EE..AYE..ADDIO..NADS IS ON THE UP!

The National Association of Disabled Supporters (NADS) was formed to further the interests of disabled people attending football matches; be they wheelchair users, blind or partially sighted, deaf or have restricted mobility. NADS’ overall aim is to raise the standard of facilities available for the less able in football stadia.

Its 13 strong voluntary management committee hopes to encourage every club to have a disabled supporters club with whom it would have regular dialogue. This will give the clubs a valuable source of specialist information relating to access, views of the pitch, car parking, disabled toilets and catering facilities.

NADS has the official backing of the major football authorities because of the work it has already undertaken. The new “Guide to Grounds for Disabled Supporters” has been published and is available free of charge. It provides a real insight into the accessibility of the UK’s 114 league and conference clubs and aims to improve the football experience for both home and visiting fans. Information for the guide was gathered through a comprehensive audit of facilities, completed by the disabled fans themselves.

The guide has highlighted the shortfalls of many clubs. Interestingly, of the twenty clubs currently in the Premier League, only five offer the disabled a football experience which can be considered equivalent to that enjoyed by able bodied fans. NADS believes, however, that the clubs seem to be keen to improve facilities and make the game of football accessible to all.

NADS work is supported by the Football Task Force. The task force believes that there should be consultation with disabled fans on plans for ground developments and that all grounds should be audited annually, by NADS, to monitor improvements.

Anyone wishing to learn more about NADS’ excellent work should visit their web site at www.nads.org.uk. As well as detailing the relevant facilities at the various grounds, visitors can post information about their own experiences, at specific grounds, on the site’s bulletin board. There are links to individual club's disabled supporter associations as well as several other interested organisations’ web sites.

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