A new book: From Hashtag United to Wembley
(all profits go to charity)
Where I saw Bishop’s Stortford
FAT R1 v Chipstead (h) 2-1
FAT R2 v Leiston (h) 5-1
FAT R3 v Cheshunt (a) 0-0 (lost on pens)
Favourite moment
Having obsessed over whether Bishop’s Stortford has an apostrophe or not, I am told by a local after the Chipstead game that everyone calls the town ‘Stortford’, so I had wasted my time.
Interesting person
Before the Leiston game, I met a (Bishop’s) Stortford fan in the Nags Head, who asked me to share my bucket list. He wanted to jump out of planes, visit the South Pole and more. I just wanted to follow the 2021-22 FA Trophy and, what’s more, I was doing it.
So near and yet so far
I thought Bishop’s Stortford looked like a strong team that could have gone further in both the FA Trophy and the Isthmian Premier. The win 5-1 win over Leiston was by far the biggest win I saw in my eleven FA Trophy games.
Magic moment
While watching the game against Leiston in very high winds, I noticed several planes pull out of landing at nearby Stansted Airport.
However, this was surpassed in the second half when a high ball got caught in a kind of vortex and had 20 outfield players wondering where the ball was going to end up. Weird.
What you will find in the book
The book describes my journey following the 2021-22 FA Trophy. I chose to start at Hashtag United v Chipstead in the First Round Qualifying of the FA Trophy. From there, I followed the winners of each tie, finishing at Wembley, where I saw Bromley lift the trophy after beating Wrexham. It was a magical journey that enabled me to visit 9 non-League grounds plus Wembley and meet supporters from 12 different fantastic clubs.
What is the book like?
I travelled to each game by train and stayed at or close to the venue of each tie for at least one night. Each chapter takes a light-hearted look at my travels, my exploration of each town or city, as well as covering my match-day experience. I also met many interesting people on my travels, enjoying a beer or two with the locals at each venue. The book captures the spirit that I believe only exists in non-League football and describes some truly enjoyable and memorable moments.
A bit about me (but not too much, I hope)
I was born and raised in Charlton and have been a long-suffering Charlton Athletic supporter. In the 1980s, I lived in Bromley and started to support Bromley FC, who were playing in the Isthmian League in those days. This introduced me to non-League football, and I have never looked back. Now living on the Kent/Sussex border, I love going to different grounds and enjoying the football (with a pint afterwards) at non-League grounds around the region. In the summer, I support Sussex CCC.
I am now semi-retired, which has given me the opportunity to follow the FA Trophy for the 2021-22 season, although I must thank my wife for her patience as she had to listen to me prattling on about my adventures week after week.
Non-League football has been one of the many adventures and fun things I have managed to enjoy in my life. I’ll tell you more about my life in the book if you can face the dreadful puns that I occasionally use.
