Merseyside Blind head coach Steven Cushion is optimistic for the future of Blind Football.
It comes after his side reached the National Blind final and the success of TV Broadcasting.
The Merseyside boss has been at the club for 10 years, where he started out as a sighted goalkeeper.
He then moved into a player/coach role prior to retiring and became head coach of the club.
Merseyside Blind are the only club in England to have teams participating in both the National Blind Football League and Partially Sighted Football League.
BT Sports acquired the rights to broadcast the FA Disability Cup Final between RNC Hereford and Merseyside Blind & VI FC at St George’s Park in July.
Cushion said: “BT broadcasting all the different impairment finals has been massive for disability football in England.
“It has given us a platform to help with recruiting future players and coaches.
“We are hopeful due to the success of the finals and the feedback BT have received that they will broadcast future Disability Cup Finals.”
The FA recently revealed the ‘Football Your Way’ three-year plan which set out aims to raise awareness of disability sport.
The campaign is set to create 2,800 opportunities for people with disabilities in football and aims for a 25% increase in players progressing into England’s disability teams over three years.
Cushion said: “This has been needed for a number of years to give everyone a focus on the key areas for development and growth of all disability impairment groups from National to Regional levels.
The head coach also outlined possible improvements to the campaign.
“The missing bit would be about how to support fundraising clubs and teams that are not attached to Football Community Foundations,” he added.
On the aims of putting an England Women’s blind team in place, the UEFA B licensed coach said: “It’s part of the overall plan to grow the blind game from grassroots to elite level and having an England Women’s Blind Team is so important to this, and we have a Home World Championship in Birmingham in 2023.”
Cushion holds big ambitions for Merseyside Blind’s future.
“I believe we will continue to grow over the next 5-10 years.
“This will include having an International Standard full Blind pitch in the Merseyside area and there will be more players and volunteers meaning there will be more teams.”
