MISHI DULWICH MORATH BERT AND DON MEW

Long before I became a Cat I was born in Dulwich and lived in Mount Adon Park off Lordship Lane. Along the road lived a Mr Bert Mew. He was a policeman in the days when such public servants attracted respect and even caution. He had been a Dulwich Hamlet Junior who did not quite make the grade. However, he became a dedicated servant of the Club as Ground Steward/Manager.

Even though my parents were not into football, for reasons I cannot explain, I loved it and when another friend took me to watch the Hamlet play Wycombe Wanderers in 1955 I was hooked. We lost 2-4. Still got the programme!

Bert Mew’s son, David, with whom, as a kid, I played from time to time, and who, like me would go to Wilson’s Grammar School in Camberwell, was not into football rather like my parents. Despite this in later years his Dad would drag him down to man a turnstile which he did without ever watching a game.

One day, when I was 11 or 12, I plucked up the courage to knock on Mr Mew’s door to ask if I could sell programmes which I did for a year or more getting paid a shilling (5p) and free entry. I went to all the away games as well.

For those who don’t know Mishi or his reputation, he was one of Dulwich’s most famous and passionate fans. He adored the club and everything about it. Even changed his name to include Dulwich. He was one of the founders of the original ‘Rabble’ many years ago, when being antiracist, anti-sexist and pro LGBT was beyond unusual and led to the Rabble having some lively discussions with opposing fans racists and bigots. Welling when their club was a racist stronghold thought they could abuse the Dulwich black players and fans......think again!!

Mishi did as much as anyone to make Dulwich the amazing ‘Community Club’ they are, and he was so proud to collect the awards that Dulwich got ahead of hugely bigger clubs. It’s almost a cliche now that every club claims to be, but without Mishi, I doubt Dulwich would be famous the world over for who and what they have become. Mishi strongly advocated reduced prices for certain groups and there was a lot of opposition initially, but as Liam said. ‘50% of something is better than 100% of nothing’.. and years later we get crowds of 3000 in a relegation season.

I know some older fans dont like the ‘nouveaus’ but Mishi was never one of them. He took such pride that we were getting crowds which matched some league teams.

Mishi was also one of the founders of our supporters team and formed amazing relationships with Altona, PSG and Namur. He was also a huge groundhopper and had visited almost every Czech and German ground and had just started on Hungary.

Mishi was also one of the main leaders who fought to get the current Dulwich ground built against the opposition

Brian Weber

of the local NIMBY’s who claimed that Lordship Lane would collapse. How wrong could they be? Simon Hughes, the MP for Bermondsey, elected on a vicious anti gay racist campaign despite being gay himself turned up at the planning meeting and on trying to speak was quickly told by Mishi to ‘F*** off back to Bermondsey’ which Mr Hughes very quickly did.....

Mishi was also behind the road name campaign for Edgar Kail Way. And of course he was also the writier the Edgar Kail song, one we adapted from an England fans anti IRA song!

He watched every level of Dulwich team home and away and he was so proud when his two nephews played for the junior teams and even prouder when Kalvin played for the first team too, including that horrible defeat to Leatherhead in 2011 in the play offs.

His dream was always to see Dulwich play a league team in the FA Cup, and then when we drew Carlisle at home and the BBC picked it. Sheer joy for Mishi Dulwich Morath. He was of course interviewed on the pitch before the game and he told me before, he would get in an anti-Tooting jibe, and of course he did, reminding everyone of the huge thrashing game...

Mishi was a great poet too, and very often the only working class poet at poetry events. Many of his poems were about the Hamlet, much to the bemusement of most of the attendees.This is why Mishi’s name lives on with a yearly poetry competition in his name from St Anthony’s school, in Dulwich of course.

Before that in 1956 Bert asked me to be a ball boy in the old enclosure at the British Army v French Army game. The British team included such players as Jimmy Armfield and the legendary Duncan Edwards. Bert got me his autograph which has unfortunately vanished at the moment as we downsize.

In the French team was Jus Fontaine who has only recently died and who scored 13 goals in the World Cup in 1958 in just six games. A record which will never be beaten.

Ferenc Morath

The last piece of the jigsaw is getting the new ground, with its new parks, community facilities and a decent percentage of affordable housing. Then Mishi’s ashes can go there and he’ll be raising a glass of coke, no ice, happily forever.

Bert’s brother Don, was also a lifelong fan and attended most games with Bert until old age overtook them. From time to time I used to give lifts to them both when I could and they were both lovely guys.

When the first Trust Board was formed, Brian Weber was the longest-standing fan who stepped up to help.

He was a life-long Hamlet fan (and behind-the-goal chain smoker) who simply wanted to help the Club. For Brian, this often meant selling programmes, but he would pitch in with whatever was required, including helping at the family fun days which we ran in those early years. He was also a founder member of the 100 Club, and was delighted to be one of the earliest winners.

A couple of years before he died Don said that as his nephew was not interested he wanted to leave me his memorabilia. I said that my wife didn’t want my stuff in the house let alone his. However when he sadly died, not too long after Bert, David brought a lot of stuff down to me some of which we sold for charity. I have hung on to the Hamlet stuff for the moment anyway.

Ironically David would eventually watch the Hamlet with me when Don sponsored a game in his brother’s memory which they both would have loved. Bert was also delighted when I mentioned him in my book “Nearly Famous.”

They were both Hamlet through and through and anyone who, like me, is old enough to remember them will do so with great respect, admiration and pleasure.

Phillip Mitchell

Sadly, Brian passed away back in summer 2008. Before Hamlet beat Eastbourne Borough 2-1 in that August, Brian’s ashes were scattered on the pitch - he lived in East Dulwich’s The Gardens, but Champion Hill was his real home. The crowd for that Saturday match was just 215 - Brian would be amazed and delighted to see how far the Club has come, and to know that his efforts with the early Trust contributed to that development.