Football Focus: “There’s no such thing as too much football”
June is a big month for English football, with the hopes of a nation heading out to Russia in search of World Cup glory. While back on home soil, some of the country’s top grassroots teams get ready to face each other in the FA Disability Cup Finals at St George’s Park on 16-17 June. All this week, to celebrate the beautiful game we’re sharing player experiences in our Football Focus blog series.
Hi, my name is Lee Smith, I’m 49 years old and I live in Wolverhampton. I am an amputee footballer.
I lost my right leg above the knee due to cancer just over a year ago. Whilst attending Maltings Mobility Centre for physiotherapy, I found out about amputee football. I had never heard of it before. It was reassuring to know I would be able to participate in a sport that I loved as a teenager.
I now play for West Bromwich Albion Football Club amputee team. They’ve been going for just over a year now, we have seven regular players and train every other Saturday for one hour. We play in the Irwin Mitchell Solicitors England Amputee Football League with matches every couple of months and cup competitions in between. I play using crutches but some of my teammates wear their prosthetic legs.
For me, football is the best game in the world! When you’re out on the pitch everyone is equal, you forget what each other have gone through and just focus on the game. My teammates give me extra confidence and it feels fantastic to be out there alongside them. As you can probably imagine, football on crutches is pretty exhausting and afterwards I look forward to a massage on my one, very tired leg!
Being active is really important for my rehabilitation. I try to keep fit as it helps me to embrace my new life as an amputee. Other than football, I occasionally go to the gym with my partner Anne. The support I have from Anne, my family, friends and teammates is second to none. It means a lot to know that if I have any problems, there is a queue of people waiting to help and be there for me.
I am a huge Liverpool fan, and I used to stand in the Kop back in the good old days. I have loved and admired so many of the club’s great players over the years. In this era it would have to be Mo Salah. I always look forward to the World Cup, especially when the domestic season is over. There’s no such thing as too much football. Excitement and pain all year round - that is the life of a football fan.
The FA Disability Cup is a great competition, Anne and I went to the finals weekend at St George’s Park last year. I was in my wheelchair at the time and we got to watch all the matches and they were amazing, especially the blind and visually impaired teams.
Things are changing slowly but surely, and there is more awareness and information about sport for disabled people. So, whatever you have dealt with in your life, I believe that from every negative there can be a positive outcome. So go on, give it a go!
