Welcome back everyone, this time we are sitting down with one sixth of the founding group of a Non-League club with an incredible story. Now, this is a story of hope, determination and most importantly friendship.
This is your introduction to Hart United a club which i am sure you will be rooting for come the end of this interview, I know that I am a fan of the club from afar – already added to my personal score tracker list, i am invested in the journey they are on and let me just tell you know – its already been some journey and this group are looking to kick on already!
Enough from me, lets speak to Kyle one of the founding members of this amazing club.
Name – Kyle Whitehead
Age – 30
Favourite team – Newcastle United
Occupation – Head of Business- Automotive
Thing I love about football – last minute winners
My football pet hate – people who wear their socks low
Q) What is the story behind Hart United?
We are 6 best friends who just wanted to start a football club and climb the leagues with a strong social media presence.
Q) Can you explain the badge and the colour choice?
Purple & Gold- we decided not many top level teams wear purple. The badge has the iconic Stag from Hart ( where we live)
Q) Having such little time from idea creation to launching the club how did you pull it off? (just a few months from idea to launch)
We all took on separate roles in the football club.
Everyone had a responsibility and had a target to get their bit done to contribute to the success of the club.
Q) Can you explain to us what the makeup of the club is, who does each role?
Kyle- Club Chairman & Secretary.
Ben- Treasurer
Luke- Fixtures Secretary
Dan- Head of Sponsorships
Chris- Head of Social Media
Billy – Director of Football
Q) Your first season you went 16/16 wins and also won a cup, not a bad season?
We couldn’t have asked for much more in the league & a cup win is always good. We had a real chance in the Hampshire cup but lost in the quarter finals to the eventual winners from 2 leagues above! That would have topped the season nicely.
Q) You seem to be having some great success in your social media channels with some fun and quirky challenges – how did this come about and why do you think it has resonated with people watching so much?
The manager Charlie Lacey pushed for the social games. He has always done it and saw success in it- his teams have always been close friends and the banter is the foundation to the team.
Q) What is your main motivation in making a success of this?
We all have our own personal reasons why we push the club forward. Personally it’s down to a drive to grow football in the local area.
Q) How far and serious are you taking this, is it something that started as a fun idea but now is becoming more and more serious?
It definitely started as a fun idea but when I realised the squad we got in – winning the league and climbing the leagues became a reality. Now our social media channels have become a vessel for success and we are trying to push them into a position where we are able to monetise from them and put it all back into the club.
Q) What are your hopes for this new season – are you aiming for another promotion on the back of your excellent first season?
We would be lying if we didn’t want to challenge that the top of the table again. Our squad is good enough to compete and many of our players have played at this level before. The manager has the qualities to push the team to levels we haven’t seen before.
Q) Are there conversations amongst the original 6 of friends about future proofing the team/club with investments in other areas such as a ground and a long-term sponsor?
Yes- we are in constant communication with the local council about land opportunities & what we can bring to the area. We are keen to develop into Women’s football & youth team football and the first step for that is a home ground. We are open to anything that will help us secure this!
Q) What has been the biggest surprise so far with running the club?
The biggest surprise so far has been how busy it gets. Every day there is something we look at to improve what we have in front of us. It’s like a second full time job- however having such a love for football- it’s one we are happy not being paid for!
Q) What have you found the most rewarding and also the hardest element to date?
The most rewarding is the support we are getting. Whether it be congratulations for our success on the pitch- or people complimenting how professional we run things, or even if someone we know tells us they saw our videos online. It’s just a buzz we haven’t had before so it’s very welcomed! The hardest element would probably be losing in the cups. That’s a tough pill to swallow.
Q) Are you currently looking for any volunteers and if so in what capacity in particular would be helpful?
Yes we are!
We are currently looking for a club linesman to join our team for the season! We are also looking for a physio who would like to join the management team and assist.
And finally if anyone is looking to kickstart their career in sports social media, we are happy to expand the team with another member contributing to game day content!
Q) Where can people and see you play next season and when are your fixtures out?
This season we are playing in the Surrey County Intermediate league (Western). Come on down and watch the team in action!
Q) And where can people follow you for all of the updates going forward?
Follow us on all of our social media channels
Instagram – @hartunitedfc
TikTok – @hart.united.fc
X – @hart_unitedfc
YouTube – @hartunitedfc
There you go – a whistle stop introduction of Hart United, a club which 3 months before the start of last season were just an idea. They took the league by storm and went unbeaten claiming the title at a canter. This season after the promotion are faring very well !
Played 2, Won 2.
I am not just saying this but I genuinely think we could be looking at the start of a brand new Dorking – the club although still in its infancy have a real purpose, understanding and structure of what they want to do and most importantly they have the people in the right places to achieve success both on and off the pitch.
Keep a very close eye on them as they are exciting to watch and very easy to root for.
Until next time!
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Through The Turnstile of Non-League Football 
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