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Any football fans?

Usman_FootyFan

Hello, 

I am writing this email on behalf of Usman, I am his PA through direct payments. 

Usman is 16, his specialist interest is football. He has recently discovered tiktok and although he is enjoying interacting with others, he is struggling to make friends who understand his needs and how he views the world.

We are looking for some digital groups for him to join. He is very verbal but cannot read or write, he will be supported during any session by either myself or his father. 

One thing we will be looking for are people his own age so we could swap contact details and maintain friendships outside of any group sessions too. He is keen to make friends who will contact him via voice notes or video calls too.

We'd love to have details of any sessions happening which we could join.

Looking forward to hearing from you, 

Many thanks,

Ally [removed by Moderator due to Online Community Rule 2], on behalf of Usman

  • I'm really into football too, especially La Liga. I follow RCD Espanyol, and for team news, fan opinions, and match updates, I often check https://www.lagradaonline.com/. It's mostly in Spanish, but it's great for getting a feel for what fans are thinking. Even with basic Spanish, you can get the gist or just use a translator. I’ve found some cool discussions and insights there.

  • in reply to BarbaraWest

    Aw thats great, where do you discuss games? Usman mostly uses tiktok as the video media works well for him, with him being unable to read or write.

  • I used to go to matches now and then but crowds make me anxious, so I mostly stick to watching at home. I follow Liverpool and chat about games online.

  • in reply to Oslo1987

    Aw that's brilliant to hear! Usman supports Liverpool, he thinks the rivalry banter is funny, do you?

  • Massive united fan, i love watching all footy tho. Even low league stuff like salford n tamworth 

  • in reply to Anna Mod

    Hi, thank you, but there are no online branches that would interest him, and there are no branches within 20 miles of our postcode.

  • Hi Ally, welcome to the online community! You may find it useful to look at our Branches page, which includes online options: https://www.autism.org.uk/what-we-do/branches.

    Best wishes,

    Anna Mod

  • in reply to Iain

    Respectfully, I came here expecting to find understanding and help. 

    The very first message I get is telling me I'm not following the rules - the parent and carer section is full of people asking for help for their young people.

    1) Usman cannot have his own account

    2) Usman cannot read or write so has to be supported

    3) He is 16, a time when he falls into the grey area between childrens and adults resources, a very difficult time to find support.

    4) we live in West Yorkshire, hence my asking for online support groups - obviously, if we joined one, we would abide by their rules.

    I'm trying to facilitate friendships - not take over.

  • in reply to Usman_FootyFan
    Usman_FootyFan said:
    I am 34 years old and I am trying to find help for an teenager

    When you consider how many other parents are on this site looking for help for their kids, I think the poster is within the rules.

    However, if they start having conversations on behalf of Usman then it becomes a grey area.

    So as a rule of thumb if you are gathering info and advice then you are welcome to be here.

    Usman_FootyFan said:
    We'd love to have details of any sessions happening which we could join.

    I think this would be outside the rules for online sessions however.

    If you are meeting in real life then these rules don't apply - there is a list of autistic meetings on the main site:

    https://www.autism.org.uk/what-we-do/support-in-the-community/social-groups

    Another good source of like minded people could be to talk to the club(s) he supports and ask if they have any groups of fans with special needs that he could join. There tends to be much less friction socially with these groups than the "normal" fans as the members are more accepting of others needs.

    Good luck

  • in reply to Alien0n3arth

    I am 34 years old and I am trying to find help for an teenager - Usman cannot read or write therefore all communication will be going through me or his father. 

  • Hi, I hope you find company for the person, you support, but I would like to infirm you, that your post may be against two of the forum rules: 

    Rule1: Community users must be over 18. Only people aged 18 or over can join the Online Community. 
    When registering, you will need to confirm you are 18 or older, as some discussion threads may include adult themes. 

    Moderation action: The moderation team monitors content for signs that users may be under 18. If we identify an underage user, their account will be removed. 

    Rule 2: No personal information and identifiable content. The Online Community is public, so please do not share personal or identifying details about yourself or anyone else. This rule protects everyone’s privacy and safety. Do not share full names, addresses, contact details, social media profiles or photos that can identify you or others. You may share links to social media posts or videos if they are relevant, helpful or interesting and comply with these rules. Please ensure the content does not identify its creator unless they are a public figure.

    Moderation action: Identifiable content will be removed by the moderation team. Knowingly or maliciously sharing identifiable content will result in an immediate ban without warning.