Erling Haaland is one of, if not the most dominant striker in football today, a goal-scoring machine who has shattered records with Manchester City. But what if history had taken a different turn? What if, instead of lighting up the Premier League, Haaland had found himself plying his trade at Hurst Cross, the home of non-league side Ashton United?
It sounds like an impossible scenario, but in 2022, there was a brief, humorous moment when Ashton United made headlines by submitting a ‘formal’ loan bid for the Norwegian superstar. While the move never materialised, it became a brilliant piece of football folklore.
This is the story of how Erling Haaland ‘nearly’ joined Ashton United, and there may be more inverted commas to follow.
A World Cup Break and a Cheeky Bid
In November 2022, the footballing community’s attention turned to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. While the world’s best players were competing for international glory, some Premier League stars were left with unexpected time off. One such player was Erling Haaland, whose native Norway had failed to qualify for the tournament.
With the Premier League on a mid-season break, Haaland had over a month without competitive football. Seeing an opportunity, Ashton United – a club playing in the seventh tier of English football – made an audacious move. They submitted an ‘official’ loan request to Manchester City, asking if they could borrow Haaland for 28 days to “keep him match-fit.”
The Statement That Went Viral
Over 100,000 likes, 1,200 replies, and 13,000 retweets on X (formerly Twitter) alone, coupled with more than 10 million impressions on the statement post alone, which saw the light of day on November 14, 2022 – it was nothing short of a masterstroke.
This is how it read on their website, which subsequently crashed following the volume of traffic accessing the link:
Ashton United can confirm that the club has submitted a 28-day loan approach for Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.
With the current Premier League champions not in action until late December due to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, The Robins have reached out to our neighbours at the Etihad in order to keep Haaland’s match fitness with him not being involved in Qatar.
Speaking to ashtonunited.co.uk after Saturday’s defeat to Gainsborough Trinity, Robins’ manager Michael Clegg said: “It just makes sense.
“City aren’t playing, and we want to help by keeping Erling fit, it makes more sense than him playing golf for six weeks.
“We think he will be a great fit for us and would slot in with our squad dynamic really well.“
The club are yet to receive any response from Manchester City.
This bold attempt was, of course, met with amusement across social media. Fans relished the thought of Haaland terrorising part-time defenders on rain-soaked non-league pitches, and the club’s cheeky approach made them a viral sensation.
But how far did it go?
talkSPORT, The Mirror, Daily Express, Metro, The Sun, Sky Sports News, The Guardian, BBC, Goal, SportBible, ITV – these publications and outlets were just a handful of the UK’s media interested in the story and providing coverage.
It was endless, and the news transcended across the globe, too. National press from Norway picked up on the matter, while stations in Australia and the USA contacted the club for interviews and further comment.
Football betting markets opened up to try and reflect the possibility of the event occurring as well!
Even to this very day, almost two and a half years since this event, Ashton United’s social media channels receive the occasional “Where’s Haaland?” comment – it has had an endearing impact.
Why Ashton United?
At first glance, a link between Erling Haaland and Ashton United seems absurd. But there was a local connection – Ashton United is based in Greater Manchester in the borough of Tameside, not far from Haaland’s home stadium at the Etihad. The club humorously suggested that, rather than sitting on his sofa, Haaland could simply take a short drive and keep his goal-scoring sharp with them.
Despite their place in the Northern Premier League, Ashton United has never been shy about thinking big. Their manager at the time, Michael Clegg, embraced the bid as a bit of fun while also highlighting the importance of lower-league football receiving attention.
Did Manchester City Respond?
No. Unsurprisingly, Manchester City did not take Ashton United up on their offer. From a realist perspective, Pep Guardiola surely would have had no intention of letting his star striker spend a month playing in the non-league system, where the pitches, refereeing (maybe not too dissimilar), and opposition challenges were a world away from the conditions of the Premier League.
While City never issued a formal response, The Robins’ loan offer was never rejected, so could the option remain on the table until Haaland’s contract expires in 2034?
A PR Powerplay
Although the loan move was never going to happen, the seventh tier outfit came out of the situation as big winners. The story spread across football media, bringing international attention to a club that would otherwise be relatively unknown outside of non-league circles.
Their social media engagement skyrocketed, and for a brief moment, Ashton United was one of the most talked-about teams in England.
In numerous interviews co-chairman Jonathan Sayer Burke featured, he stated that the club’s merchandise and shirt sales increased tenfold, with requests for “Haaland” and the number nine being the sought-after combination.
Many smaller clubs struggle for visibility in the shadow of giant teams like Manchester City, especially with the Robins being situated in Tameside amid numerous clubs competing around the same level. The likes of FC United of Manchester, Hyde United, Curzon Ashton, Stalybridge Celtic, Radcliffe, Oldham Athletic, Rochdale and more are vying for support in close proximity to one another.
However, for what can be called a PR stunt, either as a laugh with an unexpected outcome or a well-thought strategy, Ashton’s playful attempt at signing Haaland certainly put them on the map. They gained thousands over 15,000 new followers across X, Instagram and Facebook, and for years to come, the bid will be a go-to piece of football trivia.
What If It Happened?
Of course, Haaland never played a single minute for Ashton United, but the idea of him running riot in non-league football is a hilarious “what if” scenario. Imagine the 6’5″ Norwegian bulldozing defenders who, hours earlier, had been at their day jobs.
On the evening of the approach made to Manchester City, The Robins were in Manchester Premier Cup action against Maine Road. This outfit was founded in 1955 by a group of Manchester City supporters from Rusholme – tying affinity to the Cityzens’ former stadium located in Moss Side. If the deal had gone through, Haaland perhaps would’ve been an unused substitute anyway as Ashton cruised to a 4-0 victory.
At their following home game against Bamber Bridge, many supporters wore Haaland masks, so some may even claim he has visited one of the oldest grounds in the country, Hurst Cross – undercover as himself, somehow.
While non-league football has produced some incredible stories over the years, Haaland turning out at Hurst Cross would have been one of the most surreal moments in English football history.
The Aftermath
Since that cheeky loan bid, Haaland has continued to dominate the Premier League, scoring goals at an unprecedented rate for Manchester City and lifting numerous pieces of silverware.
Ashton United, meanwhile, remains a well-respected club in the non-league scene, still playing in front of passionate local fans. They have their sights firmly set on promotion to the National League North come the end of the season, as they are in a prime position to secure a play-off place in the Northern Premier League.
Though the bid was never ‘serious’ in footballing terms, it showed the charm and character of non-league football – where humour, ambition, and a love for the game often collide. It also highlighted the power of PR, proving that even a seventh-tier club can grab global headlines with the right mix of audacity and wit.
