Hartpury University - Hartpury University Stadium

Hartpury University FC

Hartpury University Stadium

Hartpury House

Gloucester 

Gloucestershire

GL19 3BE

Official Website

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Ground Number: 1384

Sunday 19th January 2025

Hartpury University 1-0 Fareham Town

FA Vase 4th Round

HARTPURY UNIVERSITY FC - A BRIEF HISTORY

Hartpury University is one of the game's newest clubs, formed in 2020. They have certainly come a long way in a short time, During the pandemic in 2020, they entered a team in the Hellenic D2 West. Due to the early curtailment of the season, they played just five games here, winning three of them. The following season, they joined the Herefordshire County League Premier Division, enjoying an incredible season, winning all 20 of their games and scoring 117 goals. Their debut season at step 6 saw them apart well to life at the new level as they finished as runners-up to Pershore Town. They navigated the playoff semi-finals, beating FC Stratford 4-0 but lost out on penalties to Milton United, following a 2-2 draw. Last season, Hartpury United lifted the Division 1 title, losing just twice all season. This earned them a promotion to the Premier Division where they remarkably led the way again.

In their second season in the FA Cup this season, Hartpury University reached the 1st Qualifying Round. After beating Risborough Rangers and Fairford Town, they lost out to Nailsea & Tickenham. They've also a great record in the FA Vase, reaching the 4th Round in all three campaigns so far and looking to beat that on my visit. Hartpury University started out as a college in 1947, gaining University status in 2018. It describes itself as specialising in the "agriculture, animal, equine, sport and veterinary nursing" sectors. The institution has academies for sports including rugby, football, modern pentathlon, equine, rowing, netball and golf. In June 2017 the college expelled one student. It suspended several others following a police investigation into images circulated online and on social media depicting students from Hartpury College apparently killing a fox cub and posing with a dead cat. The College and Gloucestershire police both issued statements concluding they were satisfied the killing of the fox was not an act of cruelty, and that one of the students, who was training as a gamekeeper, had killed the animal to end its suffering after it had been hit by road traffic. The police declined to take further action. Hartpury is a civil parish in Gloucestershire. It has about 270 homes and a population of about 700 people, increasing to 1,642 at the 2011 census. The village is about 5 miles north of Gloucester.

MY VISIT

When Hartpury University moved ground, it was more of an annoyance at having to re-complete the Hellenic Premier as opposed to the excitement of visiting a new ground. Maybe if I'd had the chance to take the train and have a few pints in Gloucester town centre I'd have been more up for it, but it was expensive to get there on the train and Hartpury was well out of the way.  I was also looking forward to visiting the excellent pizza van too. I'd have preferred a bigger break between visits to Hartpury, but it couldn't be helped. I first considered revisiting back in November but the frozen temperatures put me off. I went to Moneyfields instead and was surprised that the game went ahead with the temperature being zero degrees at kickoff. It would also have been a late night with work at 4 am the following morning. Therefore, this Sunday, the perfect opportunity came along for the FA Vase game against Fareham Town. It would be a bit tight leaving work at 1 but it was preferable to a late night and it was a game on one of my favourite competitions.

As I have had to create two blogs this weekend, I have decided to cover both of my revisits here, having had plenty to talk about in yesterday's blog. On Tuesday, I made my 29th visit to Watchet Lane, my most local ground. It took me top of the visit list on the Futbology app. In a thrilling game, Holmer Green beat Hillingdon Borough 5-4 in the Combined Counties D1 Challenge Cup. Going up there and having an economical night out after a pricey Saturday was always a pleasure. My second revisit of the week was to Sutton United. I was happy with my blog for there but wanted to revisit to get some pictures of the changes to the ground that they'd made for the Football League. It would also give me a chance to tick off the second Wetherspoons in the town that I'd missed out on last time. I originally intended on hopping on the train to save money. But after a hectic day at work, it would have meant just half an hour at home. So I decided to drive for convenience and stick to the one pint at Spoons if I had time. Despite the roads being their typical Friday night self, I found a parking space near the ground and walked to the Moon On The Hill. Not the greatest Spoons, but excellent service and a nice Ribeye steak which was a lot larger than their sirloin. It was nice to visit Sutton again as RB Leipzig won 2-1 in a bit of a dead rubber of a game. Driving cost me around £6 more than the train, but I got home at a decent hour.

Saturday's game at Kensington Dragons saw me directed to the wrong venue but it was a good day. I wound down in the evening, hoping that I'd get a reasonable amount of sleep before a busy day. As I was asleep before 10, my body clock wakes me up 90 minutes before my alarm. After attempting and failing to get to sleep, I finish off watching the latest GeoWizard video. Unusually for a Sunday morning, I am well organised and leave for work with plenty of time to fill up with petrol and clock in on time, something that rarely happens on a Sunday. The store is closed and peaceful aside from my frustration at the inefficient picking system with language that would make a tourettes sufferer blush. Due to work being all but done, I go at 11 and have a bit of time at home. It allows me to leave for the game at 12 rather than rush. I picked Colin up from the bus stop. It was a fairly decent journey with minimal delays and we were there at 2.10. There was tons of parking available and it was pretty busy with a women's match going on outside. We went in, Entry was £8 and a programme £1. Food wise we were spoilt with Pepperoni Pizza £6 and a Rocky Road £3. Both were superb and freshly made.

 

Hartpury University were flying high at the top of the Hellenic Premier. They had a bye to the 2nd Round and had beaten East Cowes Vics and Wells City 1-0 in previous rounds. Fareham Town were 6th in the Wessex Premier. They'd beaten Cowes Sports 4-0 and Bitton 3-0 before beating Branstaple on penalties and winning 2-0 at Downton. Fareham had brought a good few fans and they were in decent voice. Hartpury University took the lead on 15 minutes, a sweeping move down the right was shot home by Manning. It was all Hartpury in the first half, but not many chances were created. Fareham gave it a good go in the second half, a good few chances around the hour which pleased their noisy support. Hartpury then had a good spell, heading narrowly over and also hitting the bar. Fareham had a shot cleared off the line in the dying embers but  Hartpury had it sewn up.

 

We'd got chatting to several hoppers during the game, all great people. We agreed to give Paul, a Gillingham fan, a lift back to Amersham in return for a tenner which I used to bring the cost of the cost of the day for Colin and I down. Greatest Hits Radio provided the soundtrack on the way home and Colin let me know that his Dad said the bird I saw yesterday at Wormwood Scrubs was a Hyacinth Macau. It was all going great for Paul to get an earlier train until we got to the M40 near Thame. We suffered 45 minutes delay thanks to a 'rear end shunt' both in terms of the accident type, and the driver who caused it. I dropped the guys off at Amersham Station around 7.30, Colin forgetting to close his door until I called him back. I was home 15 minutes later, having dinner before typing my blog. It had been a decent day out again and it re-completed the Hellenic Premier for me.

THE GROUND

HARTPURY UNIVERSITY STADIUM is a decent venue which just needs some minor changes to take them up to step 4.  There is just the one seated stand for cover, which holds around 500. The rest of the ground is open but has lots of space for expansion. The bar offers a standard range of drinks, nothing spectacular. The real highlight is the food, the pizzas are freshly cooked and delicious. The adjacent coffee shop offers a range of hot drinks and cakes from a local baker. Prices are very fair indeed. There is a ton of parking and there is public transport, even if it won't be the most regular due to the isolated location.