The Level Playing Field Podcast

In this month's episode, we speak about the results of  the 'Away Fan Survey'   A survey conducted by Level Playing Field into the away matchday experience for disabled fans, released on May 30th, The survey highlights that the experience for many fans is not fit for purpose.  For disabled football fans who travel large distances at considerable cost to attend away match days in Eng...

In this episode, we are turning our attention to sports media and ask the question, is disability being spoken about in the sporting press at the same level as the other protective characteristics? (Race, sexuality, gender.) or even at all? Is it because there is a lack of disabled sports journalists, or is disabled just not a high priority in sports media? To answer these questions, we have a rou...

It's the last Level Playing Field Weeks of Action special episode, and we are in Blackpool! The Blackpool Community Trust and Blackpool FC invited children from a local school to attend their Weeks of Action match day; for many, this was their first time attending a football game. We spoke to 2 mums of children who were doing just that, stepping into the football unknown! If you want to know...

 The Level Playing Field Podcast goes into extra time as we continue this year's Weeks of Action campaign. In this episode, we are at Tranmere Rovers speaking to...   Christine Roberts, Head of  Fan Engagement and Disability Liaison Officer. Andy, the Tranmere Rovers Disabled Supporters Association chair.  Aidan, Tranmere and all-round football superfan. If you want to know more about attendi...

The Level Playing Field Podcast is at the Swansea.com Stadium to highlight Swansea City and the Swans Disabled Supporters Association's work to improve access and inclusion for their disabled supporters at the Welsh club. In this episode, you will hear from Catherine Thomas, head of  Fan Engagement and Disability Liasion Officer. Andrew Brayley, the Swansea Disabled Supporters Association cha...

The Level Playing Field Podcast is at Aston Villa to highlight the club's work to improve access and inclusion for their disabled supporters at the men's and woman's games!  In this episode, you will hear from supporters who attended the Aston Villa Woman's Weeks of Action game before zooming across the city to speak to a couple of Villa fans pre-match and the chair of the Asto...

 The Level Playing Field Podcast is at Patrick Vieira's Crystal Palace to highlight the club's work to improve access and inclusion for their disabled supporters. This episode will hear from Crystal Palace Disability Access Officer and Disability Liaison Officer and the fans themselves. If you want to know more about attending a football game at  Crystal Palace, please click this link. I...

In this special Level Playing Field Week of Action episode, the supporters take over the presenting role and talk about the purpose of the Weeks of Action campaign and how it can be a helpful tool to drive discussion regarding disability access and inclusion. Your presenters for this episode are Amy Wilson - Everton supporter  Jo  McNicol - Tottenham Hotspurs supporter Anthony Joy - Arsenal suppor...

It's that time of the year again; Level Playing Field Weeks of Action is fast approaching (That will make sense if you are listening to this episode on its release, if your listing to this in the summer, then you've got a little time to wait for the next campaign) The Level Playing Field Weeks of Action campaign kicks off on 26th February till 13th March. Disabled sports fans, sports clu...

It's December 27th 2021, and The Level Playing Field presenter and Fan's Liaison Officer Liam Bird has travelled to Greater Manchester to Altrincham to witness Audio Descriptive Commentary history! This will be the first time in England or Wales that a visiting team (in this case Wexham AFC) would provide its own Audio Descriptive Commentary (ADC) service to a home club as well as its tr...

Episode 14 is the last of the year, and in this episode, we will be focusing our time on the people in the high vis jackets—The Stewards. The matchday steward plays a considerable part in all supporters matchday experience. Still, for some, their ability or sometimes inability to understand a person's additional requirements can be THE deciding factor regarding a positive or negative game day...

 In episode 13 of 'The Level Playing Field Podcast,' we turn our attention inwards! The Level Playing Field team answers your questions. Questions such as...  How are Level Playing Field funded? Is it a mandate that all stewards be trained in disability? And, what is Level Playing Field doing to make attaining match day tickets more accessible? If you would like to keep up to date with a...

In episode 12 of 'The Level Playing Field Podcast,' we turn our attention to Travel.   Disabled people travel up to a third less than non-disabled people, according to disability charity Scope. This has an impact on access to social activities like attending live sporting events.   In Greater Manchester, Less than 60% of train stations have step-free access. We speak to Manchester United...

