SGS College | Be Outstanding

Covid Update

On Tuesday 29 March, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid, set out the next steps for living with COVID-19 in England from Friday 1 April.

Updated guidance advises:

  • Adults with the symptoms of a respiratory infection, and who have a high temperature or feel unwell, should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people until they feel well enough to resume normal activities and no longer have a high temperature.
  • Children and young people who are unwell and have a high temperature should stay at home and avoid contact with other people. They can return to college when they no longer have a high temperature, and are well enough to attend.
  • Adults with a positive COVID-19 test result should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days, which is when they are most infectious. For children and young people aged 18 and under, the advice is 3 days.

For education and childcare settings from Friday 1 April:

  • Regular asymptomatic testing is no longer recommended in any education or childcare setting, including in SEND, alternative provision and children’s social care settings. Therefore, we will no longer be able to order test kits .

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            The Male Football Academy 
          
          
            Higher Education Football BUCS Team 
          
          
          Success Stories 
            
          
            Academy Achievements 
          
          
            The Coaching Team 
          ',
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      The Male Football Academy
    

    

      The Male Football Academy is now recruiting student athletes for the next
      academic year. Apply online now.
    

    

      All candidates for the Male Football Academy must be on a full-time course
      at SGS College. We offer academic opportunities for vocational/BTEC
      qualifications, A-Levels and Degree Courses.
    

    

      The SGS Male Football Programme is based around "Hunger and Belief". The
      players train full time with professional intensity and quality. The SGS
      model prides itself on being the best of its kind in the country along
      with having the best facilities.
    

    

      Candidates must be over 16 years of age from the start date of their
      chosen course. For more information please contact The Director of
      Football at
      [email protected].
    

  






  

    

      Higher Education Football BUCS Team
    

    

      The SGS Male Football Academy has an exclusive Higher Education offer to
      be part of our BUCS league team. Visit our webpage to view University
      course on offer at SGS
      https://www.sgscol.ac.uk/study/uni
    

  

  

    

      
    

  






  

    

      
    

  

  

    

      The Programme Includes:
    

    
    
      
  • 12 hours of elite football training per week
    • 
      
  • Individualised development player 1-1s
    • 
      
  • Player performance profiling
    • 
      
  • Video analysis
    • 
      
  • Team and Individual Strength and Conditioning programmes
    • 
      
  • Fixtures against top level academy professional clubs
    • 
      
  • 
        Elite professional coaching dedicated to player development and team
        performance
      
    • 
    

  






  

    

      Success Stories
    

    

      9 players have signed for professional clubs in the last 5 years.
    

    
    
      
  • Rendijs Kelnins (Forest Green Rovers)
    • 
      
  • Dan McBeam (Barnsley)
    • 
      
  • Tom Harrison (Bristol City)
    • 
      
  • Saiko Janneh (Bristol City)
    • 
      
  • Antoine Semenyo (Bristol City)
    • 
      
  • Luke Spokes (Grimsby Town)
    • 
      
  • Kacper Lopata (Brighton and Hove Albion)
    • 
      
  • Miguel Freckleton (Sheffield United)
    • 
      
  • Jai Semenyo (Cardiff City)
    • 
    

    

      Many more of our players are currently being monitored by pro clubs.
    

    

      Every season we have players selected for the National ECFA Team.
    

  

  

    

      
    

  






  

    

      Academy Achievements
    

    

      Our Football Academy has twice been awarded BFPWE in the country by the
      FA. In 2016 we became the first ever College Football Academy to produce 6
      England Internationals in 1 year (3 representing the ESFA and 3 for the
      ECFA).
    

    

      In 2021 SGS won the ECFA Cat 1 South West League for the third year in the
      row. In the last 6 years we have won the South West Counties Youth League
      (U18) 4 times and finished 2nd the other two. In the last two years we
      have progressed to the first round of the FA Youth cup, eventually being
      knocked out by Plymouth Argyle and Swindon Town respectively playing as
      Mangotsfield United U18s. In 2019 the SGS Football Academy became the very
      first College to win both the National ECFA Premier Cup and the National
      ECFA Knockout Competition in the same season.
    

    

      We also have a team that plays in the ECFA Category 2 League (South West).
    

    

      We regularly play professional Football Clubs during preseason with an
      incredible success rate.
    

    

      The SGS HE team play in the BUCS League system in division 4A. SGS Higher
      Education Male Football Academy have been crowned BUCS League Champions in
      2018/19 and 2019/20.
    

    

      We now play in BUCS 3A, having been League Champions for 4 consecutive
      years.
    

