We are keen to grow our student fan-base, says Dulwich Hamlet chairman Jack Payne

DULWICH HAMLET are inviting all students to attend their game against Bognor Regis Town for FREE on Saturday.

Gavin Rose’s side are sitting in fourth-place in the Ryman Premier League table, having collected 9 wins, 3 draws and 3 draws this season.  The south London outfit are 9 points adrift of league leaders Maidstone United.

The Supporters’ Trust will also be supporting FARE’s week of action, by launching an anti-homophobia banner at the game.

The aim is to give new and returning students to the area a chance to experience a game at Champion Hill.

The club hope all new fans on the day will be mesmerised by the flair of Rose’s players on the pitch and the noisy and passionate support from the terraces.

The Supporters Trust is joining thousands of European groups this month to use the power of football to present a unified stand against discrimination.

FARE – Football People Action Week – brings together groups of all sizes in over 40 countries to counter discrimination and celebrate diversity through the game.

The Supporters’ Trust will be making the day by launching a new anti-homophobia banner.

This will be a permanent addition to the collection of flags behind the goal at Champion Hill.

Button badges will also be available in exchange for a donation to EACH – Educational Action Challenging Homophobia.

The club is expecting a bumper crowd for this fixture and advises fans to get to the ground early.

The average attendance at Champion Hill last season was 667, but the club smashed its attendance record on 6 September 2014 when 2,856 fans attended the Ryman Premier League game against Hampton & Richmond Borough to mark Non-League Day.

Chairman Jack Payne said: “We have a lot of young people that come to our games at Champion Hill.

“We are keen to grow this even more in the coming season. There are many students living in the area around the football club, so we hope that many of them come and take advantage of the offer to visit Champion Hill for free and of course return for more exciting games this season.”

Duncan Hart, the spokesperson for the club’s Supporters’ Trust board, said: “We are delighted to support FARE’s action week. We are keen to ensure all of our community feel welcome at Champion Hill.

“We have decided to mark the day by launching a large anti-homophobia banner, alongside our friends from Altona 93 in Germany.

“We are hopeful that fans will be impressed with the design and will continue to embrace its message.

“We also hope that students attending for the first time will recognise the extra effort we are making to ensure that the Rabble (which is the name given to the fans’ behind the goal) supports diversity and will return for future games.”

The club’s Supporters’ Trust encourages everybody to get involved in the largest series of anti-discrimination activities in Europe and help bring about change through and in football this October.

Visit Dulwich Hamlet’s website: www.pitchero.com/clubs/dulwichhamlet

Dulwich Hamlet  v  Bognor Regis Town
Ryman Premier League
Saturday 11^th October 2014
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Champion Hill Stadium, Edgar Kail Way, Dog Kennel Hill, East Dulwich, London SE22 8BD