I spent a very interesting hour and a half at York City Football Club with Admire, my support worker, from Alder House. York City offer these tours to people with different disabilities of all kinds as part of their partnership with The Wilf Ward Family Trust.
Admire and I went for our very first tour last year. Our tour guide was Steve Dorey who is the Development Officer of York City Football Club. The tour started upstairs in the East Stand where disabled supporters sit. When I go to matches, I get a great birds-eye view; I can see right down the pitch and on the face of it, I can see everything and nobody stands in the way!
Next, Steve took everybody to the various parts of the stadium – including a long walk around the pitch. I enjoyed because I didn’t realize how the pitch was so big at eye-level. Steve’s detailed talk was brilliant. I have to say that he went into great detail with everything and he gave every chance for all the people to ask all sorts of questions about the Club in general.
We went and had a look in various “rooms” within the stadium. We all looked around in the changing rooms where all the players change before a match. Just next door, we went into the shower area and then looked around the club shop which I found very interesting indeed. I have to say that I also enjoyed going down the tunnel where all the players walk down, that was very nice.
Steve spoke about some of the improvements which are going to take place in the future for disabled supporters. For example, in the East Stand, there are places in the balcony (where I sit). There are wheelchair spaces to sit and enjoy the game; they are spaces in the East Stand for wheelchair scooters, etc. Not only that, they will also be ear pieces for people who are unable to hear properly. There will also be “audio” for supporters who are a bit deaf. There are also disabled toilets in every part of the stadium and baby changing facilities had a look at those as well.
I was lucky enough to meet York City’s Manager, Adam. I shook his hand and said hello, and had my photo taken with him. I also had my photo taken with ‘Yorkie’ – the York City mascot! I think the only thing that spoilt it was a slight drizzle. Apart from that it was a wonderful afternoon.