Dulwich

Vibe check.

Vibes are good. They’re good.

Not as many at IF as we might have hoped for for a home game on a pleasant evening with the Shak reopened with Dulwich as opponents, but with a gate of over 200, about twice what we might have expected for a Tuesday night league game six months ago, well. Not too shabby.

The price of admission was 8 quid. Potentially a lot for a friendly, but a full 20% less than anyone had expected. News from the club on ticket pricing had emerged earlier in the week and, without exception, was brilliantly received. There had been a lot of anger about the club’s decision to maintain a £10 ticket price for home games this season, unchanged from Step 4 and higher than most other clubs in the league. The club listened. It was announced that, following discussions with the manager, the price of admission would drop in line with other clubs in the division and season ticket holders would be reimbursed the difference had they already paid.

A criticism levelled at the club in recent years has been that it pays no attention to fans’ concerns. Here, at least, is an example of fans’ opinions meaning something. The news was brilliantly received online and chat at the ground reflected that. Good things.

The game itself was great craic and started with a bang.

After 30 seconds, confirmed signing the winger Marcus “Shorts” Whittaker, was the target of a diagonal ball and panicked the visiting Step 3 centre half. Accepting the foul about 20 yards from the goal and right of centre, Tooting’s sizeable centre half pairing of Cisse and Penfold wandered forward for the resulting free kick. The box crowded, the Hamlet goalie took up position to the right of his goal, waiting for the ball to be lofted towards our intimidating-looking footsoldiers.

Disinterested by such run-of-the-mill set-pieces, Hussein addressed the ball and unfussily stroked it into the top corner to the goalie’s left. It was the most matter-of-fact screamer I’ve ever seen, like Hussein had already scored it an hour ago and was just giving the crowd an idea of what it had looked like the first time around. The Bog End went mad. I laughed my head off. Minutes later, a lad with a pink and blue scarf wandered past with a fresh pint.

“It’s one nil to Tooting mate”, I helpfully told him.

“Is it?!”

“Yup.”

And it was.

I can’t remember too many more specifics because it’s Friday evening when I’m writing this. Warren Andrews might fill in some tactical holes, but I can confirm some other vibe-based bits and pieces;

◦ We fielded another new signing, a forward, Kieran Campbell. Brought in from Colliers Wood he knows the league and impressed playing alongside/off Shay. Worked phenomenally hard. Will be a great lad to have around the place.

◦ Dulwich are Step 3, we are Step 5, we could have won. Means nothing etc, but you look at that result and think “oh good”.

◦ Warren Colman was back and looks up for it.

◦ Hussein won MOTM, as chosen by this website, and is sound as a pound.

◦ Hannah, our new matchday announcer, was on debut and they absolutely nailed it, including salty reminders of the score during any breaks in play (when we were winning). Love that. Hannah will be a really positive presence on a matchday and I’m delighted to have them.

◦ Dulwich scored, no-one gave a fuck.

After the match, we stuck around in the bar again. Penfold came in, looked over to the supporters and punched the air. He understands the assignment. Jayden Hutchings, who has played at a level several divisions above where we are, told me “I just want to be somewhere I like.”

Vibes, vibes, vibes. Next we have Croydon and that’ll be what it is. I can’t be there, but it’s at their place so no-one’ll *be* there, they’ll just be kind of close to it.

So yeah. Good vibes. Reasonably priced tickets, a team of lads that is gelling, flair to be excited by, firmness to be excited by. Balance, bravery, boldness, brashness, the boys.

All of us.