Saturday 21st January 2023, 3 PM
HASHTAG UNITED v THE BRIDGE
ISTHMIAN LEAGUE NORTH
LEN SALMON STADIUM, PITSEA

About Hashtag United

Nickname(s)
The Tags, Hashtag
Founded
March 2016
Ground
Len Salmon Stadium, Pitsea
Capacity
3,500 (500 seated)
Chairman
Spencer Carmichael-Brown
Manager
Jay Devereux
League
Isthmian League North Division
2021–22
Isthmian League North Division, 8th of 20

History:
Hashtag United Football Club was formed in March 2016 by Spencer Carmichael-Brown, a football YouTuber who went by the name of Spencer FC. Carmichael-Brown had begun making YouTube videos in 2007 as a student at the University of Reading, and the team initially consisted of friends from school and university.

From their foundation, the team primarily played five, seven, and eleven-a-side exhibition matches, which were filmed and uploaded to their YouTube channel. By September 2016, the team's Instagram account had over 100,000 followers, their Twitter account 41,000, and a 'penalty challenge' video uploaded to YouTube had accumulated over one million views. Hashtag United played various teams including a Comedians XI whom they beat 19–1, Google, the GB Deaf Team, Barawa, and a Manchester City staff team, with opponents fielding former professional footballers such as Paul Dickov, Graeme Le Saux, and Ray Parlour, and celebrities including Omid Djalili. At one point in 2016, the club was rumoured to be interested in signing professional footballer Adebayo Akinfenwa. In 2017 the club won the EE Wembley Cup, a competition that Carmichael-Brown had created in 2015. The team included Scott Pollock, who went on to sign professional terms with Northampton Town.

In early 2018, Chelsea player and Spanish international César Azpilicueta invested in the club and became a co-owner. Ahead of the 2018–19 season, the club joined the English football league system, initially being placed in Division One of the Spartan South Midlands League, before being moved to the Eastern Counties League after appealing that it was more suited to their Essex roots. After joining the pyramid, Carmichael-Brown stepped down as manager and was replaced by former East Thurrock United assistant manager Jay Devereux. Their first competitive match was a 3–2 away loss to Little Oakley on 4 August 2018. The club's first league season saw them reach the semi-finals of the Division One Knock-Out Cup. They went on to win the Division One South title, earning promotion to the Essex Senior League. The 2019–20 season was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic with the club second in the league, a point behind the leaders, and with three matches in hand. After the 2020–21 season was also curtailed due to the pandemic, at which point Hashtag United were top of the league, the club was promoted to the North Division of the Isthmian League based on the points per game accumulated over the two abandoned seasons. During their two seasons in the Essex Senior League, the club won 96 points from 38 games.

Ground:
After joining the Eastern Counties League, the club began playing at the Coles Park Stadium, ground sharing with Haringey Borough. In April 2019, following promotion to the Essex Senior League, Hashtag United announced that the club would move to Tilbury's Chadfields for the 2019–20 season]. In March 2020 the club stated that they would move to the Len Salmon Stadium, home of Bowers & Pitsea, for the 2020–21 season. Since the merger, the women's team played at Canvey Island's Park Lane ground; but in April 2022, it was announced that the Women's team would move to Aveley's Parkside Ground from the 2022-23 season.

Recent results & form:
The Tags are currently 2nd in the division with 52 points from 21 matches played. They have won 17, drawn 1, and lost just 3 of the 21 matches. They have scored 53 and conceded 21 for a goal difference of +32. At home, they have won 10 and drawn 1, so it’s a tough task for The Bridge to become the first team to win at # this season.

They are currently top in current form (last 6 league matches), with 6 straight wins, and have not lost since Tuesday 8th November when they were beaten 4-2 at current league leaders AFC Sudbury.

Recent results are:
East Thurrock United (Away) Won 4-0
Bury Town (Home) Won 3-1
Witham Town (Away) Won 4-0
Brentwood Town (Home) Won 5-2
Gorleston (Home) Won 2-0
Great Wakering Rovers (Away) Won 3-0

Last Season:
In March, The Bridge visited Hashtag and were defeated 3-1. Sam Bantick and Jermaine Francis made it 2-0 at half-time with Sam adding his second and #'s third in the 90th minute after Tony Stokes had made it 2-1 after 71.
Prior to that, in November at Lower Road, the teams drew 1-1. Joe Gardner put The Bridge in front after 29 minutes and Kiernan Hughes-Mason equalised on 48 to make sure the points were shared.

This Season:
The Tags visited Lower Road on 4th November and won 3-0 before a good Friday night crowd of 457. The Hashtag goals came from Olly Miles, Toby Aromolaran and Greg Halford with a 90th minute penalty.

Watch out for:
Well, there are a few!
Top goal scorers are:

So, anyone of them!
And to be honest, they’ve all been on the scoresheet in recent games…
Anyway, here’s Alex looking happy (probably just scored again!) whom I’ve focused on just because he has 9, just ahead of the rest!

ROAD TRIP
Bowers & Pitsea FC
Crown Avenue
Basildon
SS13

Just a short trip of 9.8 miles this one, although at the time of the screenshot, it was taking a while due to traffic!
This, of course, is the norm for this route, so listen to the wise one known as Google Maps and give yourself a bit of time!

Taking into account all of the above, you’ve probably worked out that this is a tough one. Coupled with the fact that The Bridge haven’t played since 2nd January and the task becomes even tougher. So, just the time to put these Internet Allstars in their place then (although their place is second so that doesn’t work either!).

The Bridge will need all the backing they can get for this one, so if you can get there to cheer on the boys, I’m sure they will appreciate you being the “12th” man (or even the 13th, 14th, 15th & 16th). I suspect, like Glenn, if you are there you will be watching from behind your scarf (which are probably still available, along with hats and other good merchandise, speak to Frosty the kit man!).

This is football, anything is possible!
COYB!