Football coaching for the disabled

Football coaching for the disabled at Drayton Grange started in April 2005 when Disability Officer for Northampton Town FC, Neil Dowd, and Drayton Grange/referee Steve Littlemore started coaching a small group of 12-year-old boys. Neil said: "When I first wanted to start a disability coaching session in Daventry, I contacted the FA and they suggested the best club to contact would be Drayton Grange, as they are Charter Standard."

"I did not expect the club to be so professionally run and so accomodating, both Paul White and Steve Littlemore did everything they could to help. Equipment was not a problem, venues were not a problem, nothing I asked for was a problem. Steve and I started coaching together on a Sunday morning, only one or two attended to start with but word soon started to spread, before long we had about six or seven, almost a team!"

"Drayton Grange funded everything for the disabled coaching; this is in my opinion what a true Charter Standard ckub is all about, and the FA and Daventry should be proud to have such a club in our area. Now that I am the Disability Officer for Northampton Town Fc, I am trying to encourage more clubs to taje on an active role and I am using Drayton Grange as an example of how Charter Standard clubs should be contributing to disability football."

"I can not praise Drayton Grange highly enough for the welcome they gave me and the work they do for the disabled children of Daventry. Long may it continue, and I look forward to seeing a team from Drayton Grange playing in the East Midlands Diability League in the future."

Steve Littlemore added: "Coaching football to disabled children was something new for both Neil and myself. When we first started we had a small group of 12 year-olds, it was very successful and the coaching sessions ran very smoothly."

"Two of the boys started to play for Northampton Town and Neil went to work for the league club full time. I now coach a small group of children from four years of age upwards and they all continue to enjoy and improve every week."