From Hashtag United to Wembley : About the book
What you can expect (and not expect)
All profits from the book go the Charlton Upbeats, a fabulous charity
Not sure? Read this independent review of From Hashtag United to Wembley here
A bit of background
I have always loved non-League football. During the Covid lockdown, I decided I would follow the FA Trophy for the 2021-22 season, assuming Boris allowed us to roam the country freely. Starting at the First Round Qualifying, I would follow the winners of each tie all the way to Wembley. With 19 ties to choose from in the First Round Qualifying, I decided to start at Hashtag United in Essex. It was an easy choice. The name and brief history of Hashtag United fascinated me. The Tags succumbed to Chipstead on Sunday 26 September, but it was the start of a journey that took me to Aylesbury, Chipstead, Bishop’s Stortford (twice), Cheshunt, St Albans, Stockport, Needham Market, Wrexham and, finally, Wembley.
I wanted to explore the towns and cities where the games were taking place, meet local people, enjoy a beer or three as well as soak up the genuine pleasure of watching non-League football. I was lucky enough to meet many interesting people, both in my travels and at games up and down the country. They are the stars of the show! The book takes a light-hearted look at life and allows you to find out what makes non-League football so special.
What can you expect from the book?
The book will appeal to anyone who enjoys travel, people-watching, meeting ordinary and not-so-ordinary people as well as indulging in the genuine fun that comes from non-League football. Ask almost anyone who follows non-League football, and they will tell you about the camaraderie that exists. Players, officials and supporters come together to make match days a pleasurable afternoon. Winning matters, but the experience of being at non-League games comes first. The book is a travelogue-cum-football account of my adventures following the 2021-22 FA Trophy. You will be guided around the hosting towns and cities, indulging in some football history and meeting people that I encountered on my travels. You will need to tolerate my occasionally acerbic wit, the odd pun and some tangential thoughts. I travelled to all the games by train, staying a night or two for most ties to explore the local towns and cities. And, just to help me on my way, I visited a pub or two to share a beer with the locals.
Why Hashtag United and where did I go?
I needed to start at the First Qualifying Round, and with only 19 ties to choose from, it was an easy choice. The tie at Hashtag United jumped out at me; it was like a gift when I saw the draw. I knew a little about Hashtag United, but learning more became the start of a fascinating journey that I followed all the way to Wembley. En route, I was able to share my knowledge about Melchester Rovers, meet David Bowie (or Bowies, to be precise), discover the importance of euphemisms in Bishop’s Stortford, meet the non-stop singers from Cheshunt (pronounced Chezunt) and learn uncertain facts about Stockport County before seeing Bromley lift the FA Trophy at Wembley. On trains, I learned how to dump a girlfriend, how you can hold a conversation only using three words and how to tell someone your life story within three short train stops.
My FA Trophy trail
It all began at Hashtag United in September 2021 and ended at Wembley in May 2022. These are the games covered in the book:
Hashtag United v Chipstead 1-4
Aylesbury United v Chipstead 1-1 (Chipstead won on penalties)
Chipstead v Whitehawk 2-1
Bishop’s Stortford v Chipstead 2-1
Bishop’s Stortford v Leiston 5-1
Cheshunt v Bishop’s Stortford 0-0 (Cheshunt won on penalties)
St Albans v Cheshunt 0-3
Stockport County v Cheshunt 1-0
Needham Market v Stockport County 3-0
Wrexham v Stockport County 2-0
Bromley v Wrexham 1-0