THE Dilly is getting its ‘ding, dong’ back thanks to a Leicester City supporter who aims to do a ‘Claudio Ranieri’ at the expat club and make it a Champions League proposition for members, as well as attract new fans.
Stephen Chartres this month celebrates one year in the hotseat and has skillfully steadied the ship after taking over the reins as general manager from TV and radio personality Paul Fraser, who had returned after 11 years away but stunningly resigned shortly afterwards.
Charismatic coach Ranieri attracted attention from the world’s media when he stated in an interview that he used an imaginary bell in training in order to keep his Leicester City players focused, by saying ‘dilly ding, dilly dong’.
The quote quickly gained popularity and became a club catchphrase for the Premier League champions. “The people here have been some of the most welcoming and accommodating I have ever met,” said the 31-yearold who grew up in Market Bosworth, a sleepy, little English market town deep in the heart of Leicestershire’s rich countryside. “From day one, everyone has been fantastic, helping me settle in and make Bahrain my home.”
A chance encounter with a Bahraini holidaymaker in the UK fuelled his life-changing decision to move to the kingdom and forge a career at a club which has been established on the island for more than 40 years.
“I’ve spent the majority of my career in various different aspects of the hospitality industry,” he explained. “I took over as manager in my first public house when I was 20 and worked through other restaurants, hotels and bars to gain experience. “I bought the lease on my own outlet in Leicester whilst I was studying for my degree in International Business & Marketing at the city’s De Montfort University.
“It was strange, in my previous job in England I met a Bahraini a couple of times who happened to be on the committee of this club. One night, we got chatting and he said there was an opportunity here.
Three months later after a few Skype interviews, then an interview here in Bahrain, I was starting work! “My initial impression of the club when I came for a week in September left me in awe. I saw it as a place I wanted to be and was full of excitement.
“When I arrived for work the veil dropped and I saw the club without the rosetinting. The club needed some TLC and to get its identity back and, most of all, it needed someone who had the time to invest and a love for the club that would help build upon its membership core.”
He arrived on November 28 and started work the following morning. Progress has been significant. “There are, of course, background day-to-day improvements which are making us stronger and stronger and allowing us to move on with our big ideas,” Stephen said.
“As a club, we have made some big improvements on the maintenance and upkeep of the facilities and have made some strong developments in our entertainment offerings. “The Dilmun Club is a community focal point with great members.
It doesn’t take long to get to know people here and to make some good friends. We are a family-focused club with activities for everyone. “We have great facilities - our food, stables, live sports offerings, live music and our heated and chilled pool make the Dilmun Club a great place to be a part of.
“I would really like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to all the members and the committee, and all the others I have met away from the club too, who have made my first year in Bahrain a thoroughly enjoyable experience.”
The only downside is not being able to watch his beloved football team play at the King Power Stadium and continue a fairytale of winning the English Premiership by taking the UEFA Champions League by storm, edging ever closer to the last 16 knock-out stage.
“I’ve been a fan as long as I can remember!” said Stephen. “My dad is a lifelong Leicester fan and I remember as a kid him taking me to the club’s old Filbert Street ground to watch them play. My first big match was when he took me to Wembley Stadium to watch the League Cup Final against Middlesbrough when I was 11.
“It’s also the first season for years I hadn’t been to watch them play,” said Stephen who believes that just as significant as Ranieri’s managerial skills in propelling Leicester City to history-makers has been the business acumen of Thai owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.
“Our current owners have done some amazing work in developing the club,” Stephen added. “I remember them taking over and reading the well-structured long term plans for the club. Six years later, here we are as Premiership winners and playing in the Champions League!”
So can he make the Dilly as successful as his beloved team? “Absolutely, the Dilmun Club was around 11 years before I was even born and will surely outlive me! “We have a strong membership core and foundations to build on.
Of course, we have short-term success stories, but, like Leicester, we have to plan long-term and I am ready to commit my future to this club that I love. “We plan to build upon all our current offerings - we have worked really hard on the upkeep of the club this year, now we will build on the food, entertainment, kids’ activities and stables.
We also have some really exciting plans for redevelopment of our outlets in the near future.” The club has also made a star signing in the kitchen by snapping up the signature of Nepalese head chef Tej Tamang who has worked in five-star restaurants in Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and Australia.
“Tej brings to us a wealth of experience from working in different restaurants around the world and has already made some great changes to our food offerings and has many more exciting plans,” added Stephen, who reckons he’s just as prolific in the kitchen as Leicester City’s star striker Jamie Vardy is in front of goal.
