By Jo and Jeff Newall
The MKDSA were extremely sad to hear the news that Sarah Price, a long time loyal Dons fan, sadly passed away on 10 February and join the many others in passing on their sincere condolences to Sarah’s family.
MKDSA Disability Officers, Jo & Jeff, as fellow away wheelchair mini-bus travellers have shared untold miles of travel country wide to away games with Sarah and her family over many years and here recall their special memories of “footy with Sarah”.
Sarah and us made the trip to Brentford Away in November 2010 when MK Dons first provided an accessible mini-bus for wheelchair users to go to away games. Since then, we have travelled to almost every away game with Sarah, her mum Sue, various members of her family and her dear friend Sam.
This has given us so many wonderful shared experiences with Sarah, it is difficult to know which to pick out for special mention.
Sarah was a quiet lady with a steely determination so that we all took note when she spoke, particularly “Mother!” and “Jeffrey!” her exclamations when she thought it necessary to bring either of them to order on the bus.
Whilst we were ever present, it was always a matter of speculation as to how much of the match Sarah and Jo actually saw, as Sarah always looked away when she thought something bad was about to happen and Jo would already be hiding under her blanket. You can just imagine what was said during the match and on the trip home!
Amongst are many memorable trips are Swindon when George Boldock scored his hat trick and ran bare chested to the wheelchair fans, Derby when the lift broke on the mini bus with Sarah stranded on it, the first time the Dons played AFC and the 4 of us were surrounded by 26 police officers, Huddersfield when our minibus was the first vehicle behind 3 snow ploughs across the M1, the Harry Potter alley at Portsmouth with “pack horse Pete” carrying all Sue’s food bags, not designed for wheelchair users but that’s another story!
Us wheelchair fans were so often up to no good with much hilarity! Carlisle and Sunderland on a Tuesday were perhaps trips best forgotten, not to mention the mud, cage and gazebo we encountered at Bristol!
All this said, no one can write about Sarah, without mentioning the very special and enduring friendship she had with Alby (Aaron Wilbraham). Even long after he had left the Dons, he has always remained in touch with Sarah. He was Sarah’s hero.
Sarah loved all things Dons and with her passing the Dons family have lost a very loved member.
