Initially created by YouTuber Spencer Carmichael-Brown, Hashtag was created in 2016 as a team full of friends playing a charity match to honour a childhood friend. For the next 2 years Spencer & the team participated in exhibition matches in a league format that took place across 7 different countries. Facing pro football staff teams, fellow creators, brand teams, non-league & sunday sides, the views began to stream in as the channel continued to grow. At the start of 2017, the Hashtag Academy was created. A series that whittled down thousands of applicants to just one player through a variety of challenges until the final player was offered the chance to play for the club. The first ever academy series proved to be a fruitful one, with the winner a 16 year old Scott Pollock who would go on to be signed by Northampton Town a year later, and make his debut in the 2018/19 season. Scott was scouted after impressing in the 3rd Wembley Cup final (2017); a unique one-off game that pitted YouTubers up against each other alongside some retired pro footballers such as Steven Gerrard, Robbie Fowler, David James, and Emile Heskey to name just a few. This was also the first of the Wembley Cup series that featured ‘Hashtag United’ as they battled it out against ‘Tekkers Town’ captained by ‘The F2’.

Following the success of the Wembley Cups & the Hashtag Academy series, the club applied for entry into the National League Pyramid, and were granted a place in the Eastern Senior League Division One South for the 2018/19 season. For this transition, a manager was required. Through his dad’s physiotherapy work in non-league, Spencer had filmed content at East Thurrock United - which is where he met Jay Devereux (‘Devs’), who was appointed as the First Team manager before the season began. Home games were played at Haringey Borough’s ‘Coles Park’ that season, and it was a season to remember... After adding some non-league experience to the original squad, the team finished the season as champions, ensuring promotion at the first time of asking. Despite one or two changes to the side, the core of the squad remained for the next challenge: promotion to Step 4, the Isthmian League. Further additions were made including the winner of the 2nd Academy Series, Josh Osude, but the campaign was cut short due to the Coronavirus pandemic, with the team sitting in 2nd with games in hand over the league leaders.

A dramatic debut in the FA Cup in the 2020/21 season saw us reach the 2nd Round Qualifying, on the way winning, at the time, the second longest penalty shoot out in FA Cup history (13-12) against Felixstowe & Walton, and beating higher opposition Soham Town Rangers live on BBC. The run came to an end at the hands of Braintree Town on penalties, after conceding a heartbreaking last minute equaliser, just moments after Love Island star Toby Aromolaran thought he’d won it. With the pandemic rumbling on in the background, the season was curtailed again in 2021. At the end of that season however, the FA decided to implement promotions based on points-per-game across the 2 previously interrupted seasons, meaning the Tags were promoted into the Isthmian League North Division.

After the initial success of our launch off the pitch, the success on it continued to grow, with 2 promotions in 3 years. However, the whole club consisted of just one team. Being founded online, we hadn’t really started to put down roots anywhere, but Spencer began discussions with local club Forest Glade, and their chairman Derrick Pearson, to try and change that. Forest Glade was founded in 1992 by Derrick, and after agreeing to join the Hashtag family, they brought over 40 youth teams with them to become a part of the wider club that is now co-chaired by both club’s respective founders. The merger between those 2 clubs also involved a third party: ladies team AFC Basildon. Following the increased coverage of the women’s game, Spencer put out a tweet expressing his interest in getting involved with a team in the local area. Discussions with then club secretary Sean Eldridge took place, a meeting was set-up, and the rest, as they say, is history! Since 2020 the team has been playing under the Hashtag United umbrella in Tiers 4 and 3 of the FAWNL with impressive success: promotion to Tier 3 as champions in 2022/23, winning the FAWNL Cup against Saudi-backed Newcastle United in 2023/24, as well as multiple county cup wins. As a club now Hashtag United operates over 50 teams, covering women’s football, youth football, inclusive football, and men’s football at a variety of levels with plenty of success.

Whilst on the topic of success, after finishing outside the play-offs during our men’s teams’ first season at step 4; with the additions of content creator ‘PK Humble’, veteran midfielder Max Cornhill, and ex-Premier League defender Greg Halford, we were prepared for a title charge in 2022/23. A season-long battle ensued with AFC Sudbury and after a run that included winning 21 games consecutively, we were promoted with one of the league’s best totals of 98 points. During the Summer of 2023 the title-winning squad were rewarded with a trip to the States to compete in the inaugural ‘TST’ and became fan favourites as we progressed to the knockout rounds unbeaten. There we faced COMO, managed by Premier League and World Cup winner Cesc Fabregas, who’s squad included a once £30m player Patrick Cutrone. The Tags fought valiantly, and arguably should‘ve taken the win, but were beaten in Target Score Time, sending us home.

