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Introducing Smdsa & Contacting Us


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The aims of SMDSA and our mission are a reflection of the wider network of the national SDSA.

• To enable disabled people of differing abilities to follow St Mirren
• To achieve equal access for all guests to St Mirren Park
• To increase disability awareness and improve the lives of disabled people using the special influence of football within Scotland
• To promote non-discriminatory practice through raising awareness of special requirements
• To work with the management team to achieve solutions that will enhance each supporter’s experience
• To work with supporters to improve the experience for all fans
• To engage with partners who can help us achieve these aims

Review of 2014
In the past year, the SMDSA has gone from strength to strength. Our membership is growing and, together with club, we have considerably improved the experience of home and away fans. Trained stewards are more sensitive to the needs of fans, snacks are delivered to all and there is a much improved ticketing procedure. These are only some of the achiements of the last year and we have ongoing projects targeted at a raised, covered ‘mini-stand’ for wheelchair users and provision for visually impaired supporters.

List of the achievements of the SMDSA in the last year namely:-

1. Reduction of Disabled Parking charge to £2 for the remainder of this season and reducing to zero next season on production of Blue Badge

2. Arranged for girls from food kiosk to take orders and deliver food and drink to disabled fans and carers during the first half of matches.

3. Formed excellent working relationship with Chief Executive Brian Caldwell. John Clark stated that Brian and the club management in general had been very helpful in expediting everything which the SMDSA had achieved so far.

4. Formed successful contact with Fans Council and in particular with the Chairman Alan Wardrop who had bee very helpful.

5. Prepared 'Away Fans Protocol' and had arranged for club's agreement.

6. Established link on club website.

7. Arranged advertising of the SMDSA on the electronic scoreboard.


We also have plans to improve more provision for disabled supporters in the near future. Any feedback is welcome and would be used to further enhance procedures, If you would like to raise any issue, or you wish to join the SMDSA, please contact us at [email protected].

John Clark (chairman) , Iain Laurie (secretary)

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SAints have told me that getting in for the rest of the season will cost me 20 pounds even though I am a season ticket holder and use a wheelchair. I am going to use my notability car on some games, but they say I cannot go on the list and I still do. not know if I can pay for individual games or go in the West gate and do you pay at the gate

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Seen the message on the scoreboard at h/t asking how the club can improve the match day experience for fans in wheelchairs huh.png Really 1eye.gif Has the BOD never seen the rain coming down on all those in the front row and never thought of giving up 1 of the 2 disable toilets to a handful of away fans, might make the experience of disables saints watching a game at home to be crap ?

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Both John Clark and Iain Laurie the chairperson and secretary respectively have a meeting arranged with the St.Mirren and have had talks with the Fans Council on the provision of a platform being built in the main stand, normally I am quite suspicious of promises meant with the best intentions of what's supposed to be happening, however with the fans council, St.Mirren FC and SMDSA involved in this issue I am confident we will see a platform with cover provided for disabled people in wheelchairs and their carers before the end of the season. In addition although I am a member of SMDSA I am not its official spokesperson. The two gentleman who do a vast amount of work for SMDSA are John Clark and Iain Laurie, plaudits to both of them are well deserved. Also a big vote of thanks should also go the fans council on this issue.

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