Disability
From grassroots to the elite game, whether you're a coach or a player, here is how you can take part in disability football
There has never been a better time to get involved and play football, whatever your ability level. There are now more opportunities than ever to play football if you have a disability.
Suffolk FA believe in flexible, inclusive and accessible playing opportunities for everyone, and are committed to delivering a range of opportunities for players with a disability to access football at various levels across the county.
For more information about PAN Disability football, please click here
For more information on activities / sports for blind and partially sighted people, please click here
Get In Touch
Kirsty Smith - Football Development Officer (Growth)
01449 616606 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) / 07432 735985
iCAN Football programme
The Suffolk FA iCAN Football programme is an inclusive programme which strives to provide footballing opportunities for people in Suffolk of all abilities, especially targeted to those with physical, mental or learning impairments and long-term health conditions.
The iCAN Football Project hopes to give more disabled people the confidence to enjoy football in a safe environment which promotes fun and inclusively for all people regardless of experience and ability. You don’t need to have played football before to get involved!
This programme is also designed to help educate and upskill coaches, players and volunteers about the different challenges and barriers people with a disability may face within the grassroots game. This can be by helping to find simple solutions which can have a positive impact on those players and how to help clubs / teams become fully inclusive.
This could be something as simple as using bigger cones or a different coloured football. Another example could be if a player or parent wants to know more about the disability or impairment specific opportunities within Suffolk or the England Disability Talent Pathway (Para Football), where players have a multi-pathway opportunity to go on and represent their country at the elite level.
Many players with a disability or an impairment will currently be playing at mainstream grassroots football teams – some may be known to the coaches; however, some might not be. Therefore, Suffolk FA wants to help raise awareness of disability football within the county so that we can help upskill / educate coaches, volunteers and clubs so they can provide a fully inclusive and supportive network for the players.
If you have any questions on any of this or would like to have more information about some of the educational sessions and qualifications, then please get in touch.
Wot's Up iCAN Football League
Our iCAN Football League involves over 20 teams from Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex. The league has grown massively over the past three years with the standard of football clear for everyone to see. The beauty of the league is that it caters for all abilities and motivation levels.
The league itself is broken down onto divisions – Premiership, Championship, League 1 and League 2. This means we can offer a fully inclusive footballing offer for people who want to play football competitively all the way through to people who want to be involved to spend time with their friends and do some exercise.
We have six central venue league festivals played between October and April, whilst in May we end the season by participating in the Suffolk FA KBB Grassroots festival.
Wot's Up Day Centre have kindly sponsored the league for the last few seasons, enabling us to deliver a high-quality and enjoyable football programme for all involved. The sponsorship has meant we can play at a big open grass central venue, have fully qualified referees at every tournament and help provide bursaries for volunteers / coaches at the clubs to develop and continue on their journey within the game.
We have eight clubs across Suffolk which act as hubs for our iCAN Football programme plus lots of school festivals throughout the year too. These clubs and festivals provide training and match opportunities for players of a wide range of ability and would love new players to join in with them. The information and contact details of our Suffolk clubs is listed below.
Venue: Beccles Town FC, The Nest, Hutchinson Way, off Common Lane South, Beccles NR34 9RH
Day: Saturday
Timings: 9am-10am
Cost: £3
Age Groups: 12-16 and 16+
Accessibility: 3G pitch
Contact Name: Bernice De'Ath
Contact Number: 07785 917679
Venue: Bury Rugby Club, Southgate Green, Bury Saint Edmunds IP33 2BL
Day: Saturday
Timings: 10am to 11am
Cost: £45 per year
Age Groups: 14+
Accessibility: No wheelchair accessibility
Contact Name: Robert Gannaway
Contact Number: 07955 293688
Venue: Claydon FC, Blue Barn Lane, Great Blakenham, Ipswich, IP6 0JX
Day: Thursday
Timings: 5pm – 5:30pm
Cost: Free
Age Groups: 6 – 16
Contact Name: Ed Miller
Contact Number: 07845158304
Contact Email: edgars.miller@yahoo.com
A new way to play the beautiful game! No restriction on frame type. Learn new skills, make new friends & have fun!
