Express & Star

West Brom's blind team crowned national champions

The first team may be shackled to the foot of the Premier League but Albion’s official blind team have just been crowned national champions.

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West Bromwich Albion's blind team celebrate winning the league. Photo: WBA

The Baggies travelled to Hereford on Saturday to play their final round of league fixtures at the Royal National College for Blind People.

They only needed one point to be crowned champions of the National Blind League, but the runaway leaders made sure with two wins from two.

"We are really really proud of the team that we have got and winning the league today makes it even more brilliant for us," said Richard Henderson, a disability coach at The Albion Foundation.

"For us to be involved in such a great sport and to be one of the few teams is a really big thing."

The National Blind League is a five-a-side division run by the FA and also includes the Leicesteshire Foxes and Merseyside Blind.

Albion’s star player this season has been 19-year-old Mo Ahmed.

"We're a really close team," added Mo. "If we lose then obviously we are down, but we lose as a team and we win as a team like we have done today. We defended really well and that comes from having that team ethic."

Albion’s team is one of 22 official West Brom disability sides the comprise of around 160 players currently run by charity arm of the club, The Albion Foundation.

The Foundation also have eight Powerchair teams, an amputee team, and 12 PAN disability sides including teams for ladies and juniors.