1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:08,840
I couldn't imagine being without football.

2
00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:10,760
I couldn't imagine being without football.

3
00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:12,360
On a Saturday, ÒWhereÕs Julie?Ó

4
00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:14,160
ÒDon't bother looking for her, sheÕll be at football.Ó

5
00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:16,680
Football to me is about community.

6
00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:18,360
You can scream.

7
00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:19,400
You can shout.

8
00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:20,840
You can wave your arms about

9
00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:22,920
and clamber on the people next to you.

10
00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:24,720
It's escapism.

11
00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:28,200
It's a place where people can feel part of something.

12
00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:30,640
It is that sense that for 90 minutes,

13
00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:32,160
everyone's equal.

14
00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:42,480
Home games, I can't walk down the street

15
00:00:42,480 --> 00:00:44,360
without getting stopped by somebody.

16
00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:45,240
ÒAre you still here?Ó

17
00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:46,720
ÒYeah, IÕm here.Ó

18
00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:48,600
Five, six hours before kick off

19
00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:50,360
I would brief my team

20
00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:52,400
that are out engaging with supporters.

21
00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:54,360
Once IÕve got somebody to give me a lift,

22
00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:56,320
it's a case a building the wheelchair.

23
00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:57,760
Carl will buy a programme

24
00:00:57,760 --> 00:00:59,000
from the same programme seller.

25
00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:00,880
A burger, a cup of tea

26
00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:02,160
and then itÕs straight into the game.

27
00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:04,200
It's about going for a few beers with some friends

28
00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:05,720
and then going to watch your team lose miserably.

29
00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:07,640
I get into the ground,

30
00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:09,760
hope I don't crash into anyone or anything.

31
00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:12,800
There's a couple of fans that sit behind us

32
00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:14,840
and we talk to them every game.

33
00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:16,880
If Carl is rocking, they will just pat his shoulder

34
00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:18,280
because that's what they see me doing.

35
00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:20,240
To do little things like

36
00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:22,040
get the pie out of the packaging.

37
00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:24,360
That's something I can't really do.

38
00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:26,120
ItÕs helped enhance the experience

39
00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:28,000
just having a personal assistant

40
00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:30,520
and actually, it helps me understand

41
00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:33,200
why I get anxiety sometimes in crowds.

42
00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:37,840
I do do a lot of shouting and singing and things, yeah.

43
00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:40,040
You know, there is a lot to be said for that.

44
00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:43,280
That he can do what everyone else is doing.

45
00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:46,000
It's a place where people can blow off steam.

46
00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:48,160
This is the thing they look forward to all week.

47
00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:00,760
Ableist abuse in a nutshell

48
00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:03,720
is anything that is a negative towards a disabled person.

49
00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:07,480
Being targeted specifically for having a disability.

50
00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:10,160
Name calling. Laughing. Pointing.

51
00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:13,640
You know, it's that idea that we're not necessarily equal.

52
00:02:13,640 --> 00:02:16,560
YouÕre somewhat, I don't know, broken in some way.

53
00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:17,960
Language can do a lot of harm

54
00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:19,440
and it can be really powerful.

55
00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:20,440
Some things that are said

56
00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:22,680
can really, really affect people.

57
00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:24,880
These particular people were

58
00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:28,240
pointing, poking fun and shouting,

59
00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:29,360
ÒR*tard.Ó ÒSp*stic.Ó

60
00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:33,600
But Carl didn't realise what was going on

61
00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:36,080
until he saw me crying.

62
00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:37,680
They just said,

63
00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:39,120
ÒIf you canÕt stand up to watch the game

64
00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:40,560
you shouldnÕt be here.Ó

65
00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:41,880
ÒYou're not fit and able like me,

66
00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:43,400
so you shouldn't be here.Ó

67
00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:46,360
If I was to get up out of the chair to celebrate a goal

68
00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:48,880
then people would probably give me some funny looks.

69
00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:50,200
I use the wheelchair for distance.

70
00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:52,960
Of course I can stand up and celebrate.

71
00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:53,840
I've been questioned

72
00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:56,200
as to why I'm stood in a certain area.

73
00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:59,200
Because, ÒYou don't look like you have a disability.Ó

74
00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:01,320
My challenge to that is, ÒWhat should I look like?Ó

75
00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:03,960
And it made me then question ÒShould I be stood here?Ó

76
00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:06,240
We have seen the conversation regarding race

77
00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:09,040
and we've seen the conversation regarding sexuality.

78
00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:10,480
However, when it comes to disability,

79
00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:12,440
there isnÕt that conversation being had.

80
00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:15,040
Ableist abuse isn't being dealt with

81
00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:16,400
as well as it should be.

82
00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:18,160
Predominantly because I don't think

83
00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:19,880
people are confident in coming forward.

84
00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:21,480
Like most communities

85
00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:23,440
they feel let down by the police 

86
00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:25,520
because of incidents previously

87
00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:26,880
and individualsÕ behaviour.

88
00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:41,200
I think to continue removing barriers,

89
00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:42,960
we need to keep educating people.

90
00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:45,800
And it's that bit of empathy I think, as well.

91
00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:47,480
Supporters are raising their concerns

92
00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:49,200
and feeling like nothing is being done.

93
00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:51,000
We would like people to engage with us

94
00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:52,680
build confidence, build trust

95
00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:53,920
and we can make a difference.

96
00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:55,600
If we can find out what's going on,

97
00:03:55,600 --> 00:03:57,680
we can then educate people,

98
00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:01,640
educate staff, educate suspects, educate victims

99
00:04:01,640 --> 00:04:04,160
and educate the police on the best practice.

100
00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:06,080
As fans, if we hear these things,

101
00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:07,800
absolutely call them out.

102
00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:09,680
Don't be complicit in it.

103
00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:12,600
There is a safe space for every person

104
00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:14,400
to attend a football fixture.

105
00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:17,560
This is a game for everyone, no matter your disability.

106
00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:22,880
Football, itÕs everything,

107
00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:24,000
everything to me.

108
00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,120
Memories of my dad. My friends.

109
00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:28,640
ItÕs my family. It's my whole life.

110
00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:31,760
ItÕs nice to watch it like a normal person would do.

111
00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:33,080
There's nothing better.

112
00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:35,440
And to be able to be there and access it

113
00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:37,200
is a dream really.

114
00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:39,680
To be part of it is just, yeah I love it.

115
00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:42,840
My best friend she's 94 now and she still goes.

116
00:04:42,840 --> 00:04:44,200
IÕm going to be like her.

117
00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:46,360
Because that's where I'm happy.

118
00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:48,960
ThatÕs what football means to me.