    

      In 2022-23 we won our ECFA Cat 1 Regional League Championship for the 4th
      consecutive year. We then went on to be crowned ECFA National College
      Champions for the 2nd time in 3 years.
    

  






  

    

      The Coaching Team
    

  

  

    

      
David Hockaday - Head Coach

      

        David is an experienced Coach specialising in identifying, recruiting
          and developing young talent, helping players to fulfil their
          potential.
      

      
    
        
  • English UEFA A License.
    • 
        
  • 
          Played professional football for 20 years with over 650 senior
          appearances and 5 promotions (Blackpool, Swindon Town, Hull City,
          Stoke City and Shrewsbury Town.).
        
    • 
        
  • 
          Coached at U18, Reserve/U23 and First Team levels, working at top
          level professional clubs Watford, Southampton, Leeds Utd, Coventry
          City, MK Dons and Forest Green Rovers.
        
    • 
      

    

  

  

    

      
Marcus Thatcher - Assistant Coach

      

        Marcus has a great work ethic and an excellent eye for detail in
          matches, helping young players to improve their match
          understanding/management.
      

      
    
        
  • English FA B License.
    • 
        
  • 
          Marcus is a successful product of the SGS Male Football Programme
          having represented the England Colleges FA National Team.
        
    • 
        
  • 
          Marcus has played Non-League Football to a high standard and has many
          links at local level to help get the SGS players placed with Senior
          Teams in the area.
        
    • 
        
  • 
          We have strong links with Bath City, Mangotsfield United and Stoke
          Gifford United.
        
    • 
      

    

  

  

    

      
Sam Naylor - Goalkeeping Coach

      

        Sam is an excellent technical Coach, helping our young GKs improve on
          their basics.
      

      
    
        
  • UEFA B Licence Outfield Qualification, BSc in Sports Coaching.
    • 
      

    

  



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SGS Sport

Football

The Football Academy is now recruiting student athletes for the upcoming academic year.

The Male Football Academy

The Male Football Academy is now recruiting student athletes for the next academic year. Apply online now.

All candidates for the Male Football Academy must be on a full-time course at SGS College. We offer academic opportunities for vocational/BTEC qualifications, A-Levels and Degree Courses.

The SGS Male Football Programme is based around "Hunger and Belief". The players train full time with professional intensity and quality. The SGS model prides itself on being the best of its kind in the country along with having the best facilities.

Candidates must be over 16 years of age from the start date of their chosen course. For more information please contact The Director of Football at [email protected].

Higher Education Football BUCS Team

The SGS Male Football Academy has an exclusive Higher Education offer to be part of our BUCS league team. Visit our webpage to view University course on offer at SGS https://www.sgscol.ac.uk/study/uni

The Programme Includes:

  • 12 hours of elite football training per week
  • Individualised development player 1-1s
  • Player performance profiling
  • Video analysis
  • Team and Individual Strength and Conditioning programmes
  • Fixtures against top level academy professional clubs
  • Elite professional coaching dedicated to player development and team performance

Success Stories

9 players have signed for professional clubs in the last 5 years.

  • Rendijs Kelnins (Forest Green Rovers)
  • Dan McBeam (Barnsley)
  • Tom Harrison (Bristol City)
  • Saiko Janneh (Bristol City)
  • Antoine Semenyo (Bristol City)
  • Luke Spokes (Grimsby Town)
  • Kacper Lopata (Brighton and Hove Albion)
  • Miguel Freckleton (Sheffield United)
  • Jai Semenyo (Cardiff City)

Many more of our players are currently being monitored by pro clubs.

Every season we have players selected for the National ECFA Team.

Academy Achievements

Our Football Academy has twice been awarded BFPWE in the country by the FA. In 2016 we became the first ever College Football Academy to produce 6 England Internationals in 1 year (3 representing the ESFA and 3 for the ECFA).

In 2021 SGS won the ECFA Cat 1 South West League for the third year in the row. In the last 6 years we have won the South West Counties Youth League (U18) 4 times and finished 2nd the other two. In the last two years we have progressed to the first round of the FA Youth cup, eventually being knocked out by Plymouth Argyle and Swindon Town respectively playing as Mangotsfield United U18s. In 2019 the SGS Football Academy became the very first College to win both the National ECFA Premier Cup and the National ECFA Knockout Competition in the same season.

We also have a team that plays in the ECFA Category 2 League (South West).

We regularly play professional Football Clubs during preseason with an incredible success rate.

