Yesterday being a very special day for our co-founder Nick Bylund, I took the opportunity to initiate a conversation with this website’s co-founder I’ve been wanting to have for some time. For those of you who don’t know, Nick and I met through the Back to the Cottage campaign to ensure Fulham’s exile at Loftus Road ended and a return to the club’s historic home was secured. He was a kind host to me on two summer visits to Stockholm in successive years as we formed this website after taking the difficult decision to leave the Svenksa Fans platform and set up a new website.
Writing for this website was a natural progression for me. Because I couldn’t play much sport other than cricket as I was born three months premature with cerebral palsy, I found it very difficult to fit in at all of my mainstream schools. Writing gave me an opportunity to express myself that I didn’t otherwise have. I set up my own sports newspaper aged 13 passing it around at parties and bugging a great deal of people to buy it. Sportscene, as it was known, got a big break when I bumped into some advertising execs at a neighbour’s party and soon I was interviewing Pele and Eddie Jordan live on national television and radio.
The people who encouraged me to go into journalism had me back to the following year and had the great privilege of asking Goran Ivanisevic one of the very first questions in his London press conference once he had beaten Pat Rafter in the most extraordinary of Wimbledon finals. This website quickly went from strength to strength and gratified by how many people say its the first place they look for Fulham news.
But my career plans took a sharp turn almost as soon as I joined the Labour Party on my fifteenth birthday (yes, it was a present – from my mum, Kate, who has been an inspiration, companion, carer and my best friend, throughout my life). I’ve met some terrific people both in my local Acton branch, during my University education down in Exeter, both through the student organisation we reconstituted and the existing local party, as well as across the country. I also had possibly the best summer of my life when I was fortunate enough to work on David Miliband’s ultimately unsuccessful Labour leadership campaign two years, where I met some extraordinarily capable young people and became encouraged at the ability of communities to drive change.
I never envisaged running for a seat on my local Council so soon after leaving University, but there’s a nice symmetry in the fact that two of the people I respect the most asked me to seriously consider it on the very evening that Barack Obama was about to win a historic victory four years ago. I was fortunate enough to be elected for the very ward I’ve grown up in and I’m immensely proud of the projects we’re delivering even in the midst of the swingeing cuts inflicted on local councils by a coalition Government that received no mandate for the devastation they are currently wreaking on millions of people who suddenly feel very helpless.
The situation right here in usually idyllic and peaceful Ealing is far from serene. The creeping personalisation of politics, inspired by the echo chambers of right-wing websites, has reached a dangerous tipping point, with people who decided to enter politics for noble reasons, having their personal lives invaded simply for venturing a different opinion. I’ve suffered at the hands of one particular councillor, who is experienced enough now to know better (here and here), Â and the incompetence of a man I used to respect, which has allowed a racist to continue to spread his bile and expect to keep his Council seat until the next election. This – just like the senseless reorganisation of the National Health Service, which Cameron and co promised wouldn’t happen – can’t be allowed to continue. I hope people don’t mind me being overtly political here, but I’ve never hidden my views from my friends, and I consider this to be my home. My innermost thoughts can be appropriately summarised by this popular track at the moment:
I’m also working on a number of projects at the moment, which have a crucial few weeks ahead of them. Many Fulham fans will know me as a evangelist for our own Supporters’ Trust and we’re very close to securing a long-term future for the club at Craven Cottage. I’ve also been asked to do some work with the national organisation, Supporters’ Direct, and intend to spend as much time as I possibly can in placing their agenda in the in-tray of the ever-improving Ed Miliband. But juggling these commitments has a taken a serious toll on my mental health, culminating in me upsetting the most important in my life last night. I can’t in all conscious continue to do that.
I’ve taken the decision, therefore, to scale back my duties for HammyEnd. For a while, I’ve been describing myself as the editor of the website, but that’s genuinely what I’ll be. It is my intention to encourage some of our exceptional young writing talent, like Lork O’Connor, Chris Gilbertson, Nick West and Lydia Campbell, to realise their full potential via HammyEnd.com as experienced journalists and good friends did with me about a decade ago. I’ll still contribute the odd article here and there, such as some of the tactics pieces I really enjoy writing, and the match reports, but will commission articles from various sources to keep the high-quality content appearing here.
It’s not the end for HammyEnd, but rather the start of a new chapter – and we’ll share as many details with you, our readers, as we can as soon as possible.
Thanks for your messages of support and the warm wishes. I do read everything that’s sent to me – even the extremely angry and abusive ones.
Best Wishes,
Dan Crawford
Sad to read so much political comment on a Fulham site. Not the place for it.
Its the backdrop and primary reasons why he has personally made the decision he has made. Whether you agree with his views or not, it does help the reader understand why he made the decision he has made. It’s his web-site, and you read it for free, so it sort of sad that you felt you needed to only make that point rather than thank Dan for all the FREE labor he has provided over the years to further the Fulham experience.
Dan, best wishes and thanks for sharing your story. I enjoy your site and hope you can pop in from time to time. Its been a valuable source of Fulham news for me for several years and I’m sure, like me, everyone really appreciates all you have contributed.
Couldnt agree more
Dan,
HammyEnd is by far the most intelligent and the most enjoyable of the Fulham sites. You did a Great job. Will miss your analysis. Good Luck with new projects. All the Best. Hope to catch you in the Crabtree . Bruce
Apologies – would you prefer I take it down? I will do if there’s enough call for it. I think enough people have viewed it now. Thought I had done enough to speak my mind amongst a community that I’d helped create.
