Norwich City fans hoping for success for the club's men's and women's teams this season have been given an early reason to celebrate.
That success has been supplied by the Canaries' cerebral palsy (CP) team, which is run by the club's charity partner the Community Sports Foundation (CSF).
An unbeaten season has seen the team retain their national title with 12 wins from 14 games, sealed by recent victories over North East Yorkshire and CP North West.
The team was founded three years ago by CSF's disability and inclusion manager Darren Hunter, who recalled: “I was watching the Disability Cup final and thought to myself, we’ve got players that are of a similar ability level to players in that final.
“I spoke to the boys who were already training with us and we thought, this is something we can make happen.”
The team were runners-up in their first season and have now won back-to-back titles.
Willoughby Ellson, who has been with the team since its inception, said: “It’s a great experience to be involved with a team where everyone understands each other’s needs, both physically and in football terms.
READ MORE: Push to battle school uniform affordability in city centre
“This connection transcends to the pitch and has helped us find success on it.”
The players are classified based on their mobility, which means their ability range is monitored to ensure an equal playing field across teams.
READ MORE: Astronaut set to land in Norwich for one-man show
Mr Hunter said: “A lot of the boys in this team have been playing football with us for 10 to 12 years. For them to progress and find success is incredible to see.
“It’s inspiring for other kids with cerebral palsy to see what is possible for them in their future and it inspires them to progress with their football, too."
The team is heading to the Football Association's national football centre St George’s Park on April 13 to lift their trophy and will return on June 30 for the Disability Cup Final.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here