The SGS HE team play in the BUCS League system in division 4A. SGS Higher Education Male Football Academy have been crowned BUCS League Champions in 2018/19 and 2019/20.

We now play in BUCS 3A, having been League Champions for 4 consecutive years.

In 2022-23 we won our ECFA Cat 1 Regional League Championship for the 4th consecutive year. We then went on to be crowned ECFA National College Champions for the 2nd time in 3 years.

The Coaching Team

David Hockaday - Head Coach

David is an experienced Coach specialising in identifying, recruiting and developing young talent, helping players to fulfil their potential.

  • English UEFA A License.
  • Played professional football for 20 years with over 650 senior appearances and 5 promotions (Blackpool, Swindon Town, Hull City, Stoke City and Shrewsbury Town.).
  • Coached at U18, Reserve/U23 and First Team levels, working at top level professional clubs Watford, Southampton, Leeds Utd, Coventry City, MK Dons and Forest Green Rovers.

Marcus Thatcher - Assistant Coach

Marcus has a great work ethic and an excellent eye for detail in matches, helping young players to improve their match understanding/management.

  • English FA B License.
  • Marcus is a successful product of the SGS Male Football Programme having represented the England Colleges FA National Team.
  • Marcus has played Non-League Football to a high standard and has many links at local level to help get the SGS players placed with Senior Teams in the area.
  • We have strong links with Bath City, Mangotsfield United and Stoke Gifford United.

Sam Naylor - Goalkeeping Coach

Sam is an excellent technical Coach, helping our young GKs improve on their basics.

  • UEFA B Licence Outfield Qualification, BSc in Sports Coaching.

How to Apply

If you are looking to join our College Academy on a full time Level 1-3 course on either a BTEC or A-Level program then please apply online for the course you want below.

Full-Time Application Form Applying Online Full-Time Courses

Degree Program and UCAS

If it is our degree program you are interested in then please click below to see the full list of courses we offer. Then for help with applying through UCAS please email Bev Awre ([email protected]).

University Courses

Meet Our Staff

Choisze To

Choisze To

Operation Lead
View Bio

Choisze To

Operation Lead

-Former Hong Kong international player
-International coach and team manager
-National Championship Gold medal winning coach
-Provides expert insight into Chinese training and elite performance
-Master Degree in Sports Management and Bachelor Degree in Business Administration

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Connor Sidley-Adams

Connor Sidley-Adams

Learning Area Manager, Extra Curricular Programmes
View Bio

Connor Sidley-Adams

Learning Area Manager, Extra Curricular Programmes

Coming soon.

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David Hockaday

David Hockaday

Head Coach - Male Football
View Bio

David Hockaday

Head Coach - Male Football

David played for 20 years as a professional footballer with over 650 senior appearances for Blackpool, Swindon Town, Hull City, Stoke City and Shrewsbury Town gaining 5 promotions. He then established the first ever Football Academy at Cirencester in 1995 winning 10 National Finals. David was then head hunted by Watford back into the pro game as their U18 Coach initially and then as the First Team Coach defeating Leeds Utd at the Millenium Stadium to gain promotion into the Premier League. David has also coached at Southampton, Coventry City, MK Dons as well as being Head Coach at Leeds Utd and Forest Green Rovers.

Last season the SGS Male Football team won 7 trophies including the 2 National College Finals. SGS have since had 6 players sign contracts with pro clubs.

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Marcus Thatcher

Marcus Thatcher

Coach - Male Football
View Bio

Marcus Thatcher

Coach - Male Football

UEFA B License Coach
Former ECFA National Player
Former SGS 1st team Captain
Coach of Double ECFA National Champions 2018-19

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Sam Naylor

Sam Naylor

Goalkeeper Coach - Male Football
View Bio

Sam Naylor

Goalkeeper Coach - Male Football

Sam has exprienced academy football all through his youth representing Leeds Utd, York City academies and Coventry City as an U18 apprentice. Furthermore Sam went to play professional football in Sweden representing GIF Sundsvall. Sam has then gone on to begin a coaching career which started here at SGS studying a university course, BSc Sports coaching. Sam Currently coaches both male and female goalkeepers here at SGS and also coaches for Bristol Rovers academy externally.

