DISABILITY equality will be front and centre of Southampton FC's match against Leicester City.

For one game only, Virgin Media is handing over its shirt sponsorship of the club to Scope to raise awareness of the charity’s ‘Disability Gamechanger’ campaign to help highlight the issues disabled people face across the UK.

This shirt swap comes after Scope published research revealing that half of disabled adults feel excluded from society because of their impairment or condition, two in five do not feel valued by society and less than half think the UK is a good place for disabled people.

Tracy Griffin, Executive Director, Marketing Fundraising and Communications at Scope, said: “We’re delighted that Virgin Media and Southampton FC are committed Disability Gamechangers.

“There is still a long way to go until all disabled people have an equal chance to live the lives they choose, free from barriers and low expectations.”

It’s the second time Virgin Media, Scope and the Saints have united to support disabled people, with the players wearing a strip emblazoned with the charity’s logo in May 2017 against Manchester United.

Virgin Media has partnered with Scope since 2015 and together they are working to transform the lives of disabled people.

Commercial Director at Southampton FC, David Thomas, commented: “Equality and opportunity are key in driving everything we do here at the football club, and it means a lot to us that our commercial partners share and support these values so openly."

Southampton FC is one of the most inclusive clubs in the Premier League with a wide range of accessible facilities to make all fans feel welcome at St Mary’s stadium.

Last season the club opened its door to a sensory room - funded by Virgin Media - providing a calming environment for fans of all ages with sensory differences, or who may find the atmosphere of a football stadium challenging.

Jeff Dodds, Managing Director of Consumer at Virgin Media, added: “We’re proudly standing united with Scope and Southampton FC to support disabled people by putting disability equality at the heart of this weekend’s game at St Mary’s."