Episode 11 of ‘The Level Playing Field Podcast' focuses on what went on behind the scenes at football clubs in England to welcome back supporters at the start of a chaotic season due to COVID. Level Playing Field Fans Liaison Officer, Liam Bird, sat down with Rachel Brophy, the Disability Liaison Officer at Middlesbrough Football Club, and Luke Cassidy, the Disability Liaison Officer at Port...

Welcome to Episode 10 of 'The Level Playing Field Podcast'   In this episode, we look back to the distressing scenes witnessed and experienced by disabled supporters who attended the Euro 2020 final on the 11th of July at Wembley Stadium.    Our guests on this month's episode are:  Graham and Tim Hiley. Both attended the game. Tony Taylor, Chair of Level Playing Field Nick Glynn Sen...

Welcome to Episode 9 of 'The Level Playing Field Podcast' Seeing as football is not coming home, we thought we would focus our attention away from football.   Our guests on this month’s episode are:  Team Brit Racing Driver, Andy Tucker.  Globetrotting Cricket superfan, Anthony Joy  Community Integrated Care's 'Director of Partnerships and Communities', John Hughes If you...

Welcome to Episode 8 of 'The Level Playing Field Podcast' In this episode, we focus on the very real, sometimes challenging and almost always a personal subject matter of disability abuse.  Our guests on this month’s episode are  The Baroness Tanni Gray-Thompson Swansea City supporters Diane and Callum PC Stewart Bladen and PC Stuart Ward from the West Midlands Police Force Football Unit...

Welcome to Episode 7 of 'The Level Playing Field Podcast' In this episode, we bring you a round table discussion on the sometimes contentious subject matter of disability language and how it's used. On the virtual round table, we have: Nicky Baker -  Level Playing Field  Warren Kirwan - Scope   Izi Robins - Centre for Access to Football in Europe (CAFE) Stephen Miller - Newcastle Un...

Welcome to Episode 6 of 'The Level Playing Field Podcast' In this episode, we bring you a round table discussion between several football fans to discuss the possibility of COVID Passports/Certificate and what the return of fans might look like.  We also turn our attention to this month's actions from The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to originally exclude and the...

 Welcome to Episode 5 of 'The Level Playing Field Podcast' In this episode, we turn our attention to the viewpoint of non disabled supporters. To be exact, how non-disabled supporters' trusts can support better access and inclusion for disabled supporters fans and how disability is viewed by clubs and non-disabled supporters.  Our guests for this month's podcast are Nottingham...

Welcome to Episode 4 of the new monthly 'The Level Playing Field Podcast'. In this episode, we turn our attention inwards, because this month sees the start of Level Playing Field's 'Weeks of Action'. You can be part of this year's celebrations from your home! We are asking all supporters to take a selfie of themselves in their team colours and to let us know, via soc...

Welcome to Episode 3 of the new monthly 'The Level Playing Field Podcast'. In this episode, we turn our attention to the stigma attached to disabled sports fans attending live events as well as the stigma surrounding disability in general. In this month's episode, our guests are Paul Glover, Disability Development Manager at the Albion Foundation, Marc Powell, Strategic Accessibilit...

Welcome to the new monthly 'The Level Playing Field Podcast.'   In episode 2, we focus on the return of fans to stadia,     We speak to Rick Riding an inspector for the Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA) who have been working with the UK Government's to bring about guidance and guidelines for sporting clubs in England to open up to fans. Rick talks to us about the work that has b...

Welcome to the new monthly 'The Level Playing Field Podcast.' In episode 1, we focus on the subject matter of the COVID Pandemic and how it has affected the sporting community on and off the field. We speak to Dave Messenger, who is the Supporter Liaison & Disability Access Officer at Watford Football Club about the work the club has been doing to support disabled people and the broa...

Welcome to this preview episode of the new Level Playing Field podcast.   This monthly podcast will bring a variety of voices from all over the sporting community to discuss disability subject matters regarding sport in England and Wales.   In this preview episode, we feature Level Playing Field Chairperson, Tony Taylor, Chief Executive, Owain Davies and Fans Liaison Officer, Liam Bird.    All thr...