Simplifying the Process of Securing a Football Trial in the UK
There are many out there who dream of turning pro and playing in the big UK clubs. So, if you are wondering how to get a football trial in the UK you need to know that for every team you are passionate about, there is an elaborate process. This is what we are discussing in our 2023 guide.
May be the next Vardy is YOU.
If you're a young football player aspiring to reside in a prestigious UK residential school while participating in the premier school football championship, or in a top Greek private college, consider exploring our study and play football program.
The Path To a Football Trial in the UK
Football Agency
Find a trustworthy football agency in UK
Football Club
Find a football club with open or paid trials in UK
Get in Touch
Call or send an e-mail for inquiries to both, agencies & clubs
Register
Go to their website and get registered. Book your participation
Pay
Pay the football trial fee to the club and complete your booking
Confirm
Receive a confirmation mail and any other necessary information
For every stunning performance we see on an opera stage, there is a backstage of tireless work, endless rehearsals, sleepless nights, and rigorous auditions, making sure only the best possible actors and crew get onboard.
Football is the same way; for every game and team you are passionate about, there is an elaborate process from selecting the balls and referees to picking the matchday squad and even the right players or the team.
For every player you see on a team, it all started for him/her on trial day.
While it may not be the flashy, most mediatised part of football or many professional team (and some individual) sports, trial day is one of the “backstage” activities, a long-standing tradition in professional sports.
The primary means through which teams scout, assess, and acquire new talent, a trial day generally involved a series of tests considered key markers for the team or a professional for the particular discipline.
Nowadays, clubs do host trials, despite the fact they are losing their frequency to other methods such as scout networking and talent agencies that handle talent search for clubs, but guess what?
All these different methods still rely on football trials in one form or another. In the UK, where football is very structured (like every other sport there) from the amateur to the professional level, trials are still a fundamental part of football club’s talent search and recruiting process.
Not every club still holds direct trials, but the scouts, agencies, and agents that find the talent do.
So, wondering how to get a football trial in the UK?
Trial days in the UK today are organized and run by football clubs or scouting agencies for the most part and are very frequent. Still, the rules for participation vary depending on the participant’s age and where they reside.
Opportunities for UK Football Players: Accessing Premium Trials
For pro aspirants in the UK, having a football trial day is relatively straightforward; all you have to do is find a trustworthy football agency or football club and then check their football trial day dates, and get registered.
Agencies and clubs customize and personalize this standard format to suit their services, but this is generally how you should proceed. Always make sure to run a background check on the agency to confirm they are legal and operational.
For players aged 15 and below, specific location and selection rules apply and are well worth considering before booking a football trial day in their academy.
- Players U13 are supposed to live within a 60-minute drive from the team or academy that may potentially sign them,
- Players U15 are supposed to live within a 90-min drive from the team or academy that may potentially sign them,
- Above 15 years old, the location and selection rules do not apply, and you can book your trial day without restrictions.
Trials for International players
By rule, to book a trial day in the UK, if you are an international living outside the UK, has no meaning at all.
In 2015, and later on at January 1st, 2021 (Brexit) the English FA set out new rules for eligibility for players looking to ply their trade in the UK as a means to give homegrown talent more of a chance to succeed.
While that in itself was not a bad thing, the rigidity of the rules has made it extremely difficult for international talent to find their way to the UK.
For internationals already in the UK, you must be schooling in the UK, or hold a “leave to remain” document, to be eligible to book a trial.
The best chance for internationals not in the UK is:
- To be informed on the global scouting network of UK clubs and their scouting agents and take advantage of any organized camps academy trials,
- Go to the website of UK clubs (Premier League to non-league) and check for those who still offer trial days, and get in contact with them,
- Sign up for an academy in your country, especially academies with affiliations with English clubs or the English Premier League,
- Participate in trials or join academies of feeder clubs for English teams, if there are any in your country.
The FA, the Premier League and EFL have come together to agree a plan for entry requirements for overseas players post Brexit.
Are Football Trials In The UK Worth The Trouble?
The answer is YES. The UK is arguably the most organised professional system for athletes, especially when it comes to football.
From the Premier League to Non-league competitions, everything is structured and falls within the jurisdiction of an authorised and recognised body that answers to the FA.
This means that an opportunity in the lower leagues is equally as valuable as getting into an academy; your success will depend in large part on what you bring to the table.
