In this episode of the Level Playing Field Podcast, host Liam Bird sits down with former Brentford, Bristol Rovers, and Swansea City defender Ijah Anderson at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Ijah reflects on a playing career that spanned over 200 games for Brentford, but the conversation moves beyond football. After retiring, Ijah was diagnosed as autistic — a revelation that reshaped how he understood both his past and himself.
Ijah discuss the challenges of navigating professional football with an undiagnosed neurodivergence, the emotional toll of masking, and the barriers autistic people still face in sport and wider society.
Whether you’re a football fan, an advocate for disability inclusion, or simply interested in powerful personal stories — this one’s for you.
If you would like to know more about the work we do at Level Playing Field, then please do get in contact info@levelplayingfield.org.uk or visit levelplayingfield.org.uk
","author_name":"Level Playing Field"}