Football club pledges to do more to help fans with hidden disabilities
Last updated 5th Oct 2018
A former footballer who has Motor Neuron Disease is on a mission to raise awareness of so-called 'invisible disabilities' after he was mocked at a game for parking in a Disabled Bay.
Len Johnrose says he was challenged by stewards at Bolton Wanderers because he wasn't in a wheelchair - and was asked to move closer to a fence.
Len used to play for Blackburn Rovers and was diagnosed with MND last year.
“When I went to speak to what I assume was his boss, he took exactly the same stance, he taunted me to report him, which I said I was going to do anyway
“I don’t want to single out Bolton Wanders, I was in another car park the other day at a football match and again there were a lot of cars squeezed in to these disabled bays, but there was no one actually manning the car park.”
This comes just weeks after one of the club's own players - Stephen Darby - announced he was retiring at the age of 29 because he'd been diagnosed with the condition.
“The worst thing was when I did mention Steven Darby and his condition, the fact that he just didn’t care, they weren’t bothered at all, so even if they’d said can you prove that you have a disability badge , that’s where it should have stopped.
“But they just wanted to squeeze in as many cars as possible and they didn’t care about my condition or the condition of their player.”
Chris James is from the Motor Neuron Disease Association.
“We’ve been in contact with Bolton Wanderers about coming into the club to do some work about explaining about MND with stuff and what the symptoms are and how they can recognise it better, they’ve been receptive to that and we’re hoping that it’ll happen within the next few weeks.
“Sometimes in its early stages MND can be quite hidden so it’s not so obvious.
“Somebody might have some mobility problems, but they won’t at that stage be in a wheelchair.”
The club says it treats the allegations very seriously and will now be working closely the Motor Neuron Disease Association to run awareness sessions with its staff.