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Dr Craig Barden

Dr Craig Barden

Head of Strength, Conditioning and Sports Therapy
View Bio

Dr Craig Barden

Head of Strength, Conditioning and Sports Therapy

Craig has worked in the SGS injury clinic since 2010 when he graduated from the University of the West of England with a degree in Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation. Craig is responsible the sports injury clinic where, alongside 4 other therapists, he ensures sports students are receiving a good level of care for their injuries ensuring they can return to activities as quickly and safely as possible. He also oversees the strength and conditioning provision, where 3 qualified coaches support the various academies to aid physical development and team performance. Outside of the academy, Craig works with the Bristol’s only professional basketball team, the Bristol Flyers, whilst lecturing at the University of Gloucestershire. He has also completed a PhD in injury prevention in youth rugby at the University of Bath, publishing in various peer-reviewed journals.

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Tom Riddell

Tom Riddell

Sports Rehabiliator
View Bio

Tom Riddell

Sports Rehabiliator

Tom has a degree in Sport Rehabilitation and is a BASRaT registered therapist. He works in private clinical practices as well as working with Nailsea & Tickenham FC. He has now joined the sports academy team supporting the student athletes in their injury management. Tom will primarily use tailored exercise programs, but also some manual therapy techniques, to help facilitate better movement, reduce pain and, help people return to their activity stronger than they were before. Outside of work, Tom plays two instruments with a band as well as keeping fit with his main sport of swimming.

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Will Crowfoot

Will Crowfoot

Strength and Conditioning Coach
View Bio

Will Crowfoot

Strength and Conditioning Coach

Will started working at the college in 2018 but he is also an ex-student attending the college from 2010-2012 where he studied a Level 3 BTEC in Sports performance and excellence and was a member of the American Football academy. After graduating from SGS, Will spent 6 months in Canada at a Prep school playing against some top high schools in America before coming back to study at Cardiff Metropolitan University where he graduated with a BCs (Hons) degree in Sports Conditioning, Rehabilitation and Massage. Whilst completing his degree he also interned with the Cardiff Met performance sports teams during his third year and gained experience within multiple sports.

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Pip Dickin

Pip Dickin

Sports Therapist
View Bio

Pip Dickin

Sports Therapist

Pip started in the sports injury clinic at SGS in 2022 after graduating from the university of Worcester with a degree in Sports Therapy, where she gained skills in sports massage, injury assessment and rehabilitation and electrotherapy modalities. Pip is also qualified in RFU accredited Pre-hospital Immediate Care in Sport (PHICIS) first aid.

Outside of the college, Pip also works for National League 2 rugby team Dings Crusaders and for private clinic Top to Toe Physiotherapy in their clinics across Bristol and Bath. Pip also has experience working in the BBL and alongside university sports teams.

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Daniel Newman

Daniel Newman

Strength and Conditioning Coach
View Bio

Daniel Newman

Strength and Conditioning Coach

Dan is an experienced strength and conditioning coach working with top level athletes and individuals at all fitness levels. Having been involved developing athlete’s physical qualities in an abundance of sports, Dan has previously worked within multiple Professional Sports Clubs, National Governing Bodies, and University and College sport teams. Holding MSc Strength and Conditioning, and BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science qualifications, he is also a BASES Supervised Sport and Exercise Scientist. Dan’s strong passion and experience in sport and exercise aspires to support the student athlete to reach their true potential and help develop the strength and conditioning programme at the College.

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Dominic Williams

Dominic Williams

Sports Rehabilitator
View Bio

Dominic Williams

Sports Rehabilitator

I graduated from UWE in 2022 with a degree in Sport Rehabilitation. Additional qualifications include the RFU-accredited Pre-Hospital Immediate Care in Sport (PHICIS) and myofascial cupping. Alongside SGS I currently work as the Lead Academy Sports Therapist for Chippenham Town FC, and as a Sports Therapist at Philgood Rehabilitation. Previous experience includes working with UWE Sport teams (Football, Rugby, and Lacrosse) and within the UWE Injury Clinic. As well as this I spent 6 months working for Southwest Pitch-Side Trauma Care, which involved first aid support for rugby teams around Bristol. Outside of the college, I play drums in a rock band and have competed in football and kickboxing.

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Max Cooper

Max Cooper

Strength and Conditioning Coach
View Bio

Max Cooper

Strength and Conditioning Coach

Max started working at the college in 2022. He completed his BSc (Hons) degree in Sports Strength and conditioning and is currently undertaking his MSc (Hons) in Spots Strength and Conditioning, from the university of Gloucestershire. Max has had experience with a multitude of different teams from Bristol Bears woman’s to Bristol City u21 woman’s yet his most recent position was with Severn Stars netball. Here he was head of the academy’s strength and conditioning programme, while also working extensively with the first team. Alongside his role within SGS he also works with the university of Gloucestershire carrying out strength and conditioning sessions for the university teams.

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