Disabled young Harborough man becomes driving force behind Leicester Tigers inclusivity campaign

Rugby-mad Eddy Crowe, 28, has been turning up with his dad Peter to cheer on his heroes at Welford Road – as well as following them away all over the country – since he was 12.

Now Tigers have turned to one of their most faithful to help them become more accessible for supporters living with a wide range of disabilities.

The innovative new scheme to make the matchday experience better for everyone is being launched at the home showdown against Worcester on Saturday February 29.

Eddy, who has cerebral palsy, said: “The key to this is awareness.

“And if you have a disability, sometimes you need people, stewards and staff to be considerate and appreciate you may need a little more time or information.”

Talking about his disability, he said: “It affects all four of my limbs and particularly affects my walking and speech.

“It has made life difficult both in terms of my education and work - and a lot of people can struggle to understand me.”

Gutsy Eddy spoke to 125 match stewards at Tigers as well as advising other key staff behind the scenes at Welford Road.

“I’ve been a season ticket holder for 16 years.

“I first came down with my dad as a way of spending more time together with Mum’s encouragement,” said Eddy.

“Because of my difficulty with walking, negotiating crowds can be tricky and sometimes I may stumble or bump into people.

“But, of course, I don’t mean it.

“I just need a little extra time to get around the crowd.

“I have met a lot of friends through Tigers and been involved with starting Leicester Tigers Fan Facebook Group with my friend Shaun Gibson.

“I have also got to know some of the players and find them all very friendly.”

He’s also got excellent advice for fans with special accessible requirements.

“Find out as much as you can beforehand. “Tigers have produced an information pack for fans, including travel, facility access and stadium maps to help fans, which will be available in the build-up to matchday,” said Eddy.

“And if you have a particular question don’t hesitate to ring the club or ask stewards on the day.”

Eddy spoke as Tigers launch their Sunflower Lanyard Scheme.

The iconic rugby outfit is working with organisations to highlight different disabilities as well as introducing the club’s fully-trained Inclusive and Accessibility Stewards and staff.

Eddy’s dad Peter said: “Eddy is very proud of the difference he can make helping other Tigers’ supporters with disabilities.

“And his mum Sue and I, along with his sister Polly, are all extremely proud of Eddy.

“He lives life to the full.

“Tigers and rugby are right at the centre of his life.

“Now it’s so laudable and so fantastic Eddy is helping to make Tigers more accessible for so many other fans.”

The Harborough communications professional said Eddy has also helped set up Tigers’ slick Facebook operation.

“They’ve got about 10,000 members and are now one of the biggest rugby club Facebook groups in Europe.

“Eddy’s made so many friends, including the players and staff, at Tigers,” said Peter.

“It’s worked wonders for his self-esteem and self-confidence.

“The work that he’s doing at Welford Road now is a huge pat on his back and speaks volumes for the sort of brilliant young man that he is.”

If you would like to find out more, or would like to highlight any specific requirements or questions, please email [email protected] or call Tigers ticket office on 0116 319 8888