Disagree. Too much detail which I am very tempted to argue with, but, as I say this forum is not the place for a political debate so I have resisted the urge. Thank you for your previous comments on fulham Dan, but …
Do you know who these people are, Dan? Do you care what they think? Thought not.
If I had one (minor!) criticism of your writing over the years it’s that you haven’t put enough of *you* into it. This is a fine signoff and if people knew how much you put into the site perhaps they’d understand why it’s a big deal for you and why you’ve said what you’ve said. And besides, it’s your site and you can do what you like. If people don’t like it nobody’s forcing them to read.
Anyway, you’ll be back at some point.
Rich
PS looks like I can’t get Friday off work but well done in organising and have a great time there. Look forward to hearing all about it.
Appreciate your candour, Rich. Never viewed it as my site, it was very much a joint effort in the beginning and then for a few years.
I’m not signing off for good and I’ll still contribute as per normal until the end of the season but for me it’s about putting in place a structure that ensures the quality the site has become appreciated for continues.
Shame about Friday – will, of course, inform you how it all goes.
Thanks very much for all your support and assistance.
That first para says it all. Don’t know ‘these people’ so what they say doesn’t matter. I too prefer to come here to read about football and Fulham in particular, and in the past this site is up with the best. I will enjoy Dan’s future comments and articles IF he sticks to football.
Katy. The site’s about Fulham and football. This was a brief departure from that to explain why I need to scale back the amount I write here, that’s all.
Sheesh, what a crap post. Didn’t realise this place was such a clique. Rich would be better off on the ‘Offal’.
Someone objects to a political diatribe and he/she gets a put down like that – ‘don’t know this person and don’t care what they think.’
FGS stick to football. Not in the slightest bit interested in your political leanings Dan.
Admittedly, I’ve not been on the ‘Offal’ in years but has it suddenly transformed into a place where people post detailed analysis of formations and coaching styles like Rich’s excellent CCN? If so, I’d consider that remarkable.
I didn’t write what Rich did. I wrote what I did to explain to my friends who write for us and read what I write, why I won’t be writing as much next season. My politics are personal to me and I never made any attempt to hide them.
Reading all the comments from Fulham fans across various forums last night and this morning, I wonder whether I should even bother doing anything next season.
Good luck in your new projects Dan, your indubitable passion for all the endeavours that are important in your life can take it’s toll when you are tying to spread yourself thin – believe me, I used to have hair!
I know you will be back now and again, and there will be many who will look forward to them. In the meantime HammyEnd has the cream of the crop of talented writers and analysts who will do the site proud too.
Nil Carborundem – Ed
Jesus people, if you don’t like the ONE occasion where Dan got a bit political while explaining why he’s having to scale back, visit another Fulham blog. Who fucking cares?
Dan is a good guy who has given me an opportunity to write for HammyEnd.com in the past. The only thing that upsets me is the fact that I’ll see less posts from him going forward.
Best of luck buddy.
BTW…to those bitching, start your own blog. Maybe then you’ll realize just how hard the shit actually is with absolutely no pay off on the back end. Shut up.
That’s a bit rich, Rich! You put so much of yourself into CNN that each time tim I disagree with your point of view you refuse to print it! At least Dan is happy to address critisism personally and not hide behind “administration. Good luck Dan, I disagree with you political posting but clearly you have a “personal” agenda you feel the need to follow.
Really appreciate that comment. I’m sure who are – but it means an awful lot. Thank you.
Bruce – the Crabtree’s a bit too crowded for me. I drink a bit closer to Hammersmith before the games these days, but please do email me and do some writing for us mate.
Thanks Ed – just sorry I felt it best to leave your own forum.
Thanks for putting it in your own inimitable style Jason. You’d be most welcome to write for us again – whenever you like.
I don’t know about that. I delete posts that I don’t think are adding much or that aren’t written in a very constructive tone (ha!) but it’s only 1 or 2 a year and it’s nothing personal. You’re free to disagree on CCn as long as you do it well.
Dan,
HammyEnd is the first place I come for everything Fulham – I truely appreciate every single word that is written in the articles you post. I know that HammyEnd takes up much of your time and so for you to put in the effort is truely something.
I have had the pleasure of meeting you in real life (Swansea Bus) and it was great to meet you after reading all your articles, chatting on Twitter etc.
I admire all the work you do for both the Fulham FC and London community. The criticism you have recieved on here and FOF is unjust to say the least.
I couldn’t care less if people comment saying this comment is cliquey.
So Dan, thanks for all your hard work. Hopefully we can share a beer soon.
Ben aka ClarksOriginal (FoF) jarbados_/benjarmarama (Twitter)
So am I Dan, I know you feel the world is on your shoulders, but rather than burning bridges I think you should have kept that line of communication open. But you can re-join when you feel more inclined, see you then – or at the back of H6..!
Don’t believe I’ve burned any bridges. I don’t appreciate being personally attacked by Fulham fans for venturing my own – only ever thinly-veiled – political opinion on a site I helped to found.
The Trust will continue to communicate with Fulham fans through various median but I personally didn’t want to cause any more problems for moderators I know and respect or some people who post on your forum that I’m lucky to call my friends.
Incidentally, you won’t see me at the back of H6 from next season – I’ll be elsewhere – but I’m sure we’ll still be in touch.
Really appreciate that Ben. Are you on the Everton bus? If not, let’s sort out a time to go for a drink next month.
Thanks very much – hope you’ll continue reading!
Thanks Joshua – your solidarity is greatly appreciated. COYW!