Seagulls Specials, Albion's disability football scheme, is celebrating after two of its teams won through to the FA's National Finals of the UK Ability Counts tournament
The finals take place on Saturday 19th July in Manchester and the non-profit-making Seagulls Specials asking local businesses to help fund the £6000 trip.
The finals are graded depending on ability into three different levels: Premiership, Championship and League standard, and Albion will have teams in the Championship and League finals, after Albion teams won through the regional qualifiers held in Milton Keynes at the end of May.
The Albion's Championship side - who are the current national champions - saw off Milton Keynes 1-0 in the regional final, while the League side beat Fulham by the same score - and neither team conceded a goal in any of there five matches.
Both sides will be representing the South Eastern region against up to eight other UK regions in the FA Ability Counts finals in Manchester next month, but Teresa Sanders, Albion's disability project manager, estimates the trip to cost over £6000.
"We want to take the players up to Manchester on the Friday night, and prepare properly. The cost of each player and member of staff is close to £200, and we have 24 players and 6 staff members travelling," explains Teresa. "We can fund some of the expenses ourselves, but we're asking local businesses to sponsor a player.
"They will then get the chance to meet the player they sponsor at an upcoming first-team League One match at Withdean next season."
Albion's disability project is held up by many, including the FA, as the blueprint for disability football. It is entirely non-profit-making and is funded by the football club, FA, Football Foundation and various sponsors, including main sponsor Rix & Kay. If you wish to sponsor a player or more, please get in touch with teresa.sanders@bhafc.co.uk or call 01273 695400.
