The ‘ultras’ tag is a convenient one that most view as tongue-in cheek, and that the Dulwich ‘Rabble’, don’t particularly like. Even less popular in SE22 has been the lazy use of ‘Hipster Club’ to describe Dulwich Hamlet which many feel misrepresents them. However, if the area from Champion Hill Stadium up towards Lordship Lane has become increasingly gentrified; the same could not be said of the Whitehawk Estate in East Brighton. Although not all of the Hawks’ support lives on the Estate itself, the fans who gather in ‘The Din’ behind the goal at The Enclosed Ground [see: 'Ornithology'], are fairly representative of Brighton and its politics – a small area of red and a little green, surrounded by a vast swathe of blue on three sides.

Football however, is only a small part of the ultras’ activities. At Clapton for example, they have actively engaged with the community through initiatives such as the ‘Proudly East London’ football tournament, and the organization of regular food bank collections to help support asylum seekers and refugee families with no income; whilst Whitehawk and Dulwich supporters have been similarly engaged. In fact Dulwich Hamlet as a club, irrespective of its supporters, is fairly unique in having staged benefit matches in support of homelessness awareness; and anti-homophobia. In 2016 Dulwich also played a match against FA Assyria [see: 'Homeland'] to raise awareness of the Syrian refugee crisis; and this season announced that it would donate money received from the Isthmian League’s deal with a betting company to charity.

More posts by David Bauckham

A Wider View A Selection of Non-League Football Landscapes 2015

A Selection of Non-League Football Landscapes 2015

Old School Ties Part 9 Old Alleynians vs. Old Etonians

Old Alleynians vs. Old Etonians

Homeland FC Assyria vs. Indian Gymkhana

FC Assyria vs. Indian Gymkhana

A Wider View
A Selection of Non-League Football Landscapes 2015

Old School Ties Part 9
Old Alleynians vs. Old Etonians

Homeland
FC Assyria vs. Indian Gymkhana