Nurturing talent

Derby County Female Talent Pathway is the club’s academy structure for talented female footballers from Derby and surrounding areas. With 10 teams ranging from Under-9s, through to Under-21s and ultimately feeding into Derby County Women’s first team.

The younger squads train twice per week and play their fixtures at the weekend. The U9s – U12s play in the Derby Junior Football League where they primarily play against boys. The U13s – U16s play in the Junior Premier League where they travel across the country to play against some of the best girls teams in their respective age groups.

The Under-18s and Under-21s operate a full-time model where the players are in full-time education with Derby County Community Trust alongside training full-time. This model was recently introduced to bridge the gap between the academy players and first team and saw 8 players make their first team debuts throughout the 2024/25 season.

The ultimate aim of the Female Talent Pathway is to produce good footballers who can one day play for Derby County Women’s first team, alongside this we also aim to develop good people who can have a positive impact on society.

PLEASE NOTE: Trials for the 25/26 season have taken place and squads have been selected.

Information regarding next season’s trials will be shared via our social media and website, nearer the time.