Gardner also witnessed the work that Bolton Wanderers Football in the Community is doing to ensure that people with all disabilities and impairments have the chance to play football.

Football in the Community currently run two evening coaching sessions a week for children with disabilities and it was decided three years ago that a disability club should be formed and become a branch of Football in the Community.

Ricardo spent time with members of the BWDFC at Smithills Sports Centre, Bolton as part of Creating Chances and his time was spent with the juniors participating in their warm-up, helping to oversee a basic coaching session, before he went in goal for a penalty shootout.

engages communities

Bolton Wanderers Disability Football Club has recently been awarded The FA Charter Standard Club mark and is one of the first disability clubs to be affiliated to the Manchester FA and in the first ten nationwide to attend this mark.

Gardner said, "It's brilliant news for everyone who lives in Bolton that our football club are working so hard to give all their supporters and everyone in the area the opportunity to play football and are breaking down all barriers which stand in the way to enable football to be inclusive for everybody."

The event is in connection with Creating Chances - the Premier League's flagship community programme which engages communities and supporters across the UK. Creating Chances aims to highlight the extensive community work which takes place throughout every season and bring this work to the forefront.