Friday, 07 August 2026
Investment in world-class sporting facilities, career opportunities for students and new community projects are among the latest successes delivered through the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½’s partnership with Notts County FC.
Following the club's promotion to League One, Notts County's players and staff have returned to campus to begin preparations for the new season, using the university’s High Performance Zone and benefiting from the continued development of training facilities at Highfields Sports Complex.
Notts County has committed significant investment towards improvements at Highfields Sports Complex, including the installation of a hybrid training pitch built to the standards used across elite football. The investment also includes upgrades to existing pitches used by university students and the continued development of the site to create a high-performance training environment for professional and student athletes alike.
Notts County FC's new away kit featuring the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½
Providing life-changing opportunities for students remains a cornerstone of the collaboration. Over the past year, our graduates have secured roles working within Notts County's first-team environment, while current students have completed internships with the first team and a full-time placement year with the club, with further opportunities planned for next season. Students from Sport and Exercise Medicine programmes have also gained valuable experience supporting and observing player rehabilitation activities.
The partnership has opened further doors through Football Radar, the technology and analytics company founded by the club's owners. Multiple ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ students have now been recruited into roles within the organisation, and Football Radar has engaged students through careers fairs, industry projects and specialist employability sessions with Computer Science students, creating clear pathways into careers in sports technology and performance analysis.
Over the last year we have created exceptional opportunities for our students, supported significant investment in our sporting infrastructure and strengthened our reputation as a leading destination for performance sport. As we look ahead, we're excited to build on these achievements and create even more opportunities for our students, staff, supporters and communities.
Varsity football returned to Meadow Lane, attracting almost 4,000 supporters and providing a memorable stage for student athletes. Students interested in sports journalism, communications and media were also invited to take part in an official Notts County press conference hosted on campus, giving ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ students first-hand experience of working in a professional sporting environment.
The partnership is supporting an ambitious heritage project that will help preserve and celebrate the history of Notts County. Drawing on the university's expertise in archives, heritage management and public engagement, the initiative will tell the story of the world's oldest professional football club from its formation in 1862 through to the present day. The five-year project will engage supporters in helping to collect memorabilia, stories and artefacts documenting the club's history and its place within the city, with students able to contribute through placements, research projects and work experience.
Our relationship with the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ continues to go from strength to strength. The support, expertise and facilities available through the partnership have played an important role in our development, while together we have created meaningful opportunities for students to gain first-hand experience within professional football. We're excited about the next chapter of this unique partnership.
Looking ahead, future plans include expanding work with the Notts County Foundation and the Portland Centre in the Meadows, using sport and education to create positive social impact across ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½'s communities. The partnership is also extending into new areas of innovation, with a specially developed beer, created using the university's brewing expertise, to go on sale at Meadow Lane later this year. The collaborations is another example of how the relationship brings together different areas of knowledge and experience from both organisations.
Story credits
More information is available from Kieran Dye on Kieran.Dye@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what’s next and create positive impact locally and globally.
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