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Featured Image Credit: Hashtag United & Under The Cosh
Topics: Premier League, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur
Daniel Marland
Topics: Premier League, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur
A former Premier League star and current Hashtag United player has claimed 90 per cent of teams in the top flight once tried to sign him.
Back in 2016, YouTuber Spencer Owen decided to form Hashtag for a one-off charity game to honour a childhood friend.
Spencer and his brother Seb decided to move Hashtag into the world of non-league football in 2018.
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They've gone from strength to strength, with 'The Tags' currently playing in the Isthmian League.
In their ranks is Greg Halford, who helped Colchester United achieve promotion to the Championship in 2007. His performances for Colchester caught the eye of Premier League teams, which Halford knew about.
The 38-year-old explained during a recent appearance on Under The Cosh: "It was the season where Sunderland were really struggling first half of the season, we ended up playing them away in December and got a draw.
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"At that time they did a home and away man of the match.
"Me and Grant Leadbitter were held in this room and Quinny [Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn] came in. He was like 'What are you doing in January, we’d like to sign you'.
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"At that time I had literally 90 per cent of the Premier League wanting to sign me. I was like they’re struggling in the Championship, I don’t really want to go because I knew I was going straight to the Prem in January.
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"So I just said 'Look, I’m flattered, but I think things are going to happen differently in January', knowing that I was going to the Premier League."
Halford expanded on his '90 per cent' claim, naming the two teams who didn't show an interest.
He continued: "I think it was only Chelsea and Spurs that didn’t put an offer in."
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Halford would end up joining Reading. His spell at the Madjeski Stadium was a brief one, moving to Sunderland later that year. He'd also represent Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Hashtag United are currently eighth in the Premier League table and defeated Billericay Town 2-1 in their last game.