Last Updated on 19/09/2025 by Crip Life
At 37, John McDougall stands as a cornerstone of partially sighted football in England. As the current captain of the England partially sighted national team, with over 100 caps to his name, John is preparing for yet another historic appearance – this time with Birmingham Futsal in the highly anticipated Disability FA Cup Final.
The EE Disability FA Cup Finals return to St. George’s Park on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th June 2025. The weekend sees some of the best impairment-specific footballers in the country compete in six finals over two days, including amputee, partially sighted, blind, cerebral palsy, powerchair and deaf.
Ahead of the finals, our editor Emma Purcell got the opportunity to speak to John McDougall about his two-decade career in partially sighted football, his hopes for a fourth FA Cup triumph for his club and the growth of disability football.
Scroll down for the partially sighted Disability FA Cup final result, match report and highlights.
John McDougall on his partially sighted football journey
Diagnosed with the eye condition Stargardt disease in his preteen years, John’s early footballing years began in mainstream football. But it wasn’t long before he discovered a different pathway that would lead to a long and distinguished career in disability sport.
Speaking about his introduction to partially sighted football, John said:
“When I was younger, about 12 or 13, I was diagnosed with Stargardt disease. I started playing mainstream football, and then, as I got a little bit older, I realised there was visually impaired football available, which I started playing at age 16 at Birmingham and have continued to play for the past 21 years.”
Though it may resemble standard football to the casual observer, partially sighted football introduces key adaptations to level the playing field.
Explaining some of the differences, John said: “The goalkeepers are fully sighted, and they stay within their area, so they can’t come out… It’s played indoors to control the lighting… and the teams are five-a-side.”
These differences make the sport both highly competitive and inclusive, creating a unique style of play that rewards technical ability, tactical awareness, and teamwork.
Birmingham Futsal aiming for a fourth Disability FA Cup trophy
Birmingham Futsal is one of the oldest and most successful partially sighted teams in England. This has included three Disability FA Cup wins, and they’re set to win a fourth against Merseyside this weekend.
Other notable players at Birmingham include the comedian and former England vice-captain Josh Pugh and his younger brother Jack Corbett (aka Thorga), England international golden boot winner Doug Peatt, and Luke Darnell. Who set the record for the number of goals at Disability FA Cups, with four goals in five finals, with three wins.
Reflecting on Birmingham’s latest season, John feels it has been “good” across the league and other cup competitions.
“We began our season competing in the PS Open Cup, which we won in the final against Merseyside. We then finished second in the league to Merseyside on goal difference. And now we have Merseyside again in the FA Cup final after they beat Scorpions FC in the semi-final, and we can’t wait to face them in the final, it will be great.”
He continued: “We’re very confident. We’ve played in five finals and Merseyside have played in a couple, loosing both, so they haven’t won one yet. So, we are confident that we will smash it to be fair.
Captaining England: pride, perseverance, and passion
For John, national representation goes beyond statistics. It’s an honour deeply rooted in personal pride and emotional memory:
“A privilege, very honoured to captain England… My debut is probably the biggest bit… singing the national anthem for the first time and playing for the first time was perhaps the most special.
Under his leadership, England has come heartbreakingly close to global success:
“We’ve made it to a couple of World Cup finals, and we lost a couple… but hopefully, next time we will do one better – win the gold medal.”
That next opportunity will come in November 2025 at the World Cup in Turkey—a tournament John and his teammates are preparing for with determination.
Raising the game: the need for more disability football coverage
While the Disability FA Cup receives some welcome broadcast coverage on TNT Sports, John hopes for more consistent media attention across the full FA Cup, league fixtures and international tournaments:
“It’s come a long way since I started playing 21 years ago. Any publicity is good publicity. I think it’s raising more awareness, I guess.
“But then, also, when you say ‘disability football’, people may perceive it in a certain way, and the level is probably higher than people anticipate. So there are probably a lot of people out there accessing mainstream football who are at a disadvantage with a disability, not understanding the level that they could be potentially playing at. There’s a lot of potential that they don’t know about, such as the different pathways.
“I think more coverage will give people more opportunity to follow it, and I think ultimately people do want to watch football, regardless of what football it is. So yeah, I think if there was more competitions broadcast, that would be great.”
Beyond the pitch: John McDougall on life with a visual impairment
Living with Stargardt disease presents daily challenges, but John has adapted with experience and evolving technology:
“I guess, as you get older, you find ways around it. As a young lad, I wanted to blend in and be the same as everyone else. As I got older, I realised it is okay to be a bit different… I’ve got things like speech on my computer and large print. I think technology has come a long way since I left school.
“In terms of day-to-day struggles, not so much. I think more so when I was younger, but then being in the England team with other partially sighted people, it’s nice to see what they can do – they have jobs, they’re dads, they’re just normal blokes but with poor sight.”
Passing the torch: John McDougall on coaching and advice for future partially sighted football stars
Looking ahead, John is already preparing for life beyond playing, stating: “I’ve done my badges and looking to be the head coach of Birmingham.”
And for the next generation of visually impaired athletes, he had a powerful message:
“Have a go. You are going to face barriers, whether that be you might not be the best in that position or you might be better in a smaller squad than an 11-a-side squad. Just keep doing it and don’t be scared to put yourself in different positions.
“And reach out, you never know, you could be a bang average league player and without realising it, you could be a future England captain and a world-class player.”
Birmingham Futsal and Merseyside Blind & V.I FC will face off in the partially sighted Disability FA Cup final on Saturday 28th June 2025 at 12:30pm, live from St. George’s Park and broadcast on TNT Sports.
TNT Sports 1 will feature live subtitles and Sign Language interpretation, while a simulcast on TNT Sports 5 will provide alternative audio-described match commentary.
For free-to-air, highlights will be available on the TNT Sports YouTube channel post-game.
Birmingham vs Merseyside Match Report
Birmingham Futsal edged a thrilling Partially Sighted Final with a dramatic 5–4 victory over Merseyside.
Birmingham flew out of the blocks, with John McDougall opening the scoring in style—rifling in from outside the box into the bottom left corner. A slick team move moments later doubled the lead, and by the 4th minute, Birmingham were 3–0 up.
Despite the early Birmingham dominance, Adam Briscoe got Merseyside on the board with a classy backheel, before Liam Spinks capitalised on a loose pass to smash a left-footed strike into the top corner. Briscoe then completed the comeback with a stunning finish to the top corner just before halftime, levelling the match at 3–3.
The second half was a frantic, end-to-end affair. Merseyside took the lead for the first time thanks to a long-range effort from Neil Atkinson, cleverly worked from a free kick. But Birmingham responded through Danny Gauden, who placed his shot into the far bottom corner to make it 4–4.
The decisive moment came in the 37th minute, as Doug Pratt finished off a quick Birmingham counter with a rocket into the top left corner to make it 5–4.
The closing stages were packed with drama. Atkinson came inches from equalising again, and Merseyside were handed a golden chance with a last-minute penalty—but Andy Lang saw his effort drift agonisingly wide of the post. Birmingham held on through a flurry of late attacks to secure the title and John McDougall got Player of the Match.
To find out more about partially sighted football, you can visit the Partially Sighted Football League (PSFL) website and follow on Instagram.