Hello and welcome...

Hello and welcome to WheelTalkSport. A new blog hosted by me Joe Skinner. As you may have guessed from the title of this blog I use an electric wheelchair hence the title WheelTalkSport, get it…

This blog idea came about as in September of this year I embarked on a Multimedia Sports Journalism degree at UCFB Etihad in Manchester with the end goal of working in the sports journalism industry. 

UCFB provides a range of networking opportunities that allow you to gain vital knowledge and insight into how the world of football operates. In layman’s terms it is basically the best place to combine your love of sport with the education needed to get into the professional sports industry, and I highly recommend it to anybody who is interested in a career in sport!

In this blog I intend to write about my three main sporting interests which are football, boxing and darts. Whilst also providing match reports on my beloved Burnley FC and giving you an insight into sporting events through the eyes of a wheelchair user when we hopefully return to normality at some point in the next century! But before all that, here is a bit about me for anyone who is interested…

I’m a 21 year old from Padiham Lancashire with a condition called Cerebral Palsy, which affects the movement of all of my four limbs. Sport is one of my true loves in life, especially football. The beautiful game brings me so much joy and happiness. I have been an avid Burnley FC Season Ticket holder for 8 years now, and I love following The Clarets home and away!

In 2014 I helped set up the Danny Ings Disability Sports Project with Burnley FC in the Community, an organisation which I now work for.  This occurred due to a viral photograph taken of myself and Danny Ings back in 2012 when I was a chubby teenager! Danny gave me his boots at the end of the game vs Ipswich town on the final day of the season. The boots are still stored away safely in my house to this day and I have been friends with Danny ever since his fantastic gesture. 

A string of wonderful events have also occurred to me as a result of this photograph. These include me delivering talks at Parliament, and taking part in a BT sport feature on Disability inclusion within sport in 2017. This resulted in me getting the opportunity to go to Buckingham Palace which was a life affirming experience! Inclusion for disabled people across all forms of society is something I am hugely passionate about. I continue to strive on a daily basis to create a world where disabled people are treated equally, and are able to lead the life they want to lead. 

I hope that through this blog you can see the passion that is embedded within me for the wonderful invention that is sport. Life’s a game called sport and I intend to talk about it!