Scouts are always on the lookout for talent, but this does not necessarily mean someone who can outshine the world.
Sometimes, teams want a player in a particular role, a certain ability, type of character, position, and the list goes on.
You do not need to be the best to succeed, you only have to give your best, and your chance may come knocking.
How Legit Are These Football Trials In The UK?
Today, the unspoken rule is to be cautious about invitations to trial days, especially if you must pay upfront. In England, The Professional Scouts Association (PFSA) is the leading body for scouts and can help you easily find scheduled trial days or determine if an individual approaching you is a scout.
Outside of England, consulting the PFSA website can also give you an idea of who is a scout or not, how you can verify the identity of anyone claiming to be a professional scout.
In case of any doubt, immediately contact the FA’s Financial Regulation division, and you shall be instructed on how to proceed.
Trial days are very organised and getting a schedule is as simple as visiting the website of a valid agency, company, academy, or team, and checking their calendar of activities.
What About The Cost Of The Football Trial?
Depending on the agency, academy, company, or type of assessment you want, the prices may vary, with more personalised, individual assessments being the most expensive.
Most of the organisers charge depending on how comprehensive their trial day programme is. While some focus only on the basics like testing physical and then technical abilities, others have more in-depth programmes that comprise health checks, written tests, and behaviour studies.
To get a clear idea of the cost of a trial day, visiting the website of the organiser or contacting them for a quote or inquiries should settle the matter quickly.
Some Success Stories
One of your first goals going into any trial day is to make the decision of not keeping you very difficult for the scouts and agents.
Scouts know precisely what they are looking for, and while you may not fit the mold to a tee, something extra in the way you carry yourself, your attitude, and effort may tip the odds ever so slightly in your favour.
Even if you do not make it on the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, x try, giving up is not an option, only learning from your mistakes, gathering from your experiences and doubling down on your effort.
Why? Well, because these guys were like you:
JAMIE VARDY
One of the biggest success stories in the EPL today, Vardy was cut from Sheffield United as a teenager because he was not physical enough and lacked a competitive height.
A dismayed Vardy soon got into trouble with the law as well and was stuck in non-league football playing for Stocksbridge Park Steels for a while, having to run back home every day to beat the curfew on his electronic tracer.
His efforts with Stocksbridge caught the eye of Halifax Town, who signed him in 2010. In only his first season, Vardy would net 25 goals, winning the Players’ Player of the Year Award of the team, before Fleetwood Town came calling.
Wasting no time to impress, Vardy would bag 31 goals in his debut season, again winning yet another Players’ Player of the Year Award.
Leicester City took notice and, in 2012, signed Vardy for a non-league transfer record fee of 1million GBP. Vardy will help the team to the Premier League (aged 27) in 2015, scoring in eleven straight games in his first season in the EPL, a league record.
Six years in the Premier League, and Vardy has won the golden boot, the EPL title, FWA Player of the Year Award, Premier League Player of the season, and if you are into Fantasy, has one of the highest point totals for any player.
Vardy is not an exception to any rule, but a testament to hard work, the same way Chelsea legend, Didier Drogba who only started training fully for football at age 20, and signed his first pro contract at age 21, is.
Miroslav Klose
Their story is no different from Miroslav Klose, who was a carpenter before going to drop jaws in the 2002 World Cup with his deadly finishing.
Bradley Pritchard
Bradley Pritchard had to follow the wishes of his parents and finish university, but would not let go of his dream, finally getting his wish and started at Tamworth at age 24. In 2011, Charlton, who was in League One, noticed his potential and invited him to a trial. Come 2012 and age 26, Charlton earned promotion to the Championship, and Pritchard was on the team.
The success stories are too many, and you are no different from any of them, with one advantage in your favor, you know their story, and you have age on your side now. Follow in their unrelenting desire, their undying belief, rock-solid confidence, and keep working.
To get you started and show our dedication and passion to your cause, we are getting you started with a few helpful links of trials at clubs:
Many times, it is simply a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Scouting staffs attend games at all levels of play, so if you’re putting on a good show, there’s a good chance you’ll get noticed.
Playing for a respected youth or club team can also help your chances, as scouts will often look to identify talent early on.
And finally, don’t forget to market yourself. Send highlight tapes to college coaches and pro scouts, and make sure your social media accounts are up-to-date. The more exposure you can get, the better your chances of being scouted.
