made in rents, which means that a big piece of property like, oh, a football ground is worth a lot of money to somebody. Thus ensued a long dispute with Meadow Residential.

But what exactly is a football club worth? For most of them, not much, in a financial sense. And certainly not a little club like Dulwich Hamlet. But in emotional and psychological value; in the historical sense; in the keeping of tradition, identity, and a community’s sense of itself…well, some things are beyond measure, no?

The club focused all their energy, their army of volunteers and supporters mobilized, one of their directors got elected mayor of Dulwich, negotiations with Meadow Residential were held, and on a very happy Boxing Day 2018, The Hamlet came home to Champion Hill – and were greeted by a capacity crowd of 3,000. Old friends were hugging each other, many beers were being bought, and when the PA announcer said, “Welcome home to Champion Hill,” a big cheer went up all around the ground. The crowd (your author was there) was a combination of young and old, the tattooed 20- and 30-somethings, Black folks, white folks, Asian folks—the whole South London lot, really, all buying into the club and the non-league football experience. The mayor was even walking around in full robe-and-scarf regalia. And they beat Eastbourne Borough, 2-0.

In 2021, former footballer Peter Crouch, who played at Hamlet on loan from Spurs when he was 17, joined the board. In 2023 the club was relegated back to the Isthmian League after spending five seasons in the National League South, their only seasons above the Isthmian.

2024–25 SEASON: 8th in Isthmian League Premier Division; 1st Round Qualifying FA Cup

2025–26 SEASON: Isthmian League-Premier Division (relegated in 2023)

Apparently Tooting & Mitcham United, whose ground they shared briefly in 2018, is a rival. It’s hard to imagine anybody gets too worked up about it. Better known is their friendship with Altona 1893, a Hamburg-based club formed in the same year. They wear each other’s colors on occasion and have actually traveled to each ground for friendlies.

In summer 2019, the club decided to get with the program and add a women’s team; they merged with a successful local club called AFC Phoenix to form Dulwich Hamlet FC Women. They compete in the Women’s National League Division one South East, tier 4 of the pyramid. Home games are also at Champion Hill.

None that we noticed

Champion Hill as it exists today dates to 1992, and it has one covered stand on the north side with seating and a bar and all the facilities, plus three terraces. The terrace on the south side is slightly covered and has a stenciled sign on it reading “Toilets Opposite.” So everybody calls it the Toilets Opposite Stand. The club shop is in a cargo container, there is usually a jerk chicken cart next to the tea bar, and the whole thing couldn’t be more homey if it tried. In 2020, plans for a new stadium on the same site were approved, but it seems no actual construction has begun.

One thing of note: at this level of football, you can actually take a beer out of the club bar and to your seats!

TOURS: None

GETTING THERE: It’s just a few minutes from the East Dulwich Rail Station, which is served by Southern Service trains from Victoria (22 minutes, change in Peckham Rye) and London Bridge (15 minutes).

PUBS: The Cherry Tree is right by the station, and it’s a nice, clean pub. But you should just go have a pint in the club bar. Support the club, you know!

GRUB: There are a couple of places by the station and Dulwich Tandoori is a five-minute walk south from the station. There are many options about ten minutes away along Lordship Lane. And there’s often a jerk chicken food cart inside the ground.

AROUND THE GROUND: Dulwich’s history goes back a thousand years to Saxon times, and Dulwich Village is worth a walk around. That’s the old commercial district, which still has much of its 18th- and 19th-century charm as well as local shops and places to eat. It is rather posh and makes a lovely afternoon stroll.