MK DonsMilton Keynes Dons ensured every supporter was able to interact with the first team, following their final preseason outing.
At fulltime of their match against Sky Bet League One side Northampton Town, The Dons announced that players would spend 30 minutes with the fans in attendance. Some disabled supporters were unable to access pitchside at Stadium MK and it was therefore arranged that a group of players would go up to Row EE and visit them.
Jo Newall is a wheelchair user, who was in attendance to support MK Dons alongside her partially sighted husband Jeff.
“This weekend, we were thought about and included,” said Jo.
“Inclusion does not have to be difficult and consideration like this avoids disabled fans thinking ‘yet again, we have missed out’.”
The meet and greet was arranged by the club in conjunction with Milton Keynes Dons Supporters Board, with Connor Grant, Ronnie Sandford, Charlie Waller, Jonathon Leko and Dons legend Dean Lewington going up to see disabled fans.
Level Playing Field’s fans liaison officer, Liam Bird, said: “It is really pleasing, whenever we see such natural actions towards inclusion.
“It is often impromptu fan engagement, like this, where many disabled fans are left out through unconscious bias and made to feel like a less appreciated part of the club than their fellow supporters.
“In this instance, the exact same approach was not suitable for all fans, but there was no need for a complex rearrangement or to cancel the club’s plans entirely.
“Instead, there was care shown to include all fans and a simple way to make a reasonable adjustment was found.”
MK Dons previously impressed Level Playing Field with their attitude towards access and inclusion, when the club were officially awarded English football’s ‘best away fan experience’ for disabled supporters, last summer.
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