Matty Slator

Mathew Slator from Scunthorpe is profoundly deaf and was presented with a special award at the Federation of Disability Sport after overcoming his impairment and being a very shy individual to become the youngest deaf referee in the Country at the age of 15.

Mathew was introduced to football through the Scunthorpe United Community Sports & Education Trust and National Deaf Children's Society's Deaf Friendly Football initiative which enabled him to overcome his shyness. Mathew now regularly referees matches at disability football festivals across Lincolnshire. Matthew has come on leaps and bounds in his confidence and his understanding of sport.

Matthew has made so much progress and he now wants to take sport up as a profession. He aims to develop a career in sport in either a coaching or refereeing capacity and he is an inspiration to others from overcoming his impairments to become a referee. He shows great respect for other people and knows and promotes the benefits of fair play in sport. Through his personal success it opens up opportunities for more deaf referees and he is an inspirational figure for the ongoing development of disability football.