West Ham United and Game Day Vision enhance experience for the visually impaired

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Image Credit: BBA Photography / Shutterstock.com

West Ham United and Game Day Vision collaborate to enhance the match-day experience of visually impaired fans for the 2025/26 Premier League season. This partnership will ensure that these fans are accompanied by a fully sighted volunteer in the stadium and during travel to and from.

The mission of the Essex-based organisation is to provide visually impaired people with equal opportunities by enabling them to attend live sporting and cultural events. 

Andrew Birch, the founder of Game Day Vision, commented on the necessity of this partnership.

“As a blind person I have attended many events at the London Stadium. Although I think the facilities are brilliant, it can sometimes be tricky navigating your way around without sighted assistance. Having sighted assistance with you is a massive advantage,” Birch said in a statement 

“I first decided to reach out to the Club after attending a West Ham match at the start of last season and finding it difficult to make my way around on my own. My own experience made me realise that fans may need some assistance with them to encourage them to come along to matches. I wouldn’t want there to be barriers holding people back from attending matches with their favourite team.

“Our main aim is to attract more supporters who would like some further assistance at matches. We would also like to attract more potential volunteers to join our team.” 

Cathy Bayford, Co-Chair of the West Ham United Disabled Supporters Association, addressed the relationship between the association and the club. 

“We were delighted to participate in discussions with the Club to bring this provision to the London Stadium, creating more opportunities for visually impaired fans to attend our games. This initiative continues to demonstrate the ongoing collaboration between the Club and the DSA to enhance the matchday experience for supporters who have accessibility needs,” Bayford said in a statement. 

In addition to this service, the club also offers visually impaired fans an audio descriptive commentary service. This allows these fans to keep track of the game using a receiver. 

 

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Tottenham Hotspur deliver player development workshop for Football NSW

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Image credit: Football NSW

The workshop focused on sharing knowledge and insights regarding player development, bringing together more than 120 coaches from across NSW with those from Tottenham Hotspur.

 

Experience, insight and education

Valentine Sports Park hosted the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) workshop, uniting Football NSW coaches and members of Tottenham Hotspur’s coaching staff to encourage discussion and learning opportunities about player development.

Tottenham’s player development pathway – from the academy to the first team – has produced some of the most respected names in Premier League history, including Harry Kane and Ledley King.

Under the leadership and guidance of Tottenham Hotspur Player & Coach Pathway Co-ordinator (and UEFA A Licence Coach), Jimmy Martin, as well as members of Tottenham’s coaching staff, Shannon Maloney, Kevin Moffatt and Tyler Blackwood, the workshop was a unique opportunity to learn from some of the most experienced coaches in the game.

“Coach education is a vital part of developing football across NSW, and having more than 120 coaches attend this workshop highlights the appetite within our football community to continue learning and improving,” explained Football NSW Head of Football, Edward Ferguson.

Ferguson continued to outline the value of learning from an organisation like Tottenham Hotspur, a team who have helped grow some of the game’s most exceptional talents. The lessons taken will consequently help to inform future approaches to coaching in NSW.

“The focus remains on creating better learning environments for players, encouraging decision-making, creativity and long-term development.”

What the workshop involved

The workshop encouraged coaches to dive into all aspects of player development: the technical, tactical, physical and mental aspects which contribute to the English academy setup.

Furthermore, Maloney, Moffatt and Blackwood – all of whom helped deliver a practical session for attendees – showed how a club’s playing identity can work alongside challenging training environments for players.

Game understanding, creative problem-solving and technical proficiency underpinned the main themes driving the workshop. In an age where individual expression on the pitch appears a dying art, Tottenham Hotspur coaches remain committed to encouraging players to feel confident adapating to a range of in-game scenarios.

Football NSW coaches were also able to attend a Q&A session with King, who spoke about his playing experiences for both club and country.

 

Final thoughts

As Australia continues to nurture the current and upcming generations of talented footballers, workshops such as this are a vital, fundamental part of the journey.

The fastest way to be among the best is to learn from them. The aim now is for Football NSW coaches to take the lessons learned, and apply them to football development in their own academies and teams across the state.

Ninja unveiled as major partner for A-League Women All Stars

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Image Credits: A Leagues

The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) has unveiled the official 2026 Ninja A-League All Stars playing kit, while confirming global lifestyle brand Ninja as the team’s new major partner ahead of this month’s clash with Chelsea FC Women.

Manufactured by Kappa Australia, the new kit will be worn by the Ninja A-League All Stars when they face Women’s Super League champions Chelsea at Allianz Stadium on Wednesday, August 12, as part of the Sydney Super Cup.

The announcement further strengthens Ninja’s growing presence in Australian football after becoming the naming rights partner of the Ninja A-League earlier this year. The partnership extends the global brand’s investment in the women’s game and places it front and center for one of the league’s biggest showcase fixtures.

Kappa Australia will once again supply the match apparel, continuing its association with the A-League All Stars concept. The new design is intended to celebrate the occasion while reflecting the continued growth and professionalism of women’s football in Australia.

The fixture against Chelsea provides the Ninja A-League All Stars with another opportunity to test themselves against elite international opposition, following the competition’s continued expansion as a marquee event on the Australian football calendar.

Supporters will be able to purchase the official playing jersey at Allianz Stadium on matchday, through Ultra Football and via Kappa Australia’s online store.

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