Men's Football Academy

Hartpury College's Men's Football Academy is designed for ambitious footballers who want to continue developing their game alongside their studies. With competitive football, experienced coaching and a strong focus on personal development, the academy provides an environment where students can thrive both on and off the pitch.

Depending on your chosen course and football commitments, there may be opportunities to combine your studies with training and competition within our Football Academy programme. Students benefit from quality coaching, competitive fixtures and access to outstanding football facilities. The level of performance support, athlete services and development opportunities available will vary depending on the team and Sports Academy Membership [link] tier athletes are assigned to.

The academy has a proud history of success, including twelve English Colleges Football Association (ECFA) Premier League titles, six ECFA national titles, six English Schools’ Football Association (ESFA) national titles and one National Youth Alliance League (NYAL) Southern Premier League title and continues to compete at the highest level of college football. Strong links with professional and non-league clubs, alongside the Hartpury FC pathway, provide opportunities for progression both during and after study.

We are looking for committed footballers who are prepared to work hard, embrace feedback and take ownership of both their football and academic development.

Academy team

Spencer Hamilton, Head of College Football

The Hartpury College Men's Football Academy is led by Spencer Hamilton, Head of College Football and a current non-league player with almost 400 senior appearances across National League North and South football. His playing career has included spells with Cheltenham Town, Gloucester City, Chippenham Town and Worcester City.

Spencer previously studied at Hartpury, representing both the U19 and BUCS First Teams and winning the BUCS National Championship before going on to captain England Universities. He holds a UEFA B Licence and combines his coaching responsibilities with ongoing experience in the senior game.

Supporting academy athletes is a wider team of football coaches, goalkeeping coaches, strength and conditioning staff, physiotherapy practitioners and performance specialists. Players work regularly with coaching staff through training and matchdays, while eligible athletes can also access specialist performance support throughout the season.

Get in touch

At Hartpury College, we recognise the importance of balancing football with academic study. Depending on your chosen course and football commitments, there may be opportunities to combine your studies with training and competition within the Football Academy.

Coaches and academic staff work closely together to monitor progress and provide support where needed. Students are expected to attend lessons, complete assignments and maintain high standards in the classroom as well as on the pitch.

Many former academy players have gone on to successful careers across professional football, coaching, performance analysis, sports science, strength and conditioning and wider leadership roles within sport.

What to expect as a player

Life as a Hartpury College footballer is busy, challenging and rewarding. Alongside your studies, you'll balance training, fixtures, analysis, recovery and personal development.

We're looking for players who arrive prepared, train consistently, maintain professional standards and take responsibility for their development both academically and athletically.

During your first few weeks, coaching staff will assess players through training sessions and games before squad selections are confirmed. Squad places are competitive and selection is based on performance and potential.

Students also benefit from Hartpury's strong links with professional and non-league football, alongside opportunities to combine Hartpury football with external club commitments where appropriate.

To give you an idea of the level of commitment, the following is an example of how the Hartpury College Men’s Football Academy weekly schedule could look like, this would be alongside academic studies. If successful in gaining a place at Hartpury College and playing for the academy your timetable is shared with you at the start of the year.

Example timetables:

Day	Time	Activity
Monday	1pm – 2pm 2.15pm – 3.45pm	Gym On-pitch training
Tuesday	2.30pm – 3pm 3pm – 4pm	Performance analysis On-pitch training
Wednesday	9.30am – 10.30am 1pm kick off	Football game or gym for injured players
Friday	1pm – 2.30pm 2.30pm – 3.30pm	On-pitch training Gym

Day	Time	Activity
Monday	1.30pm – 3pm	On-pitch training
Wednesday	1pm kick off	Football game or gym for injured players
Friday	1.30pm – 3.30pm	On-pitch training

