Power Chair Football - A Long Term Aim for the DSG

Players from Darlington FC joined the Supporters' Trust to help kick off plans for "powerchair" football in the town.

The Quakers came up against a team from Percy Hedley Foundation who are based in Forest Hall, Newcastle in a demonstration of the sport for disabled people. The aim of the session was to raise awareness of the sport and also assist with the setting up of a team in Darlington, which will carry the club's name. Media, including the BBC's Look North programme, were there.

Darlington's Football in the Community scheme, together with Darlington Supporters' Trust will help run the Darlington-based team. The next stage is to find more wheelchair players who want to become involved.

Malcolm McDonald, the former Newcastle and England star, is one of the project's biggest supporters and is hoping there will be enough interest to set up a North East Powerchair League in readiness for the season after next. Community representatives from other football clubs in the area are among those invited to the demonstration.

Malcolm said: "This game is going to be huge globally and I can see it becoming a Paralympic sport. The children love football and to be able to play it like this is truly wonderful. This is not a tame sport - they really give it their all when they go in for the tackle. If we back these youngsters, by a fraction of the support given to other sports, we will have even more world class players in our region".

Darlo midfielder Matty Appleby and new signing Akpo Sodje joined the demonstration.

Paul Hodgson, vice chair of the Supporters' Trust, said: "This is a venture the Trust is delighted to support. We're very grateful too for the encouragement already from the club for this project and for the players today who gave up their time."

Kevin Stonehouse, the former Darlo striker, who is now in charge of Football in the Community said: "It's great for Darlington Football Club to be involved in such a venture and if all goes well we could be the first club to have a powerchair football team".

Power chair football is an expensive activity, with each chair costing in excess of £4,000.  This sport has great potential, particularly now that the Olympics have been awarded to London. 

If your business or organisation would be interested in meeting representatives of the Trust to discuss how your  could benefit from an association with our Power Chair Football plans, please do get in touch with us ( )