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Dulwich Hamlet fans are getting behind their club as its existence is threatened

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Non-League Dulwich Hamlet are relying on fundraising from fans to keep the club going following a planning dispute over their stadium

Table-topping Dulwich Hamlet fans are rallying behind the club as their future is threatened by a planning row.

Hamlet sit top of the Bostik League Premier Division by five points but they have had to resort to crowd funding to help pay player wages after Meadow Residential withdrew their financial support.

Although the property developers do not own the club, which plays in the seventh tier of the English pyramid, they do own their Champion Hill ground and had planned to build housing on it.

As part of that scheme, Meadow were also going to build Hamlet - one of the best-supported clubs in non-league football - a new stadium on an adjacent site.

But those plans have been rejected by Southwark Council, who said they did not include enough affordable housing, and Hamlet now face having to fund their own playing squad with no additional support from Meadow.

Sky Sports News visited Champion Hill on Tuesday night when they took on Harrow Borough and won 2-0 in front of a crowd just short of 1,200 - they regularly attract more than 2,000 for Saturday matches.

We spoke to supporters who are now contributing towards the club's £5,000 weekly wage bill as they fight to keep Hamlet alive, possibly helping them in their aim to reach the National League South next season.

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Click on the attached video to hear from Hamlet fans, chairman Liam Hickey and manager Gavin Rose as well as a response from Meadow Residential

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