What a wonderful success!

I don't know what some of you felt like yesterday, but having been a little bit involved in organising the day, I was bloody well nervous, just in case the whole day fell apart!
Thankfully, it went smoothly enough, & the inaugrial Dulwich Hamlet Supporters' FC International Football Tournament was a triumph! Even the overnight rain held off, apart from a few light showers.
I'm not going to go into detail about the matches, Paul Griffin will be offering his match reports, which I will link to here later.
The competition was great fun, with not one bad tackle, and no cards shown by the referee. In short it was the festival of fun we were hoping for.
The show opened with an introduction & welcome speech by Cllr. Columba Blango, of Southwark Council prior to the first of the trio of games, the opener being Dulwich Hamlet Supporters' versus our Estonian guests JK Jalgpallihaigla. He then went to the centre circle & set the ball rolling for the ceremonial kick off alongside our captain for the day Jack McInroy.
We lost the match 4-1, and though, in truth the Estonians were a better side than us, the score did flatter them somewhat, and we had some decent chances ourselves.
The second clash was ourselves again, against PSG Belgium. A nine goal thriller, unfortunately for us we conceded six of them! So it was ourselves who would end up with the 'wooden spoon', though we weren't too downhearted about it. For it was turning out to be a great, friendly day of football. The last game of the day thus turned out to be the 'final' as well as the last group match.
The Estonians needed to win to be declared champions, whereas a draw would secure top spot for PSG Belgium. This would be by virtue of them having equal goal difference of +3, but having scored more goals. So who was going to be declared champions? I think the busiest person was the one whose job it was to secure the 'winners ribbons' to the cup with plenty of chopping and changing! PSG were initially in the lead, but Jalgpallihaigla pulled to back to roar into a 5-2 lead, with the cup almost packed into one of their suitcases back to Tallinn! But the plucky little Belgians fought back like lions to take the tie, and thus the tournament, by the amazing scoreline of seven goals to five!
So, after the playing of our respective national anthems, and the presenting of medals to the referee, competition top score, & player of the tournament, & then third place & runners up trophies & medals to Dulwich Hamlet Supporters' & JK Jalpallihaigla it was the moment for proud PSG Belgium manager & chairman Nicolas Lucas to step up to lift the first ever Dulwich Hamlet Supporters' FC International Tournament 'PA' WILSON CUP amid cheers from his fellow team mates as 'We are the champions' by Queen was played over the tannoy!
So the football was over and it was time to socialise and relax in the bar over a few beers & lemonades.
Later in the evening a group of us, from all three teams, adjourned to 'The Gowlett' down the road. Just when you thought this day couldn't be topped there came a moment that will truly make this day one that will never be forgotten. The PSG Belgium top man Nicolas Lucas called his girlfriend Danuta over, & in front of a hushed crowd of expectant Belgians, Estonians and Englishmen & women, he went down on one knee and proposed to her...

She said

OUI!

Cue our own Andy Tucker rushing to the bar for plenty of glasses & bottles of champagne!

If anyone out there can imagine a more perfect ending to a superb day of football I have yet to think of one!

Congratulations to Nicolas & Danuta from absolutely everyone associated with the Dulwich Hamlet Supporters' Football Team!