IT TOOK Nathan Edge just six months from kicking his first ball as a blind footballer to being invited in to the international fold as a member of the England set-up.

Growing up just around the corner from Field Mill, Edge has always been football-obsessed, and was an ever-present at Mansfield Town home matches when he wasn’t out playing the game himself.

But when he lost his sight in 2014 after suffering bleeds to the back of both eyes, Edge thought that his days on the pitch were over.  

After a quick bit of googling, however, he discovered a blind football talent centre in Leicester, and wasted no time in retrieving those briefly hung-up boots.

“I’d never played football blind before, so it was obviously going to be very different,” he said.

“I went along, and it was difficult to explain, I felt so free when I had the ball back at my feet.

“First of all, it felt very strange, I felt very vulnerable, but when you settle down and get used to it there was no better feeling than stepping on that pitch and being able to do it again.”

Now 24, Edge’s journey has been a remarkable one – he now has five England caps to his name, all won at the 2017 Blind Football European Championships in Berlin and plays domestically for RNC Leicester Foxes as the new season rapidly approaches.

And Edge has recently added yet another commitment to his busy schedule, founding Mansfield Town Blind FC, with help from his beloved Stags.

“I proposed to the club about starting a Mansfield Town blind team, and they’ve been incredible in supporting the project,” he continued.

“I feel like blind football has such a small number of people playing it, but that’s because there aren’t opportunities available.

“To me I’ve always thought there’s a bit of a gap with grassroots blind football – there’s nothing for people to just come and try it for fun and not worry about their age, gender or ability.

Nathan’s cause is also being helped by The Nottingham Building Society, who are teaming up with charity SportsAid to support 50 local athletes as they try to find their ‘time to shine’, with each receiving £750 of funding.

Having already donated £240,000 to SportsAid to help athletes buy equipment, travel to competitions and receive the training they need to be the best they can, The Nottingham Building Society are now also helping athletes on the path to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, and beyond.

And for Edge, who recently returned to the game after taking a short break last year, the scheme has been of immeasurable help.

“It’s been a fantastic thing, a massive help,” he added.

“The two areas that I’ve really struggled with is the psychological side of the game and the fact that I keep picking up injuries, so I’ve been putting it to the best use to support me in achieving where I want to go.

“It’s going to be a massive thing for me especially when I get back into the league and the England team.”

Nottingham Building Society and Harrison Murray teamed up with SportsAid in 2013 to help future sports stars get their time to shine. Visit thenottingham.com to find out more.