In this episode of the Level Playing Field Podcast, Liam Bird speaks with sports journalist Andy Stevenson about disability, sport, and working in the media.

Recorded at Reading Football Club, Andy shares his journey into sports journalism, from growing up loving football to covering Olympic and Paralympic sport.

He talks honestly about access barriers in stadiums, learning when to ask for support, visibility on screen, and dealing with online abuse.

The conversation also explores why access and inclusion in sport still matter, and Andy’s advice for disabled people who want to work in journalism.

If you wish to contact Level Playing Field, please email info@levelpalyingfield.org.uk

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In this episode, Liam is joined by Level Playing Field’s Chief Executive, Owain Davies, and Head of Club Relations & Development, Daniel Townley, to unpack the findings from our 2025 Annual Fan Survey – the largest of its kind for disabled sports fans in the UK.

You can read the survey in full via this link or visit https://www.levelplayingfield.org.uk/news-item/2025-level-playing-field-annual-fan-survey-results/

More than 2,000 disabled supporters, across 173 clubs and multiple sports, shared their real matchday experiences. Together, we explore what the data is telling us about:

• The biggest barriers to attending live sport, from physical access to public transport and ticketing
• Why demand for PA/companion tickets keeps rising – and why access to them is getting harder
• Accessible parking, sustainability, and whether clubs are being forced to choose between being “green” and being accessible
• The impact of staff attitudes, steward training and club culture on disabled fans

If you’re a disabled fan, work at a club, or care about access and inclusion in live sport, this episode is for you.

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In this episode, Liam speaks with Jon, author and parent of a young autistic daughter, about his journey of turning personal experiences into a series of children’s books.

Jon shares how his daughter Kaya inspired Lilly and Myles: The Match—a story that explores the excitement and challenges of attending football through the eyes of an autistic child.

If you would like to know more about the work we do at Level Playing Field, then please do get in contact info@levelplayingfield.org.uk or visit levelplayingfield.org.uk

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