Hartpury University Football Club, nicknamed “The Acorns,” is a non-league football club based in Gloucester, Gloucestershire.
Established in 2020, they currently compete in the Pitching In Southern Football League Division One South, which is part of the eighth tier of English football. The team calls 4ED Hartpury Stadium, with Vodafone their home ground.
A football academy was launched to allow aspiring players to combine full-time education with elite coaching, and it quickly built a reputation for moving student-athletes into professional and semi-professional clubs or securing scholarships abroad.
Hartpury FC built on that foundation by fielding a senior side in the English pyramid in 2020. The team has since claimed multiple league titles and promotions, winning the Herefordshire County League Premier Division and County Cup double in 2021-22 before moving into the Hellenic League Division One, where it finished second and lost the 2022–23 play-off final on penalties.
The side responded in 2023-24 by winning Division One to secure promotion to the Hellenic Premier Division. Alumni include Ghana international Abdul Majeed Waris, Plymouth Argyle forward Mustapha Bundu and former Australia international Matt Smith, while student Laiith Fairnie signed a professional contract with Birmingham City in 2023. Close links with higher-tier clubs continue to support the club’s focus on player development and competitive success.