Have you ever tried to build a football club from scratch on FIFA or Football Manager? In a matter of hours, you can sign players, organise fixtures and climb through the divisions. 

In reality, it is far more complicated.

Eight months after launching with no ground, no funding and no place in the English football pyramid, Eastside United are still chasing an ambitious promise: to build a club from scratch in 365 days. 

When visiting a recent training session in Tameside, the gap between ambition and reality was already visible. Not everyone arrived on time, and new training equipment had to be set up before training could start. 

But the mood amongst the group is positive. Players were engaged, vocal and seemed committed. 

Eastside United, based in Greater Manchester – more specifically in Tameside – was founded in August 2025, with an ambition to go from nothing to a competitive level in the English football pyramid within a year – all while tackling issues such as social exclusion, unemployment and homelessness within the local community in Tameside. 

For the founder and chairman of Eastside United, 20-year-old Sami Ahmed, the project is deeply personal. 

“I had nothing going for me,” he says. “I dropped out of university, had no work, and football was the only thing that motivated me every week.” 

Inspired by online football projects such as Hashtag United, the 20-year-old wanted to create something similar, but with a stronger focus on giving back to the local community. 

The ambition of the project has already been tested though, and Ahmed remains realistic about the fact that the 365-day goal is very challenging to follow up. 

“To give the idea from scratch to semi-pro or pro in 365 days is very unrealistic. Even I thought so myself,” Ahmed admits. 

“However, to even just build a club in 365 days, and to give it back to the community… it’s never been done before.” 

The reality has already been reflected in the club’s journey so far, with trials being postponed due to venue issues, and low turnouts at initial trials and sessions. Attempts to enter certain leagues have also been met with rejection, mostly due to the club’s status as “brand new”. 

Entering the English football pyramid typically requires meeting strict criteria around facilities, funding and structure, which are areas the club is still developing.

Entering the English football pyramid is no straightforward task. Before Eastside United can compete in the National League System, they must first prove themselves in feeder leagues like the Lancashire & Cheshire Amateur Football League, which sits at level 14 of the English football structure. Only by winning promotion through those leagues can the club eventually climb into the official pyramid. For context, the Premier League sits 14 levels above where Eastside United are aiming to start.

The finances are also something to be factored into the equation. 

“We are not working with the best finances right now, I’ll be honest. We have got a lot to pay for soon, and we cannot get any funding or investors yet,” he admits. 

“But at the end of the day it is the love of the game these people have that really matters. That is why we will try our best to give back to the community.” 

With building a squad from scratch, internal challenges have also been something the club have had to face. 

“You meet loads of people that are unreliable,” he said. “Most recently we even had to get rid of one of our most promising players because of their attitude. These are issues we will face.” 

Despite these setbacks, players involved in the project remain cautiously optimistic. 

Assane Samb, 20, first came across the club earlier this year through social media. Drawn in by the concept and the opportunities it promised, he believes the idea still has potential – even though it won’t be easy. 

“Realistic-wise, it’s hard, but it’s possible,” he said. “It just needs dedication. If it’s run properly, it can be something.” 

Samb says there are still minor issues sometimes, particularly around communication within the squad, but sees them as part of the process of building a team from nothing. 

“It’s something we’re trying to improve,” he adds, and states that he remains positive and excited for the future of the project. 

Others are more openly positive about the experience so far. Joe Holt, who joined after attending the club’s second trial, credits the project with giving him opportunities he had not expected. 

“He’s done things in four months that you’ve not been able to do in 10 years,” Holt says. “You can’t knock what he’s doing.” 

Experiences like playing in the Baller League Community Cup, as well as gaining exposure from the club’s growing network, are evidence of Eastside United’s progress. 

“It’s not just for himself – it’s for everybody at the club,” he says. 

That balance between ambition and execution now defines Eastside United’s position. The club has begun to build a small but committed group of players, with trials completed and regular training sessions starting to take shape. 

But progress has not always been straightforward. 

Delays, low attendance at training sessions and organisational challenges have highlighted just how difficult it is to turn an idea into an actual football club. 

However, significant challenges remain. Breaking into the English football pyramid requires more than just a squad. It demands structure, financial stability, and consistency over a period of time – which is what the club is trying to establish. 

With just a few months remaining before their self-imposed 365-day target, the timeline is tight. 

“We ain’t got long left,” Sami says. “But I think I can do anything.” 

Whether that belief will be enough remains to be seen. 

For now, Eastside United sit somewhere between idea and reality – a project driven by passion, tested by setbacks, and still searching for proof that it can deliver on its promise.