Hashtag United surprises fans with a shocking announcement after asking to be relegated
Hashtag United won’t face any punishment from the FA after they asked to be relegated from the Isthmian Premier Division back in late March, citing financial reasons. This news got football fans talking across the country, as the Essex-based club said they wanted to go down a division no matter how they finished this season.
Their announcement was a surprise, especially considering the club’s success since it was started in 2016 by online creator Spencer Owen, who has built a big following on his popular YouTube channel. Right now, the channel is one of the top football club channels in English football, with 672,000 subscribers.
Hashtag United joined the English non-league football system in 2018 and quickly climbed the ranks. They’ve spent the last three seasons in the Isthmian League Premier Division. So, when they said on social media that they wanted to move down to the Isthmian League North Division, it caught many off guard.
The club’s request could have led to a punishment from the FA—a one-year ban on promotion for teams that voluntarily drop down a division, partly because it saves money to play lower down. But the FA couldn’t apply this rule, as Hashtag United ended up relegated in the usual way after losing 2-1 to Dulwich Hamlet on the last day of the season.
This means the club can try to earn promotion again next season, since they went down based on results, not just by choice. The club posted on social media: “Today we got official confirmation from the FA that we will be relegated as normal and drop one division into Step 4 for the 2026/27 season. So, we WILL be able to fight for promotion back to Step 3 next season if we earn it on the pitch.”
After announcing their request, Hashtag United’s form struggled—they lost 7-0 to Dartford in their very next game. In April, they won two league matches but also lost two out of their final five games.
Hashtag United wasn’t the only team relegated this season from the Isthmian League Premier Division. Canvey Island, Potters Bar Town, and Cray Valley also went down after disappointing seasons.