Men's Football Academy

Hartpury University's Men's Football Academy is designed for ambitious footballers who want to continue developing their game alongside their studies. Combining 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 the Football Academy. Students benefit from high-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 tier you are assigned to.

The academy has an exceptional record of success, including twelve BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sport) Premier League titles and six BUCS National Championships. Strong links with professional and non-league clubs, alongside the Hartpury FC pathway, provide opportunities for progression both during and after university.

We're looking for footballers who are ambitious, coachable and committed to their development. Successful players embrace feedback, take responsibility for their performance and are prepared to balance their academic and sporting commitments.

Academy team

Philip Clarke, Head of University Football

Phil leads the University Men's Football Academy. A former Hartpury student, Phil represented both the U19 and BUCS football programmes before moving into coaching following an injury that ended his playing career at 19.

Since then, he has built extensive coaching experience across non-league football, including coaching and analysis roles at Chippenham Town and Gloucester City before becoming Assistant Manager at Hartpury FC. As a coach, he has won the BUCS National Championship, BUCS Premier South and BUCS National Trophy, alongside multiple honours with Hartpury FC.

Today, Phil works closely with student-athletes to support both their football and personal development. Having experienced the Hartpury pathway as a player and coach, he understands the demands of combining university study with high-performance football and is passionate about developing both good footballers and good people.

Get in touch

The Wider Academy team

Alongside Phil, academy players benefit from a multidisciplinary team of coaches and specialists. Depending on their team and level within the programme, players may work with football coaches, goalkeeping coaches, strength and conditioning staff, physiotherapists and performance support practitioners.

Together, they provide an integrated approach to football development, physical preparation and player support throughout a student's time at Hartpury.

At Hartpury University, 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 support students where possible, helping them manage academic deadlines, training schedules and fixtures. Students are expected to attend lectures, complete assignments and engage fully with their studies alongside their football commitments.

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

What to expect as a player

Life as a Hartpury footballer is demanding, rewarding and varied. Alongside your studies, you'll balance training, competitive fixtures, analysis sessions and your own athletic development within a high-performance environment.

The example timetable below provides an overview of what a typical week may look like. Activities vary depending on your team, course and stage of the season. If successful in gaining a place at Hartpury University and playing for the academy your timetable is shared with you at the start of the year.

Day	Time	Activity
Monday	7am – 8am 8am – 8.25am 8.30am – 9.50am	Gym Performance analysis On-pitch training
Wednesday	8am – 9.30am 9.30am – 10.30am	On-pitch training Gym These activities will be missed if BUCS game
Friday	7am – 8am 8am – 8.25am 8.30am – 9.50am	Gym Performance analysis On-pitch training
Saturday and Sunday	Hartpury FC or Club fixtures (where applicable) with support to access opportunities through Hartpury's club network.
Sunday	Rest day

Day	Time	Activity
Monday	7am – 8.30am	Training
Wednesday	Afternoon	BUCS Fixture
Friday	7am – 8.30am	Training
Saturday and Sunday	Club fixtures (where applicable) with support to access opportunities through Hartpury's club network.

Day	Time	Activity
Tuesday	8am – 9.30am	On-pitch training
Wednesday	Afternoon	BUCS game
Friday	Third Team: 7am - 8.30am Fourth team: 8.45am - 10am	On-pitch training

Example Timetable for First Team Players

Day	Time	Activity
Monday	7am – 8am 8am – 8.25am 8.30am – 9.50am	Gym Performance analysis On-pitch training
Wednesday	8am – 9.30am 9.30am – 10.30am	On-pitch training Gym These activities will be missed if BUCS game
Friday	7am – 8am 8am – 8.25am 8.30am – 9.50am	Gym Performance analysis On-pitch training
Saturday and Sunday	Hartpury FC or Club fixtures (where applicable) with support to access opportunities through Hartpury's club network.
Sunday	Rest day

Example Timetable for Second Team Players

Day	Time	Activity
Monday	7am – 8.30am	Training
Wednesday	Afternoon	BUCS Fixture
Friday	7am – 8.30am	Training
Saturday and Sunday	Club fixtures (where applicable) with support to access opportunities through Hartpury's club network.

Example Timetable for Third and Fourth Team Players

Day	Time	Activity
Tuesday	8am – 9.30am	On-pitch training
Wednesday	Afternoon	BUCS game
Friday	Third Team: 7am - 8.30am Fourth team: 8.45am - 10am	On-pitch training

We're looking for players who consistently attend training, matches and lectures, arrive prepared, respond positively to feedback and take responsibility for their own development. Team selection is competitive and can change throughout the season based on performance, attitude and commitment.

During Welcome Week, players take part in assessment sessions that help coaches understand the incoming group and allocate players to teams. Selection is not guaranteed and all players are encouraged to continue developing throughout the season.

Hartpury's strong links with professional and non-league clubs also provide opportunities to gain valuable experience beyond university football, while Hartpury FC offers an additional playing pathway within the English football pyramid.

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

Access to facilities and support services varies according to your team and Sports Academy membership tier. Depending on your programme, you may have access to:

Maintained grass and 3G football pitches
Performance and Power Gyms
Performance analysis technology, including Hudl, Veo and IP camera systems
Rehabilitation suite and medical facilities
Hot and cold recovery baths
Human Performance and Biomechanics Laboratories

Together, these facilities support technical 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 team and Sports Academy membership tier, you may have access to a range of specialist performance services designed to support your development. Support may include:

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

Enhanced performance support is primarily available to Tier 1 athletes within Hartpury FC and the BUCS First Team programme.

Sports Academy Membership

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 Fees page.

Sports Academy Membership

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

To join the academy, you'll need to:

Apply for a Hartpury University course. 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.

Next steps

Ready to take the next step? Apply for your chosen university course and register your interest in the Men's University 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.