Unite for Access: Mark Harpur and the SDSA

Mark has supported Saints since he was a child. Growing up in Belfast, he spent his summers in Hampshire with his grandparents and uncle, soon growing a love for the team in red and white stripes.

He spent his first summer in Southampton in 1976 and remembers watching on TV as Bobby Stokes fired Saints to a famous FA Cup final win.

‘I wasn’t allowed to go to my first game at The Dell until 1980, a League Cup game against Watford and we won 4-0. That’s how I became a Saints fan, although we went on to lose the second leg of the tie 7-1...’

Mark joined the Saints Disabled Supporters’ Association in the summer of 2011 following their first open day and he’s passionate about championing accessibility. He was born with cerebral palsy, a condition affecting the right side of his body and top half of his left.

‘A lot of people who have cerebral palsy, it’s because of a lack of oxygen to the brain during childbirth. Something which takes someone who doesn’t have cerebral palsy a certain amount of time can take me a bit longer in the process. The whole of my right side is affected, as well as the top half of my left side, so I have a walker for support. I don’t have a mobile phone because I don’t have the dexterity in my hands for it.’

Mark moved to Southampton in the mid-nineties – he found it difficult to get Saints match tickets because of the lower capacity at The Dell but would watch the team when he could. However, that all changed when we moved to St Mary’s.

‘I’m now a Season Ticket Holder and for the last couple seasons I’ve been to every game, travelling home and away to support the Men’s and Women’s Teams. It doesn’t matter where we’re playing or what division, I’ll always watch Saints.’

The SDSA represents its members whenever there are concerns that need to be raised with the club, so we can make the Saints experience as accessible as possible. When it comes to matchdays, Mark says accessibility is crucial for him and other disabled football fans.

‘Obviously, the physical disability is there but in terms of accessibility to St Mary’s Stadium, my experience is very good. I enter the stadium through the accessibility doors to the side of the turnstiles and once in the concourse, I walk through like everybody else. When going to my seat (I sit in the Chapel Stand), I go up to the right hand side where there’s a door giving access to the lift. I go up one level, come out onto what I’d describe as a forecourt and right in front of me is where I head to my seat. Once there I have a fantastic, uninterrupted view of the pitch and new information boards installed by the club this season.’

St Mary’s Stadium was opened in 2001 and following the creation of the SDSA in 2010, we’ve been working together to make the ground as accessible as possible. There’s still work to be done and that’s why it’s important people like Mark share their experiences. It’s not just about home matches though - Mark travels around the country to watch our teams in action.

‘Away games come with varying degrees of experience for a disabled person and it can very much depend on the age of the stadium. Some grounds I’ve been to this season, access has been difficult to say the least and the experience for a disabled fan has been pretty bad. It’s a shame because some of the old grounds are my favourites. I know it’s difficult but in some cases, a little bit of thought could be put into trying to improve the facility. I accept when I go away, I’ll have different experiences. It all comes back to accessibility.’

Giving a voice to football fans who have access requirements is something close to Mark’s heart. After joining the SDSA in the summer of 2011, he made it clear he wanted to get involved and was on the committee for 10 years. Following a recent break, Mark’s rejoining the committee to continue supporting the Association.

‘I feel obligated to do it. The SDSA was set up to give disabled fans a voice - the club didn’t used to have a Supporter Services team and that’s an example of where we needed to offer a voice for our members. Fans come to us and we represent their views to the club. As a result of Saints and the SDSA working together, the stadium now has drop-down counters at the ticket offices, RADAR locks on the toilets, automated doors at the Stadium Megastore, the creation of a Sensory Room and changing places room, improved carparking so disabled fans can park closer to their stand, a disabled queuing system for getting drinks and we’re continuing to work with the club to push accessibility.’

Where fans feel there are barriers stopping them coming to matches, the SDSA looks to highlight the accessibility on offer at St Mary’s. The Association has Season Tickets it offers to its members on a game-by-game basis, whether as a taster of what coming to the stadium is like, or for fans needing some financial support.

If you’re disabled, the SDSA is there to help you and your family enjoy the best experience you can supporting your team. Along with the SDSA, we strive to make sure disabled facilities at St Mary’s are best in class.

Whether you’re looking for representation regarding your disability, guidance around matchdays or a welcoming community, the SDSA is on hand to make your experience with Saints a positive one.

To learn more about the Association, get in touch or become a member, visit the website ➡️: Saints Disabled Supporters’ Association

Learn more about Red, White and You, Unite for Access and Level Playing Field.