We were delighted to host an important gathering of Disability Access Officers (DAOs) and key figures working to improve opportunities for disabled football supporters and para-footballers at McDiarmid Park last week.
Representatives from the majority of Scottish Premiership clubs were in attendance, alongside delegates from several Championship clubs, the SPFL Trust, the SPFL and the Scottish PFA, for an afternoon of discussion, collaboration and learning focused on improving accessibility and inclusion across Scottish football.
The event was opened by St Johnstone Chief Executive Fran Smith, who welcomed guests to McDiarmid Park before a series of inspiring and thought-provoking presentations from leading voices in disability access and para-football.
Among those speaking were Ashley Reid, CEO of Scottish Para-football, Derek Allison of the Falkirk Foundation, who highlighted the outstanding work being carried out with Down’s Syndrome footballers, Owain Davies, CEO of Level Playing Field – a leading organisation championing disabled sports fans in England and Wales – and Keith Ferguson, Disability Access Officer at Heart of Midlothian.
A lively and engaging Q&A session followed, centred around the question: How can we create a level playing field for disabled fans in Scotland? The discussion encouraged valuable contributions from clubs and organisations across the game as attendees shared ideas and experiences.
The afternoon concluded with a presentation from Stephen Reside, Disability Lead for the Scottish Football Union, who introduced an innovative new app designed to improve accessibility for disabled supporters by allowing easier access to tickets and key facilities at football grounds across Scotland.
Speaking after the event, Scottish Football Union CEO Stuart Murphy said: “This is the first time in around two seasons that DAOs and others working in this area have come together. We are delighted with the response from those present and will continue working closely with DAOs and Hampden to champion those with visible and non-visible disabilities, as well as the incredible para-footballers who deserve greater support from football authorities and fans across Scotland.”
Keith Ferguson, DAO at Heart of Midlothian and co-ordinator of Scottish football’s DAOs, added: “We were very pleased with the varied and interesting presentations and with the high level of engagement throughout the afternoon. We look forward to working with the SFU in the future to help disabled fans at every level of Scottish football.”
Ashley Reid, CEO of Scottish Para-football and SFU Ambassador, said: “Scottish football can often operate in silos, and the SFU does a fantastic job of bringing people together, helping us realise there are many others across the game who share the same goal of helping disabled people both watch and play the country’s favourite sport.”
We were proud to play our part in hosting such an important and productive event and we remain committed to supporting greater accessibility and inclusion for all within Scottish football.
