Cambridge’s women amputee footballers find teammates and a place to belong

For Shelbee Clarke, finding other women amputees to play football with has created friendships she describes as stronger than most. Her Cambridge City teammates are building something still unusual in British football: a women’s amputee team.

The club began women’s training in May. In fresh BBC interviews ahead of a weekend of matches against Poland’s national team, players described newcomers joining in and enjoying the sessions.

The practical starting point is training open to all abilities. Cambridge City’s team information offers monthly Sunday sessions at its community stadium in Sawston, welcoming people who have never played before.

Amputee football uses seven players a side, with outfield players using crutches. There is currently no women’s amputee league in the UK; the club says talks about joining Poland’s league in 2027 are still an ambition.

The players’ accounts do not measure everyone’s experience. They do show what an accessible team can already offer: people to practise with, shared understanding and a reason to keep coming back.

Sources

• BBC News — Cambridge City women’s amputee football team
• Cambridge City FC — women’s amputee team and training