On World Cerebral Palsy Day, Level Playing Field has looked back on the contribution to this year’s ‘Unite For Access’ campaign, from Derby County fan, Jack.
Sport is a huge part of Jack’s life, both as a supporter and in his Football Journalism studies at the University of Derby.
Jack said: “It is just that sense of community.
“You can, for 90 minutes, forget about whatever is going on in your life. I mean, I very much go into football mode. I’m not thinking about anything else.
“I love the sense that for 90 minutes everyone’s equal – everyone’s there supporting a team and, in the same position really.
“And I think that is something that we wish we could have more of across wider society.”
Jack also spoke about his experiences of accessibility when attending matchdays.
He said: “If I was going to a game at any kind of decent sized stadium like this, I’d be using a wheelchair and it’s that kind of the mobility and the fine motor skills to be able to do little things – like get the pie out of the packaging. If you get one in a game that’s difficult. That’s something that I can’t really do.
“So, it does affect me day to day. There is pain at times. Sometimes I can’t get to a game because of that. Or if it’s, you know, wrong weather, too wet, too cold, and I’m already feeling a bit under the weather, you know, my legs will seize up if I’m sat out for well, really, best part of three hours if you get in there in time before a game.”
He added “But you know, it’s generally pretty good once I’m once I’m there because I’ve got the chair as long as I can get there and someone’s with me, then it’s, it’s pretty accessible.”
The focus of Level Playing Field main ‘Unite For Access’ campaign film in 2025 was on tackling ableist abuse and Jack offered his thoughts on that, as well as misconceptions surrounding disability within football fandom.
“Unfortunately, I think there is, an amount of, abuse that is, seeping into the stands,” he said.
“That is something that will undoubtedly put people off attending matches.”
He added: “It’s that idea of, othering, really, that idea that we’re not we’re not necessarily equal.
“It’s the idea of kind of you’re not like me, so you’re not as good. You’re somehow, I don’t know, broken in some way. You’re not you’re not all there, and that that whole idea is something that I think we see across society in all sorts of situations with minorities, unfortunately.
“I mean, if I, if I was to get up out of a chair to celebrate a goal, then people would probably give me some funny looks.
“I use the wheelchair for distance. I can walk short distances, so of course I can stand up and celebrate.
“There is that preconception that that all wheelchair users are confined to them by a lot of people, when actually it’s just another kind of mobility aid for some people. As I say, for me it’s just distance. It’s not that I can’t stand up.
“I think there is in some ways a lack of awareness.
“And you do see a lot of the discourse that’s promoted around disabilities from certain platforms – certain influencers perhaps – be increasingly irresponsible.
“I think that’s something where there needs to be more education.”
Jack was also featured in a number of shorter films, focused on the specific questions ‘What is ableist abuse?’, ‘Why is it important to report ableist abuse?’ and ‘Is online ableist abuse on the rise?’, as part of the ‘Unite For Access’ campaign.