‘There is only one goal’ – Dulwich defender Michael Chambers targets National League South return after signing up for 2024-25

Michael Chambers says it would be extremely special to get Dulwich Hamlet back to the National League South after he signed up for the upcoming 2024-25 season.

The 30-year-old joined the Hamlet last summer after two seasons away from Champion Hill with Billericay.

Hakan Hayrettin’s side were unable to secure an immediate promotion from the Isthmian League Premier Division, finishing 11th and 14 points away from the top five.

“Heavily,” Chambers told the South London Press when asked about his commitment to getting Dulwich promoted in this upcoming campaign.

“Being a club promoted with a club like Dulwich, who have played such a massive part in my footballing journey, to do it again, would be extremely special.

“There is only one goal.

“That has been reiterated to every single person – from players to members of the club – that’s to get promoted.

“However that might be, whether that’s winning the league or through the play-offs.

“Having been at Dulwich. One of the things that has always attracted me to the club, is that is always the goal.

“There is never a goal not to do that. When I was 17 or in my early 20s, that has always been the ambition.

“Anything other than that has been classed as or seen as an unsuccessful season.

“Which, in my eyes, and I would imagine if you spoke to the gaffer and chairman, then last seaosn was an unsuccessful one because we didn’t do that.

“The ambition for the club, and I guess I can speak for everyone, is to get promoted.”

Chambers first came through the club’s academy following his release from Reading and featured as a 17-year-old in 2012.

Over a decade later, and during three different spells, the defender has notched up more than 150 outings for Dulwich.

“The club had changed massively,” he added.

“The easiest thing to look at is the attendnaces. I don’t know what they were when I was 17 or 18, but I don’t imagine it was any where near the 3000 we get religiously for every home game now.

“I remember when I was 17, we used to have food up in the bar upsaits. Now you can barley move around if you come in the bar after a game.

“I guess there are plans in the work for a new stadium. I don’t know what stage that is at, but something like that will allow the club to go to another level.

“For us as players, it’s about us getting it right on the pitch so we can match the ambitions of the project that’s going on off the pitch.”

Chamber’s rapid progression as a youngster with Dulwich saw him linked with a move to English giants Liverpool and Manchester United.

But the then-17-year-old defender chose to sign with South London locals Crystal Palace, who were plying their trade in the Championship under Dougie Freedman at the time.

He recalled: “Palace was a club that, at the time, was known for pushing youngsters and playing them.

“That was quite important for me at the time – to be somewhere that I could potentially go to play.

“It never worked out in that way. The first season I went there, Palace got promoted – that changed things.

“The money changes and the ambitions of the club change. Sometimes, pushing youngsters through isn’t necessarily as big a priority.

“I wouldn’t say that’s the reason why I didn’t play. I think there were other factors and reasons that played into that.”

Chambers left Selhurst Park in 2015 without making a competitive appearance for the club.

He has had spells at Wrexham and Bromley during his career but has always found his way back to Duwlich.

He added: “It [joining Palace] was the right choice I felt at the time.

“Hindsight is a crazy thing. Looking back, most people would look at the decision that they made and make a different one, but I don’t.

“I loved my time at Crystal Palace. Everybody there, from the staff and managers that I had, were all great to me.

“I learnt different things from every single one of them.

“I wished I personally had done things differently in terms my development of me as a player and person.

“It was an amazing experience and one I looked back on fondly.”

PICTURES: ROB AVIS