The FA Disability Cup continues this weekend with rounds in two of the impairment groups, Blind and Powerchair, taking place.
Firstly, Hereford plays host to the Blind category with three teams battling it out for a place in the Final on Saturday 6 May at St. Georges Park.
The pathway to the Final comes under the banner of the National Blind Football League, where the league winners will play the winners of Saturday’s Brian Aarons Cup, named after the revered doctor who worked for many years in the sport.
Merseyside Blind FC have already bagged the league title and they will face off against the current Brian Aarons Cup holders, RNC Shrews, and West Bromwich Albion, the winners at last year’s FA Disability Cup.
And, to add an intriguing international flavour to proceedings, the Turkish national side have also been invited to play some exhibition games and will also compete in the Brian Aarons Cup.
The day will provide a platform for up and coming stars like Shrews’ Liam Archer, who has come through the Regional Talent Centre programmes over a number of years and is now taking part in his first full season, and Azeem Amir from Merseyside Blind who was identified through a local session and has gone on to make a big impact this season by helping the team to win the league title.
Meanwhile, at Woodside Leisure Centre in Watford the Powerchair category reaches the semi-final stage with Aspire PFC, taking on first time semi-finalists Evergreen PFC.
Aspire PFC, looking to retain the title which they won last year, benefited from a bye in the first round and have gone on to beat Brighton & Hove Albion and league rivals West Bromwich Albion PFC to reach the semis.
"As a team we are fully focused on the WFA Cup this coming Sunday,” said captain Jon Bolding, also England skipper and preparing for July’s FIPFA World Cup in Florida.
“We are hoping to reach St George’s Park and to retain the WFA cup which was one of our main aims at the start of the season.
“A couple of the players in the team are hoping to build on their current form so they are in the best shape leading up to the World Cup this July in Florida.
“We are lucky enough to have myself and Charlie Kitcher in the England squad and we are both fighting for our places in the opening game of the tournament and hope that success in the WFA cup will give us that additional confidence."
Villa Rockets and Sevenoaks PFC are the other teams still in the mix and they play their semi-final later this month, with the winners going forward to The FA Disability Cup Finals day next month alongside either Aspire PFC or Evergreen PFC.
Blind games kick off at 9.30am through to 3.55pm on Saturday and you can follow the day on Twitter via @blindfootball. The Powerchair semi-final kicks off at 3pm on Sunday and you can follow the day on Twitter via @The_WFA
For more information about The FA Disability Cup and the wider opportunities available within Blind, Powerchair or wider disability football in general please click here.
