Words: Alex Connor Photography: Barley Nimmo
Football has had an indescribably positive impact on St. John's Deaf FC captain Jamie Clarke. “I never want to retire,” he reflected, after his side’s dominant 7-0 victory over Barnet Deaf FC.
This match was one of six finals taking place at the EE Disability FA Cup across 28th and 29th June 2025 at St. George’s Park. It's the ninth edition of this event, hosting finals for the following formats: Amputee, Blind, Cerebral Palsy, Deaf, Partially Sighted and Powerchair football.
With EE confirmed as the official title partner for the next four years, this ensures that impairment-specific football has a national FA competition with a stable future.
The 2025 edition of this remarkable event was an encouraging and uplifting experience that promoted togetherness, inclusion and resilience. It allows disabilities to be viewed through a series of possibilities, instead of limitations.
Mark Smith represents Chelsea FC Foundation’s Amputee side and is a pioneering figure for disability football. “I served 10 years with the First Battalion Grenadier Guards, and in 2011, I was shot several times with light machine gun fire,” he said.
Subsequently, Smith lost his leg, but disability provided the centre-back with a new form of escapism to continue playing: “I’d always grown up playing football and carried on playing in the military, so it was something I really missed. The main thing I was upset about in hospital was the thought of not playing football again. This variation of football is life-changing.”
Smith was a member of the Chelsea team that beat Everton in the Community 2-0 in the Amputee Cup Final. Chelsea winger Sofyan Filali was named Player of the Match after a dazzling performance saw the 17-year-old register an assist for the second goal.
Filali has played in the Amputee League for three years, featuring for Arsenal and Chelsea, and is targeting more success with the Blues. “After winning a trophy and knowing that feeling, I want to win more with Chelsea,” he beamed. “We're a young and developing squad with some senior players as well. We will progress and challenge for titles.”
Smith praised the productive influence of the Chelsea Foundation: “They took us on in 2022 and they've been fantastic, going above and beyond with the opportunities they've given us from working with the first team and cerebral palsy squad, and setting up a junior amputee side. As a Chelsea fan, this victory is a very proud day.”
The second game saw Birmingham Futsal win 5-4 against Merseyside in the Partially Sighted Cup Final. In an astonishing encounter, Birmingham quickly raced into a 3-0 lead, before Merseyside pulled it back to lead 4-3. In the dying minutes, the Midlands side scored twice to go ahead and Merseyside missed a penalty. Although on the losing side, goalkeeper Alicia Grimmond still praised Merseyside’s “team spirit and energy.”
Birmingham’s John McDougall was awarded the Player of the Match, yet another glowing accolade in a sensational football career. In his childhood, McDougall was diagnosed with the eye condition Stargardt disease. His passion for sport continued, evolving into an icon for partially sighted football and the England captain.
“My condition started to kick in at the end of Primary school. I played normal football at secondary school, but everything in the classroom suffered. The standard of my work dropped because I couldn't see the board or read the papers. Then I heard about impairment-specific football at 15 then I started training with a local team. I got scouted for England at 16. Playing for England has been such a big achievement, it's the biggest honour you can have.”
Doug Pratt, one of the scorers for Birmingham, called the match a “rollercoaster of emotions.” The 32-year-old was working for EE when McDougall and Luke Darnell invited him to join the team, and he’s now winning trophies in the sport he loves.
The last final on the Saturday saw West Bromwich Albion Blind FC face Royal National College for the Blind. West Brom won 2-0 with Eesa Amjid netting both goals in a stunning display. The 19-year-old showcased his magnificent footwork and skill, and when asked what technical aspects are required to be a good blind footballer, he replied:
“You need constant communication with your outfield teammates, the goalkeeper and sighted coaches. On the ball, it's getting used to the way to dribble as you need a slightly different style compared to sighted football by keeping the ball closer so you don't lose control.”
Amjid is brimming with infectious ambition and said that the “biggest victory in blind football is to win the Paralympics with your national team, so that’s my aim.”
In the first final on Sunday, Cerebral Palsy North West FC defeated the Chelsea FC Foundation 4-2 to lift the Cerebral Palsy Cup. This was followed by the Powerchair Cup Final, where Aspire PFC beat West Bromwich Albion PFC 2-1.
Dan McLellan opened the scoring and was instrumental in Aspire’s victory. The youngster said that the route to the final gets “tougher each year” and his side “has to do more to stay on top.” The 16-year-old also revealed fascinating insight into the sport: “It's only 4v4, so it's very fast-paced and tactical. Everyone is in the same chair, so your brain does the work.”
The concluding clash of the weekend saw St. John's secure a scintillating 7-0 win over Barnet in the Deaf Cup Final. “To win on the manager's birthday is a great gift for him,” Clarke gushed.
Clarke has been St. John's captain for a decade and is full of excitement for the club’s future: “Over the years, we’ve encouraged younger players to be the leaders on the pitch. I try to be a good role model and get the club ready to pass on to the next generation.
“The future is great. We work with the FA, have fantastic facilities, possess quality and diversity, and we get paid. Today was brilliant. It’s a dream to be on TV with TNT Sports playing football. I'm very grateful that this all happened before I got too old!”
When asked for his message to deaf children who want to play football, he enthusiastically responded: “If you have the opportunity to come, you have to take it because I'm sure you'll love it. You'll never feel left out, everyone is in the same boat.”
It was a glorious weekend that showcased the beautiful talents of a diverse group of footballers, who simply refuse to be beaten.
