Community and inclusion are at the heart of everything that AFC Sudbury stands for.
The Pitching In Southern League Premier Central outfit appointed Mike Onslow in 2023 to help bring disabled football provision to the club.
“It was identified as an area that the club was lacking in at the time,” Mike Onslow told us. “It formed a major part of the club’s plans to extend its community engagement and outreach programme as part of a wider funding drive for a new community pitch.
“We spent a lot of time and effort getting something up and running and it was from this that Comets Kidz was born, an FA initiative for providing football opportunities for disabled children aged 5-11.
“We had our first session in May 2024, so we’re well into our second year now and things have progressed well during this time.
“My role is very much to oversee things. I assembled a fantastic group of volunteer coaches; Sammy Wilson, Steve Buscall, Simon Maynard and Jordan Maynard, who deliver the sessions and, whilst I do get involved when I can, mainly I handle the administrative and organisational side of things.”
The group currently consists of ten players, featuring young people with a range of different challenges and disabilities.
“The Comets excel in providing a safe space for the youngsters to experience football in their way,” Onslow added. “So, whether they want to learn new skills, play a match, or just sit on the grass, we cater for them – and, unlike many other providers, it’s completely free of charge too.”
In a bid to give something back to the club, the Comets Kidz decided to take out a player sponsorship for this season, with Jenson Mulqueen emerging as their selected player.
He recently drove for over an hour straight after work, giving up his Friday evening to take part in a session.
“I think it’s important to interact with everyone involved in the club, especially the youngsters,” Jenson Mulqueen told us. “I thought the session was really good. Everyone seemed to be really enjoying it; there was a bit of everything to keep the youngsters engaged and smiling throughout.
“We did a few practice drills, spoke about football and then headed into a little game, which was a lot of fun.
“The most important thing was that the kids involved had their own space to enjoy their football at their own pace.”
On the pitch, the club has taken seven points from their opening eight League games.
“The season has been a bit up and down so far,” Mulqueen added. “For me personally I’ve had to adapt to a level that is new to me, but I feel that I am getting better with every game I’m involved in.
“This is a strong League; it’s a real challenge and every opponent has the quality to punish you if you switch off even for the slightest moment.
“My aim is to establish my place in the team. This is a great club to be involved with and I am determined to make a positive impact, on and off the pitch.”
Another player who is immersed in the club and the opportunity that it provides to local youngsters, is Liam Pearce.
He first joined the club at the age of 12 and after coming up through the youth development ranks, last weekend saw him mark his 50th senior appearance for his local club with a goal in the 1-1 draw with Stratford Town.
“It was nice to mark the milestone at the club with a goal,” he told us. “It was a memorable occasion for me and hopefully there will be more such moments to come in the future.
“I’ve been involved with the club since childhood and it makes me so proud to be part of creating history. The club has played a big part in my personal development, not only as a player, but as a person too. I’ve worked with some fantastic coaches and staff here who have all had an impact on me.
“Having worked under Danny [Laws] during my youth days, it was a no-brainer to stay when he took over as first-team manager. I also have a lot to thank [previous manager] Marc Abbott for as he put his trust in me to play at senior level and helped me through my first year transitioning into what is a tough level of football.
“The way that this club interacts with its local community and offers opportunity is a big part of what makes it so special. There’s an understanding of the role that we play and the influence we can have over the community around us.”
Pearce is well aware of the need for more consistency on the pitch following a stuttering start to the current campaign.
“We know that we’ve not been consistent enough so far this season,” he added. “A few of the games have got away from us since starting the season strongly with victory over Redditch United on the opening day.
“Each team plays to its strengths and there is a lot of quality at this level. It’s tough and competitive but we enjoy the challenge.
“As a team, our aim is to keep breaking records we have set in previous years such as our highest ever League finishes and cup runs. We’ll continue to enjoy the journey and look to make memories for everyone involved here.”
This weekend, English football will once again come together to champion safeguarding across the game as part of the Play Safe Weekend, taking place on 27-28 September 2025.
The FA Play Safe campaign is endorsed by the NSPCC and will be supported this weekend across every level of English football, including the Premier League, EFL, Barclays Women’s Super League, Barclays WSL2, National League and across the grassroots game.
This year’s theme – ‘Small Talk is Bigger Than You Think’ – focuses on giving young people a voice. It’s a call to action for every adult in football to create open conversations, ask questions, and actively listen to children.
To raise visibility of the 2025 campaign, England Football has produced a video which highlights the importance of remaining alert and aware of small changes that can go unnoticed.
The campaign film appears at first to be a studio recording of a new podcast entitled ‘Eyes on the Ball’, which features former Premier League player Anton Ferdinand and Sky Sports’ Joe Thomlinson in conversation. The film then goes on to reveal the podcast to be not all as it seems, carrying with it a powerful message on the importance of observation.
Find out more about the Play Safe campaign here.
IMAGE: AFC Sudbury
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