Autistic football team is hoping to raise enough money to get to Spain to compete in a major tournament

Gateshead FC and The Gateshead FC Foundation have teamed up with their partner organisations - Autism Live Forever CIC and North East Autism specialists, Inspired Support - to create their first disability football team of adults with Autism.

The team are heading to Spain in July to represent the North East at the Costa Blanca Cup taking on some big European teams such as Juventus and Valencia.

To make this dream a reality the team need to raise an additional £8,000 to fund the cost of the squad to attend the tournament.

Dave Winship, director in Inspired Support said: “People on the autism spectrum often suffer or lack motivation but when you find something that motivates them you can embody that and help them learn life and social skills through football.”

Kathryn Patrick, from South Shields, said her 21-year old son is part of the team heading to Spain.

She can’t thank Inspired Support enough for turning her son’s life around.

She said: “My son is so happy I actually feel I have my son back he was so down on himself thought he was useless and just hung around not doing anything. Inspired support motivate them, show them you can do this and give them so much confidence in themselves.

"A lot of education settings could learn a lot from inspired support it's not about what they cannot do, it's what they can do.”

Donations can be made online at through the team’s Just Giving page.

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