CAFE had the opportunity to speak with Gohar Navasardyan as part of our #MyMatchday series. Gohar is a disabled football fan from Armenia, who has watched the Armenian national team since childhood. She is also a big Real Madrid supporter, and told us how important attending live matches is to her.

How did you become a football supporter?

I have supported Armenia since I was very young. My family watched the national team's football matches and I knew straight away that I was going to be a big football fan. I have been a Real Madrid fan for nearly 20 years now - I became a huge supporter after I saw the former goalkeeper Iker Casillas play for the first time.

What are your earliest memories of attending a live match?

My first experience watching the Armenia national team live was in a match against Italy. I remember being very impressed by Henrikh Mkhitaryan in that game. He scored a great goal against the legendary Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. I will never forget how excited the stadium was after Mkhitaryan's goal. It was unbelievable!

Who are your favourite ever players?

Yura Movsisyan is my favourite Armenian player. He has scored a lot of goals for us and played in some big leagues. I am also a big Iker Casillas fan - he is my favourite player not from Armenia.

What does your usual matchday routine look like?

I usually meet with one of my friends, and we join up with the rest of our group before heading to the stadium. For matches at the national stadium we don't have many problems but I sometimes can't attend matches at other stadiums in Armenia because they are not yet accessible.

Have you ever had negative experiences attending a match?

Yes, I have had to sit separately from my fellow supporters before which made me feel very uncomfortable. It is really important to me that I can sit with my own fans, so that we can encourage our players together.

Do you feel valued as a disabled fan?

It is football fans inside the stadium who can make a match feel exciting. Each fan is valuable to the team - their victory is my victory. Watching live matches made me feel more connected to my team and made me like football even more.

What message would you give to a disabled fan who has not yet been to a match?

You should go to the stadium and give it a try. You will enjoy live games. It is fun to see the game from inside the stadium and win together with other fans.

The CAFE team would like to thank Gohar for sharing her thoughts and experiences with us as part of the #MyMatchday series. Gohar told us about the life-changing impact that attending live matches has had for her, and how important it is to celebrate alongside her fellow fans inside the stadium.

If you are a disabled fan, or know a disabled fan who would like to participate in our #MyMatchday interviews, please feel free to contact CAFE’s Fan Liaison, Access and Administration Officer, Amy Wilson, by email on [email protected] or call +44 (0)208 065 5108. You can also contact CAFE via Twitter at @cafefootball and Facebook on www.facebook.com/cafefootball.