Does Stevenage run academy trials?
Stevenage FC Academy, Bragbury End · Stevenage, Hertfordshire · Checked 5 September 2026
No open trials for the boys' academy, but Stevenage runs one of the clearest ladders in the lower leagues. Development centres for ages 7 to 16 at the academy or at Cheshunt give an hour of technical coaching a week with academy scouts watching. Above that sits a Player Pathway for players the club thinks will be academy standard soon: academy syllabus, a fixture every six weeks, a full review every six weeks, and the grassroots club kept. Girls have published trials every June and July.
Got a trial or a scout’s invitation? How to prepare your child →Practise decisions before the trial: free Look First game →
How recruitment works
Development centre, then Player Pathway with six-week reviews, then academy registration. Academy players are reviewed every six weeks with parent meetings every ten.
- 01Player Pathway, ages 7 to 16
For players judged near academy standard. Academy coaching syllabus, one competitive fixture per six-week phase, full review every six weeks, medical cover, chances to train with academy teams. Players stay at their grassroots club.
- 02Scouted at grassroots in Hertfordshire
A Category 3 academy recruits locally. Scouts cover Stevenage, Hitchin, Letchworth, Welwyn and the wider county.
- 03Girls Talent Pathway trials, ages 8 to 16
Run by the Foundation. Trials announced in spring and held in June or July for U10, U12, U14, U16 and goalkeepers. Tiers: Girls Football Centre, Girls Development Centre, FA Emerging Talent Centre, JPL squads. Over 260 girls involved.
Official page ↗
Got a trial invite?
What scouts watch, what to bring, what to ask. £19 ($25)
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What to bring to an academy trial
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Boots for the surface (grass = FG, firm ground; 3G or astro = AG, artificial grass), shin pads, a ball, a named water bottle and plain kit (no rival club shirts). Check the club’s trial email first.
Which ball size? See our size guide.
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Stevenage development centre
One hour of technical coaching a week at the academy or at Cheshunt FC, in term-based blocks with a performance report at the end of each. Academy scouts attend. Fast-track routes exist into the centre of excellence.
Official page ↗- Stevenage, Hitchin, Letchworth
- Welwyn, Hatfield, Cheshunt
- Wider Hertfordshire
- EPPP limit: 1 hour travel U9 to U11, 90 minutes U12 to U16
- Ask whether it is a development centre, the Player Pathway, or the academy. The club describes all three differently.
- In the Player Pathway, ask for the six-week review in writing. It is part of the offer.
- Category 3 means fewer hours and local recruitment. Good for a child who wants to stay at school and their grassroots club.
- Check the travel rule from home. One hour at U9 to U11.
What to check before you agree
- Stevenage FC Foundation, Girls Talent Pathway ↗
- Stevenage FC academy structure as reproduced by FC Scout ↗
- The Football Scholar, Stevenage FC Academy 2025-26 ↗
- Premier League Youth Development Rules (travel limits, registration) ↗
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Updated 17 October 2026. Last verified 5 September 2026. Spotted a change? Tell us so we can check the page.