Kimm Connett
It was with the greatest of sadness that we learned of the passing of former Dulwich Hamlet player Kimm Connett at the age of 65. Only a few days ago I was wishing him a happy birthday on social media.
Kimm was often updating his Facebook groups and Twitter page. Whether it was promoting Hug A Bug World which he co-founded, a parent-run organisation that encourages the well-being and natural emotional development of children, or flagging up anything Dulwich Hamlet related, Kimm was there posting and tweeting.
A meek and caring individual online, he was the same in the flesh. It was a real pleasure when he sought you out in the crowd to have a chat. In the last seven or eight years Kimm reacquainted himself with the club he had held dear to his heart from a child, setting up the Dulwich Hamlet Former Players Association and creating a network of links to encourage and inform. In so doing he reunited many old teammates from the 1940s, 50s, 60s and on to the present day.
And yet he never hogged the limelight and certainly didn’t ask financial help in organising a number of events that brought other former stars together. These included golf days against ex-Sutton United players that were very popular. Kimm, in fact, had been the chairman of the Dulwich Hamlet Former Players Golf Society for more than a quarter of a century. His father Pat Connett was one of the founder members in 1960. Kimm was a little boy at the time and spent many a Saturday afternoon in the sixties roaming round the vast edifice that was the Hamlet’s previous Champion Hill ground, where Pat, had moved upstairs to an officer role at the club.
Despite having been a playing legend himself during the immediate post war period, Pat Connett said in later life that his greatest memory was when his son Kimm pulled on the pink and blue shirt for the first time.
That moment took place in 1977 when Dulwich Hamlet manager Alan Smith plucked the nineteen year old centre forward from Charlton Athletic where he had begun his career. I’m not sure if Kimm ever played a first team game for Charlton, but not long ago he produced the team sheet for his professional debut match in the reserves v Millwall. Strangely his captain that day in 1975 was the iconic 'Lion' Harry Cripps playing against his old club. And in the Millwall side, two of Kimm’s future teammates at Dulwich, Alan Hart and George Borg! For the record Kimm bagged a brace in a 5-4 win.
Kimm Connett standing 4th from left
Over the five seasons from 1977/78 to 1981/82 Kimm amassed 63 goals in 191 games. In his first season Dulwich achieved promotion from the Isthmian League Division One back to the Premier. Other highlights would have included participation in the Anglo-Italian Cup in 1979/80, with trips to Italy to play Triestina and Mantova, and Cavese and Campobasso at home, and in reaching the quarter final of the FA Trophy that same season. Dulwich were overcome by Boston United of the Alliance League, whose manager commented at the time that Connett was one of the best headers of a ball he had seen. Like most of us who saw Kimm play, he could not for the life of him understand why he was taking all the throw-ins when his aerial ability suggested he should be in the penalty box himself.
Bitter rivals Tooting and Mitcham United signed Kimm for the 1982/83 campaign but he was back at Dulwich before the season was out, re-joining in March to bump his appearances up to 202 and his goal tally up to 64.
The close season saw him represent Middlesex Wanderers in a tournament in Dhaka, Bangladesh ,where he played matches against the home nation, Malasia, China, India and Iraq.
Then he was gone, crossing the Thames to East London and Walthamstow Avenue.
On his return to Champion Hill in September 1983, as a member of the opposition, Kimm played in a game that is now part of Dulwich Hamlet folklore. The Avenue were leading 2-0 at half time before Dulwich reduced the arrears early in the second half. Cometh the hour-mark cometh the man. Off the bench comes Karl Richards and in a twelve minute spell scored four goals to win the match for the home side. I’m sure Kimm would have had a wry smile at that comeback.
Kimm kindly put so much back into his beloved Dulwich Hamlet in the last few years. His contributions have been appreciated by dozens, if not hundreds of people. He will be sorely missed, not just by his close family and friends, to whom we offer our deepest condolences, but by many of us, supporters, staff and ex-players.
May he rest in Peace.
