Pan-disability football team sponsored by UB40

Campbell and Hassan stand together holding the shirts which are on hangers. Both are wearing black tops and jackets and are stood on the football pitch.
Image caption,

Robin Campbell and Norman Hassan were able to hand out shirts to the team

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Reggae stars UB40 have presented a Solihull football team with a new kit.

Lionsgate FC, a pan-disability squad, have been sponsored by the Birmingham group for the 2025/26 season and members of the band joined the team for the strip's unveiling.

Robin Campbell and Norman Hassan said the band was proud to support the club.

Lionsgate will play their matches at Tudor Grange Academy in the new West Midlands Inclusion League.

The team is made up of children with physical disabilities, learning difficulties and special educational needs.

"A lot of our kids, would not be able to play mainstream football for one reason or another, we have kids with cerebral palsy, we have kids that are visually impaired, we have kids who are neuro-diverse," said head coach Jo O'Callaghan.

"They just would not be able to keep up with the physicality or the pace of mainstream football."

Seven young boys of different ages stand on the pitch wearing the kit. They are wearing blue tops, black and green tops and green shorts. Two boys are holding footballs.
Image caption,

Lionsgate FC, a pan-disability football team, are based in Solihull

"So clubs like ours, I mean - football's for everyone - all children can do what they love."

Campbell and Hassan met some of players and watched them play in their new kit.

"We loved the whole initiative when it was first talked about," said Campbell.

"It was suggested by a very good friend of ours... and we just thought what a lovely idea.

"I love watching them play - still haven't been to a game [and] we're going to struggle again this season because we're so busy, but at some point we're going to come and watch them."

"[The kit] looks wonderful," Hassan added.

"I did not know there were so many different designs, but yes they look wonderful."

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