There’s no getting away from football! It’s only a few days since the world cup ended and already our football clubs are embarking upon their pre-season tours. LOOKERS, who offer a wide range of Motability deals for those who are eligible for the government-funded scheme, have put together a guide of England’s most accessible football stadiums.
St. Mary’s Stadium, Southampton
Disabled followers of the Saints on the South Coast are among some of the best catered football fans in the country. The club, which is managed by Mark Hughes, boasts 156 wheelchair spaces as well as 98 seats that include headsets and radio for match commentary for those who are visually impaired.
Better still, disabled supporters are given a dedicated telephone number and a Disabled Liaison Officer who will help answer any questions, queries or requests they may have, and aiding them from ticket purchase all the way through their matchday experience. There’s also the opportunity to purchase disabled parking on a season-by-season basis for regular visitors, while offering dedicated pick-up and drop-off points to Blue Badge holders.
In a statement, the club said, “At Southampton Football Club, we are committed to ensuring visitors to St. Mary’s Stadium have the facilities and assistance they need to enjoy their visit. Our staff are easily accessible and keen to help.”
Last season, when the team welcomed Watford, they held a supported Disabled Access Day in which the club celebrated good access and aimed to get people to gain new experiences.
The Emirates Stadium, Arsenal
Opened in 2006 and having a capacity of over 60,000, the replacement for Highbury became the first Premier League stadium to install a Changing Places toilet. This toilet is larger than your standard toilet and incorporates facilities such as a hoist and an adjustable bench. This will allow more disabled fans to attend games in the knowledge that there will be an accessible toilet available. This follows the club’s inclusion of a Guide Dog Toilet facility – again a Premier League first.
The club also announced in 2007 that they had set up the Arsenal Disabled Supporters’ Association (ADSA) to give the club’s supporters a voice. There is a Disabled Supporters Lounge that is open before every home game and which is available for Purple Members and offers free tea and coffee and has two large screen TVs to watch.
As well as this, The Arsenal Sensory Room opened its doors last season at their ‘Arsenal for Everyone’ event in September. The room offers a range of sensory tools and games to give fans with profound special needs the chance to take in the matches with their family and carers.
Peter Shippey, who attended the official opening of the room told the club’s official website; “This room will allow autistic supporters and their families to enjoy football, maybe for the first time in their lives. It’s an incredible facility and it is brilliant to see Arsenal taking care of their supporters and opening a day that may have been previously shut.”
Old Trafford, Manchester
Like their rivals in North London, the Red Devils have their own association for their disabled supporters. Formed in 1989, the group ensures that fans have the best possible match experience and the club is now regarded as offering one of the best disabled facilities in the world, with both home and away supporters able to watch their teams play in comfort.
In fact, the club even reduced their capacity at the start of last season so there were more disabled seating areas available. Discussing the move, Manchester United Disabled Supporters’ Association’s secretary, Chas banks told the Guardian, “I’m filled with pride that the club I’ve supported since first coming to Old Trafford as a little boy in 1957 is leading the way in increasing accessible seating to meet the standards set out in the Accessible Stadia guide. It’s a dream come true for me and many other disabled United fans.”
The LOOKER’S report concludes that while the three stadiums mentioned above offer fantastic facilities, it’s pleasing to see that other clubs are making progress. Hopefully future lists can include all 20 teams.