Example timetable: First Team

Day	Time	Activity
Monday	1pm – 2pm 2.15pm – 3.45pm	Gym On-pitch training
Tuesday	2.30pm – 3pm 3pm – 4pm	Performance analysis On-pitch training
Wednesday	9.30am – 10.30am 1pm kick off	Football game or gym for injured players
Friday	1pm – 2.30pm 2.30pm – 3.30pm	On-pitch training Gym

Example timetable: Second, Third and U17s

Day	Time	Activity
Monday	1.30pm – 3pm	On-pitch training
Wednesday	1pm kick off	Football game or gym for injured players
Friday	1.30pm – 3.30pm	On-pitch training

Football Academy athletes train within a professional sports environment designed to support player development both on and off the pitch.

The facilities and performance services available to you will depend on the team and Sports Academy Membership tier you are assigned to. Players may have access to a range of facilities including our maintained grass and 3G pitches, Performance and Power Gyms, performance analysis technology, rehabilitation and medical facilities, hot and cold recovery baths, and human performance and biomechanics laboratories.

These facilities are used to support technical and tactical development, physical preparation, injury prevention, rehabilitation and performance analysis, helping players train and compete in an environment that mirrors the standards of elite football.

Performance services

Depending on your squad level and academy membership tier, you may have access to a range of specialist performance services. Support may include:

Strength and conditioning.
Sport science testing and monitoring.
Medical and physiotherapy support.
Performance analysis.
Nutrition support.
Injury prevention and rehabilitation services.

Please note that the full wraparound performance support package is primarily available to Tier 1 athletes within Hartpury FC and the Hartpury College First Team performance programme.

Sports Academy Membership

Squad structure

The Academy offers multiple competitive teams, providing opportunities for players at different stages of their development. Players progress between teams based on performance, commitment and attitude. Academic engagement also forms an important part of selection decisions.

Performance Programme (typically Tier 1 Membership)

Hartpury FC
College First Team

Wider Programme (typically Tier 2 Membership)

FE Second Team – a small number of players who show potential will be Tier 1 Members
FE Third Team
FE U17 Team

Depending on the team there are opportunities to compete across several different competitions such as Southern League Division One South which comes with FA Cup and FA Trophy opportunities, NYAL Southern Premier League, ECFA competitions and ESFA competitions.

Membership fees

All players representing a Hartpury Sports Academy are required to hold the appropriate Sports Academy membership.

For full details on membership options, fees and benefits, visit the Sports Academy Membership page.

Sports Academy Membership

We're looking for dedicated footballers who want to develop in a high-performance environment while continuing their education.

To join the Men's Football Academy:

Apply for a relevant course at Hartpury College. We recommend you attend an Open Day to find out about our courses and make sure Hartpury is right for you.
Register your interest in the academy.
Share details of your football experience, clubs and achievements – provide video footage where available.
Attend a Discovery Day.

Discovery Days

The Discovery Day gives prospective students the chance to experience the Hartpury environment, meet the coaching team and showcase their abilities.

The day is designed to help coaches understand the players that might be joining them and identify individuals who may be invited into future pre-season activities. Discovery Days are not formal trials and attendance does not guarantee squad selection.

Open to students considering joining Hartpury College for the upcoming academic year, the Discovery Day introduces both the Football Academy and student life at Hartpury. Players and parents can learn more about the academy pathway, coaching programme and the opportunities available both on and off the pitch.

We strongly encourage all prospective academy players to attend. It's a valuable opportunity to ask questions, meet the coaching staff and understand the standards and expectations of the programme.

2027 Discovery Day

This event is open to students looking to join Hartpury College in September 2027.

Date: Friday 19 February 2027
Time: 1pm to 4pm

Further details, including what to bring and how to prepare for the day, will be provided following registration.

Book Discovery Day

Next steps

Ready to take the next step? Apply for your chosen college course and register your interest in the Men's College Football Academy. We'll keep you updated with academy news, events and opportunities to help you decide whether Hartpury is the right fit for you.