The 2023/24 season followed, our first in the Isthmian Premier division, just one level below the National League set-up. Additions of Sak Hassan, from 2022/23 league rivals AFC Sudbury, Ted Curd on loan from Chelsea, and Sam Cornish from Wingate & Finchley amongst others, strengthened the core group and ensured a strong debut season at the level. Devs’ side mounted a play-off push that was severely dented in January as the tags won just 1 game in 8, an away win at Chatham Town that sparked the beginning of a fierce rivalry on the pitch. The Tags would go on to reach the Velocity Cup final against the Chats, but fall to a cruel defeat in the dying seconds of normal time. A 13th place finish followed, and provided a strong foundation with which to build on for the following campaign. Another showing at ‘TST’ ended with the squad losing to reigning champions Newtown Pride in the first knockout round, though shortly after the club announced new signings a plenty, including non-league legend Sam Higgins, experienced goalkeeper Jack Giddens, and former Arsenal youngster Josh Rusoke to name but a few. Whilst Higgo’s tenure ended in October when he retired, ‘Gidds’ & ‘Sokes’ would become key members of a squad that pushed all the way until the final month towards a play-off spot, but a poor start where the club was in 21st at one stage, would ultimately cost the team a chance at promotion.

The Summer of 2025 would be an eventful one indeed. A fan-led investment raise was launched where fans could purchase shares in the club, and in excess of a million pounds was raised. This is currently being re-invested back into the club, with finally attaining our own stadium, as well as adding more full-time staff members, the forefront of the targeted areas. Again, the team competed in North Carolina, but this time the strategy changed, and we brought small sided players in from the UK, Spain, France, and the USA to add to the squad. Despite a strong, unbeaten start in the group stages, the Tags were unable to break their knockout curse, with Premier League legend Sergio Aguero doing the damage as his side won 4-2 in Target Score Time. The Summer tournaments didn’t stop this year and both a men’s and women’s team flew to Singapore to participate in the Soccer 7s Series, competing against the likes of Coventry City, QPR, and other teams from around the World such as Persib and Shanghai Shenhua. Our first time in Asia saw the men’s team lift silverware in the Shield competition, whilst our women were narrowly beaten by eventual winners Shanghai Shenhua in the semi-finals. During their win against Singaporean side Eastern Thunder, the new-look women’s team picked up a cash prize for their ‘worm’ celebration that was voted the best of the tournament.

The 2025/26 season was a tough one in comparison. A 2-0 win away to Lewes on the opening day, combined with Devs’ record of improving every season with us, had fans confident of a strong season. Instability with the squad throughout the season, coupled with some key players’ injuries however, saw the campaign take a nosedive towards the lower end of the table. Meanwhile, off the pitch great strides were taken to locate a permanent home, but the decision was taken to apply for relegation regardless of our on-pitch performances to secure long-term financial stability. Whilst this was occurring outside of the white lines, inside them a valiant fight back at the tail end of the season saw the boys climb out of the bottom 4, meaning that their fate was entirely in their hands on the final day. Defeat to Dulwich Hamlet on the final day meant that relegation was sealed, and after the FA’s verdict on our application, the 2026/27 season would be spent in at Step 4, and the Isthmian North division.

Throughout the Summer of 2026 the club has focused on ways of building more of an in-person fanbase as well as the construction of new facilities at our new home: The Techsoc.com stadium, which we share with fellow Step 4 side Redbridge FC, just a 5 minute walk from Barkingside Station on the Central Line. Plans for a new sound system, a new stand, and the movement of our operations to the ground are well underway, with exciting updates expected throughout the season. Devs left his role as manager at the end of the previous season, but accepted a new role as the club’s Head of Football instead. That allowed the introduction of Spencer as ‘The Caretaker’ to further explore the club’s new tagline of “Making Football Fun Again” with his influence more focused on the content at matches. Furthermore, assistant coach Sammy Knott was promoted to Head Coach to oversee the football side of our operations. 9 players remained from the previous season, with some exciting new additions, and the return of some familiar faces, including one of the club’s record top scorers Misha Djemaili, and defender Joe Debell who returned after back-to-back promotions with Stanway Rovers. The target for this season is clear, play exciting football, challenge for promotion and have fun whilst doing so!

Highlights: Hashtag United 2 Stotfold 0

The Tags get back to winning ways

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