From Hashtag United to Wembley is a light-hearted book that follows the 2021-22 FA Trophy, starting at Hashtag United v Chipstead and following the winners of each round all the way to Wembley.
Although it's a story of life in non-League football, meeting players, officials and supporters of many clubs, it is far more than that. It's also a travelogue, observing and meeting countless people and an exploration of the towns and cities hosting each game.
After Hashtag United, Phil sees Chipstead win games at Aylesbury United and at home to Whitehawk before succumbing to Bishop's Stortford. In Aylesbury, he meets David Bowie (or David Bowies, to be more accurate) and gets involved in a pre-match hat festival. In Bishop's Stortford, euphemisms and puns abound, while Romesh Ranganathan almost makes an appearance.
Cheshunt end Bishop's Stortford run with a win on penalties before earning a trip to Stockport County after an impressive 3-0 win at St Albans. At Stockport, the Cheshunt fans break the world record for singing without pausing, but County beat Cheshunt 1-0 and then travel to Suffolk to face Needham Market, a game they win convincingly. In the semi-final, Wrexham bring a halt to Stockport's run with two excellent goals from Paul Mullin in stoppage time before losing to a Michael Cheek goal against Bromley in the final.
The book captures the genuine pleasures of FA Trophy football and will also indulge you in much football history and trivia with an occasionally offbeat sense of humour and frequent tangential thoughts and observations. If you love football, people and quirky thoughts, the book is a click away on Amazon in paperback or Kindle form. All profits from the book are going to the Charlton Upbeats, a fabulous charity.
