Matchday experience for disabled fans “unfit for purpose”

The matchday experience for disabled football fans among the visiting support is "not fit for purpose", according to a report.

Level Playing Field says the "basic expectation" of being able to watch a game without blocked sightlines or fear of abuse "is not being met"

Level Playing Field said a substantial number of fans "are not getting what they pay for", with almost 50% saying a poor view put them off attending.

Some form of abuse or negative attitude at a game within the last five years was experienced by 43% of respondents.

"It's a sad situation," said Level Playing Field chair Tony Taylor.

"The ability to watch a football game without blocked sightlines and fear of abuse or judgment is a basic expectation not being met.

"There is a need for more excellent education within football.

"In recent years, there have been significant steps taken by many clubs to improve the matchday experience of disabled fans in general. However, this survey shows that there is still much work to be done and that the away-fan experience should be an area of focus for club improvement."

The survey revealed that more than half of the respondents that said they were not attending games had been to matches in the past.

Other findings were that 28% said that not being found with other club fans contributed to a poor away matchday experience. In comparison, 23% said that other fans' lack of disability awareness contributed to a negative experience.