On 31st July, everything changed. England’s 56 year medal drought came to an end, thanks to the efforts of a group of women who wouldn’t even have been allowed to compete in the decade when England last won a gold medal. The Lionesses, fierce, joyful and freed from the hubristic hopelessness of self-serving dullard Phil Neville, strode through the Euros laying waste to all they met, and won the whole damn thing with a 2-1 victory over Germany, in poetic symmetry with the 1966 final. Sarina Wiegman became the heir apparent to the monarchy, Leah Williamson, Chloe Kelly and Beth Mead finally became household names, and millions of people watched women’s football all month and saw that it was good.

This overexcited idiot was there, from the group stage 8-0 massacre of Norway in Brighton to the righteous spectacle of a sold out Wembley, 87,192 fans bawling Sweet Caroline in teary unison as England finally overcame the formidable German team after a hard fought battle. This fan, who only fell giddily into women’s football three years ago during the World Cup 2019, was surrounded by tens of thousands of supporters approaching the stadium with anticipation and flooding out two hours later in joy and some disbelief - it actually happened! (I’m trying so hard not to use the words “f******l c**e h**e”). The last time I was at Wembley for a Lionesses/Germany game…. Well, Phil Neville was in charge. We’ll leave that there.

This Dulwich fan prowled Wembley Boxpark for hours after the final, cheerily waving at DHFCW players and pushing Hamlet flyers into the hands of hundreds of happy revellers. I’m happy to report that all but one small group were delighted to take flyers, and they turned out to be Clapton players. You can’t win ‘em all.

For football fans who don’t particularly follow the women’s game, the Euros might have felt like a glorious moment, a victory to be proud of, for sure; the elation, perhaps, when your team wins the FA Cup. But for we who have committed ourselves to women’s football - a reborn sport still fighting (inexplicably) for legitimacy, money, pitch access and airtime - this was life changing. When your reality is people muttering that you shouldn’t be playing; booked pitch time being bumped for men’s teams; struggling to find game broadcasts, however shonky; standing in empty fields and parks watching your team every week… When the message is, “women’s football is a niche interest”, imagine what it meant to be in that sold out stadium surrounded by woso newbies and stalwarts alike, and later that night, in a rammed Boxpark with every women’s football fan, player or writer you’ve ever met, raising a glass and singing together for hours.

For English fans of the women’s game, it felt like this: we’ve arrived. People finally understand what this means to us. The party and the energy continued into the wee small hours in pub gardens across Wembley. The hangovers lasted days.

A week later, this still dazed fan was on a plane to Seattle. When I’m not cheering on the pink’n’blue, I follow OL Reign, a club team in the American NWSL. My third trip there this year would see a rambunctious game against New York/New Jersey’s beleaguered Gotham FC, with World Cup legend Rose Lavelle and megastar Megan Rapinoe (who owns a Hamlet scarf - I will never shut up about this) running rampage to net a 4-1 win. European champions Olympique Lyonnais, who parent my Seattle club, showed up for a victory lap of the stadium, as fans took turns for photos with their trophy. What I find in Seattle, as well as a thriving sports scene, is community: a group of fans who show up for every single game, and organise to lead 7000+ people in cheering on their heroes. The Americans have their own way of doing it; someone takes the role of capo on a platform at the front of the home end, leading the chants, and a brass band marches to the stadium, accompanies the songs and ad-libs comedy trombone bits when the enemy keeper screws up. There are giant tifos, hand-painted by an army of fans over several days and flown before kickoff, and there are fans in inflatable dinosaur suits. It’s a different approach! But universally, what it creates is community. I have a family over there now, and we all root for the same team.

Some of them also now root for the Hamlet. Plus, they always let me hang a Dulwich flag at games.

And we’re starting to build that for DHFCW. The legendary Rabble have been crucial for the success and popularity of the men’s team over the years, and have been instrumental in why the club punches well above its weight in attendance among its peers. I’ve been to almost every women’s home game since the team first pulled on Dulwich colours, and from the early games I’ve seen a committed group of people show up regularly, home and away. That’s where it starts.

Dulwich Hamlet Women play their first home game of the season this Sunday at Champion Hill, and it would mean so much to see people turn out in bigger numbers than ever for their home season opener.

If the overwhelming joy of the Euros win inspired you, if you want to feel that pride more often, help us grow the support the women’s team deserves. If you’re already coming to lots of the games - great! Would you like to wave a flag on the terraces? We’ve made one and will make more. Can you bring more friends with you? Can we get some chants going specifically for the Hamlet women? If you’re a more occasional attendee, we’re really happy that you’re here. We hope you’ll come back! The more often you show up, the bigger we can build support for the team. The Pepper Army needs you!

Every single Lioness that lifted that trophy in July was once a girl looking for somewhere to play. A youthful Ellen White had to fight to be allowed to take part. Off the back of the Euros, WSL teams have sold out season tickets and expect full stadiums this season - but there’s only twelve teams in the league. Football begins and grows from the grassroots, from the hundreds of accessible, independently run non-league clubs in every part of the country.

At Champion Hill we’re fiercely proud of our tenacious, creative, talented women’s team. This season we want to see more bums on seats than ever, and we want to grow that crowd of devoted regulars to a supporter base that you can hear from the Elephant and Castle. Football came home (there, I said it), and it lives in SE22. Stay with us, and help us build something beautiful and lasting that reminds people how vital and fantastic the women’s game is at every level. Forward the Hamlet!

And as always: keep it spicy!

Dulwich Hamlet Women play Sutton United this Sunday 4th September, 2pm at Champion Hill.

Tickets are £4 for adults, £2 for concessions and FREE for U13s on the gate or online at:
https://app.fanbaseclub.com/Fan/Tickets/SelectType?fixtureId=1806