Our Academy.

The Robins Academy

The Robins Pathway is the foundation of Bristol City Women's long-term ambition. It is a structured, professional player development pipeline that takes the brightest young talent in the South West from grassroots football all the way to the first team, and it represents one of the most respected programmes in the women's game.

Following the most successful season in the club's history in 2022/23, the Academy was awarded Category 1 Professional Game Academy (PGA) status under an FA restructure. This classification places Bristol City Women's Academy among the very top development programmes in England and recognises the standard of coaching, facilities and player care delivered every day.

As the club enters a new era under Mercury13, the Academy is central to everything we are building. We are committed to developing not only excellent footballers but rounded, confident young people who are proud to wear the Bristol City Women badge.

Our Squads

Under-21s The Under-21s squad represents the final stage of the Robins Pathway before the senior team. Players at this level train and compete in a fully professional environment, with clear opportunities to be integrated into first-team training and matchday squads.

Under-16s The Under-16s squad is where players begin their full-time Academy journey, developing the technical, tactical, physical and psychological foundations required to progress through to U21s and beyond.

Under-13s Emerging Talent Centre (ETC) A club-funded Emerging Talent Centre supports players registered with local grassroots clubs across Bristol and the surrounding region. The ETC delivers an additional 1.5 hours of dedicated coaching per week and is designed to nurture talent at the critical early stages of development, ensuring no promising player in our area goes unseen.

A Proven Route to the First Team

The Robins Pathway is more than a development programme. It is a genuine, working route into senior football, and the proof is on the pitch. Twelve current or former Robins Pathway players featured in Lauren Smith's promotion-winning side in 2022/23, and graduates continue to make their mark on the first team today.

Every player who joins the Academy is supported to reach their full potential, both as a footballer and as a person.

Safeguarding

The safety and wellbeing of every young person in the Robins Pathway is our highest priority. Bristol City Women FC is fully committed to safeguarding every player, in every age group, at every session.

All Academy staff are DBS-checked, hold up-to-date safeguarding qualifications and are trained to recognise and respond to any concern, however small.

Academy Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO)

Name: Gemma Ryan

Email: gemma.ryan@bristolcitywomenfc.com

If you are a player, parent, guardian or member of staff and have any concern about the welfare of a young person at Bristol City Women, please contact Gemma directly. All concerns are treated confidentially and taken seriously.

For urgent or out-of-hours concerns, please contact the police.

Whistleblowing and Reporting Concerns

We encourage anyone, whether a player, parent, member of staff or visitor, to speak up if something does not feel right. You will always be listened to, and concerns can be raised in confidence.

You can report a safeguarding concern directly, please use this link or the QR code below, or email safeguarding@bristolcitywomenfc.com.

Parents and Guardians

We recognise that the Academy journey is a journey for families too. Parents and guardians play a vital role in supporting their player, and we are committed to keeping you informed, involved and welcome at every stage.

[PLACEHOLDER: PARENT HANDBOOK / WELCOME PACK LINK]

[PLACEHOLDER: U18 Whistleblowing Policy