George Holloway-Bartle plays for Brighton & Hove Albion Powerchair FC – one of several disability-specific teams run by the club’s official charity.
Like many of AITC’s powerchair players, he is a regular at Albion home games, cheering on his heroes from the upper tier of the East Stand.
He was recently joined by a film crew from Sky Sports News, who were keen to capture his experience of a matchday for a series of features the channel has produced as part of its National Inclusion Week coverage.
The piece on George was shown on Sky Sports News throughout yesterday, with the channel championing Albion as leading the way on fan inclusivity.
The Amex is one of the country’s most-accessible sports stadiums, with 727 easy access seats, 221 wheelchair accessible seats, and more than 100 accessible car parking spaces.
Fans can also make use of an audio descriptive commentary, a radio assistive induction loop, and a Changing Place facility, complete with wet room and hoist.
Other initiatives include a hidden disability awareness scheme whereby fans can easily identify their potential additional needs to stewards and matchday staff, all of whom have been given thorough disability awareness training by AITC.
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Last season also saw the opening of the Charlie Perry Inclusion Room in the East Stand, from which fans with autism or other additional needs can watch the action unfold.
It is something which has certainly made a difference to George and his family. George and his younger brother Jack both have autism, and although George now watches from the wheelchair accessible seats in the East Stand, his brother can move between his seat alongside George and the Charlie Perry Inclusion Room, depending on the situation.
Like his brother, Jack also attends sessions with AITC, taking part in the charity’s fortnightly session for people with autism.
He was also the first person to attend a match in the Charlie Perry Inclusion Room to then go on to get a season ticket elsewhere in the stadium – something which highlights how successful the initiative can be in helping fans adapt to the experience of being part of 30,000-plus crowd.
As their dad explained, the fantastic facilities at the Amex mean coming to the football is something the entire family can enjoy together.
Matthew Bartle said, “The club has got the balance right, between having the right facilities and making people feel included.
“They're not segregated and feel part of the team. For me as a parent, that's really important."
And for George, who loves playing football with AITC and was presented with his specialist powerchair back in 2016 following a fundraising campaign supported by Albion fans, was keen to explain just what attending matches meant to him.
He said, “I have trouble walking around the stadium. My wheelchair is so useful to me and means a lot.
“The stadium is fantastic, and the staff are brilliant.
“Just being at the games helps me. The atmosphere is just brilliant.”