Day: Every second Sunday
Venue: Copleston High School, Ipswich, IP3 8LR
Timings: 11am – 12pm
Contact email: framefootballsuffolk@gmail.com
Mobile: 07481 115670
Venue: Copleston High School, Ipswich, IP3 8LR
Day: Sundays
Timings: 1pm – 2pm
Contact email: david.mcgregor1965@hotmail.co.uk
Mobile: 07770 874563
Venue: The New Croft, Haverhill CB9 0BW
Day: Friday
Timings: 7-8pm
Cost: TBC
Age Groups: 16+
Accessibility (wheelchair access): Yes
Contact Name: Lois Balfour
Contact Number: 01440 702137 (office), 07496 367175 (mobile), email loisbalfour@thenewcroft.co.uk
Venue: Portman Road (Astroturf), Ipswich, IP1 2DA
Day: Monday
Timings: 5pm – 6pm
Cost: 12 weeks - £42
Contact email: leanne.smith@itfc.co.uk
Venue: Portman Road (Astroturf), Ipswich, IP1 2DA
Day: Thursday
Timings: 5pm – 6pm
Cost: 12 weeks - £42
Contact email: leanne.smith@itfc.co.uk
Venue: Portman Road (Astroturf), Ipswich, IP1 2DA
Day: Saturday
Timings: 10am – 11am
Cost: 12 weeks – £42
Contact email: leanne.smith@itfc.co.uk
Venue: Stevenson Centre Field, Cornard, Stevenson Approach, Great Cornard, Sudbury CO10 0WD
Venue (Bad Weather): Cornard Sports Centre, Head Lane, Great Cornard, Sudbury Suffolk, CO10 0JU
Day: Saturday
Time: 12:30pm – 2pm
Cost: £50 per year
Contact: Keiran Hall
Venue: Lavenham Playing Fields, Bridge Street Road, Lavenham, Suffolk, CO10 9SH
Day: Saturday
Timings: 9am-10:30am
Ages: Two age bands - 8-11 years old and 12-16 years old
Cost: First two sessions are FREE - £70 cost for the year, which runs from September-June
Contact Name: Sharon Wilson
Contact email address: alex_wilson1@sky.com or reeceandkatie98@gmail.com
Contact Number: 07599 234784
Facebook: Lavenham Youth Football Club
Venue: Sports Hall, Victory Sports Ground, Bury St Edmunds (IP33 3BT)
Day: Wednesday
Timings: 5.30pm-6.30pm
Cost: £21 per month and a £30 sign-up fee ('free' shirt at sign up)
Age: 18+, mixed male and female
Accessibility: Disabled parking and changing facilities
Contact details: 07772 781404 or email Darren.Brown@SportingTrust.org or visit the 'Community Football' page on the website
Venue: Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre, Stowmarket
Day: Friday
Timings: 6pm-7pm
Cost: £3 per session
Age: 16+
Accessibility: Good
Contact: Laura Worsley
Contact Number: 07801 532059
Club: Waveney Disability Football Club
Venue: Ormiston Denes High School, Yarmouth Road, Lowestoft, NR32 4AH
Day: Saturday
Timings: 9.30am to 10.30am
Cost: £1
Age Groups: 16 - 30
Accessibility: Outside astro pitch
Contact Name: Bob McCartney
Contact Number: 07583 712315
Club: Monday Night Disability Football Fun & Fitness
Venue: Ormiston Denes High School, Yarmouth Road, Lowestoft, NR32 4AH
Day: Monday
Timings: 5.30pm to 6.30pm
Cost: £1.50
Age Groups: 11+
Accessibility: Sports Hall – good access for wheelchair users
Contact Name: Bob McCartney
Contact Number: 07583 712315
Venue: Goals Ipswich, Suffolk New College Sports Centre, College Drive off Grimwade Street, Ipswich IP4 1LT
Day: Wednesday
Timings: 6pm to 7pm
Cost: £3
Age Groups: 16+
Accessibility: No wheelchair accessibility
Contact Name: Lee Smith
Contact Number: 07432 406422
