homepark

Disabled Supporters Guide

Supporters Guide

Travel Guide

We wish to welcome all disabled supporters to Home Park Stadium. Plymouth Argyle Football Club fully supports the principle of equal opportunities and opposes all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination on the grounds of disability.

Our aim is to make the match day experience as enjoyable and inclusive for all supporters.

The match day experience is important to everyone. We appreciate that disabilities are wide-ranging and that not all are visible.

Contact Details

Our Supporter Relations Manager, Daniel Pippen, is also the club's designated Supporter Liaison Officer (SLO) and Disability Liaison Officer (DLO).

If you would like to get in touch with Daniel, he can be contacted at:

Supporter Liaison Officer

Email: supporters@pafc.co.uk
Telephone: 01752 562561 ext 161

Disability Liaison Officer

Email: disability@pafc.co.uk
Telephone: 01752 562561 ext 161

PADSA 

Plymouth Argyle Disabled Supporters Association is an organisation dedicated to improving the match day experience and enjoyment of all disabled supporters.

PADSA can be contacted by any of the following means:
 
PADSA Public Email info.padsa@gmail.com
Facebook PADSA
Twitter @PADSA20
Instagram PADSA Instagram
TikTok TikTok PADSA

Other useful websites are: www.levelplayingfield.org.uk and www.accessable.co.uk.

Wheelchair Dependent Supporters

Devonport and Lyndhurst Stands: There are a maximum of 80 spaces for wheelchairs which can be used by home fans. All spaces are at pitch level.

These spaces can be purchased by way of season-ticket or on a match-by-match basis. In order to maximise the number of supporters who can access these spaces, the carer’s ticket is normally issued for a seat immediately behind the wheelchair bay. 

For those matches where there is sufficient space, carers are of course very welcome to sit next to the wheelchair bay, and Club staff and Stewards have been instructed to be as helpful as possible in facilitating this.

Barn Park Stand (visiting supporters): There are a maximum of 28 spaces for wheelchairs available for visiting supporters. All spaces are at pitch level.

All visiting supporters with wheelchairs are situated with their own supporters.

Wheelchair dependent supporters should also be accompanied by a person who is capable of supporting the disabled person’s needs in the event of an emergency. For this reason, we strongly recommend that this person is sixteen years of age or over and not infirm.

Ambulant Disabled Supporters

We are aware that there are considerable numbers of people in the community who use wheelchairs, mainly for outdoors mobility purposes, but are not necessarily confined to their wheelchair. There are also many people suffering severe walking difficulties who may wish to watch a match.

For the purpose of this policy, both categories of people will be termed as 'ambulant disabled supporters'. Those supporters with ambulatory disabilities of a severe nature will be able to have access to seating nearest the entrances/exists.

Sensory Packs

Sensory packs for autistic children, which include a drawstring bag, ear defenders, fidget spinners, a sensory ball, an awareness card and lanyard, as well as further match-day information, will be available at Home Park during the 2023/24 Sky Bet Championship campaign. 

Provided by the club thanks to funding from 50/50 Lottery, the sensory packs are designed to improve the match-day experience and are part of the club’s commitment to be more autism-friendly. 

The packs have been designed for supporters - particularly children - with autism, who attend matches, to make the match-day experience more accessible, comfortable and enjoyable. 

The sensory packs are completely free of charge and will be available throughout the 2023/24 season. Supporters interested in receiving a pack can apply for one by clicking here.

Once you have completed the form, a member of the team will be in touch directly to confirm whether it has been possible to reserve you a pack for the requested fixture. Packs are to be collected from the matchday information booth on the edge of the Milehouse Park & Ride car park.

Supporters who have not completed the above form in advance are also welcome to enquire at the information booth on a matchday about collecting a pack, but please note that priority will be given to those who have requested one in advance. Any remaining packs will be available on a first come, first served basis

Once supporters have received their pack, they are encouraged to continue to bring it back with them to all future games they attend. There are a limited number of packs available, which will be issued on a first come, first served basis. 

If you have a pack from a previous season, you are encouraged to continue using this, if possible. If you would like an up-to-date map and information, we can provide these to you separately on a match day at the Information Point located on the edge of the car park opposite the Life Centre bus stop.  

Supporters With Invisible Disabilities

Should you wish to accompany a supporter who suffers from a disability that is less obvious, such as Autism, Dementia, Anxiety or Severe Learning Disabilities, Argyle will strive to offer help specific to the needs of the individual.

Visually Impaired Supporters

The club has a dedicated audio described commentary service, called Soccer Sight, for visually impaired supporters. This service is available to home and visiting supporters. The club has 10 headsets available and these can be pre-booked by contacting the DLO. Headsets can then be collected on a matchday from the information booth on the edge of the Milehouse Park & Ride car park.

At the end of the game, the equipment should be returned to the information booth, which will be open for 15 minutes after the full-time whistle. Please note that you are liable for the safe handling and return of any Soccer Sight equipment loaned to you. The club reserves the right to charge for any equipment lost or damaged while in your possession, or for any equipment not returned.

The headsets are able to access the commentary from every part of the ground and the commentary will commence approximately 15 minutes before kick-off. There is no charge for this service.

The club strongly recommends that a person who is fully able to support their needs in the event of an emergency should accompany each visually impaired supporter attending a match.

Assistance Dogs are allowed into the stadium but the club recommend that any supporter wishing to bring an assistance dog contact the DLO at least seven days before the match. Due reference will be given to all aspects of safety and guidance from Guide Dogs for the Blind to ensure safety in the ground. Measures will also be taken to ensure that the welfare of the Assistance Dog is preserved.

Disabled Car Parking Facilities

The Milehouse Park & Ride car park adjacent to Home Park is a large and free car park operated by Plymouth City Council, that many of our supporters use on a match day. This car park becomes extremely busy on matchdays as other drivers use it to access the nearby recreational park and sports centre, so early arrival is essential in order to secure a space.

The Council has permitted the club to use a limited number of spaces in this car park as reserved matchday parking, and we are delighted to offer a number of these as accessible parking options for those with disabilities or access requirements.

Please note that these are allocated on a season long basis, and applications will open again in the summer months of 2023, to allocate spaces ahead of the 2023/24 season. Supporters who are interested in securing an accessible space for the 2023/24 season should follow club news channels for all the latest information, as details on how to apply and application dates will be published in due course.

Outside of the spaces reserved for club use on a matchday, there are additional disabled bays available in the Milehouse Park & Ride car park, which are available on a first come, first served basis and cannot be reserved. Early arrival is essential to secure one of these spaces, as the car park fills up very early on matchdays