Footballer Claire Stancliffe: 'My hearing doesn't affect me on the pitch'

An England deaf team footballer says when she plays she "just feels normal" and is treated equally on the pitch to those who can hear.

Claire Stancliffe, 32, has won medals at the Deaflympics, World and European Championships during her career and currently plays for Corby Town in Northamptonshire.

She said football had given her life skills such as self-confidence and thinks there has never been so many routes into the game for disabled players.

"The most important thing I love about the game is that I just feel normal when I play," she said.

"My hearing doesn't affect me when I'm with a hearing team. On that pitch I'm treated the same as everyone else."

4 January 2022