Derby lecturer Ann Edwards has joined the FA’s Committee on Exclusion and Disability to encourage more mental health sufferers to play football. She recently scooped a top national award from the charity Lilly in recognition of her work.

Her club, Derwent Valley Rovers (affiliated to Derby County FC), plays regularly against Notts County and Lincoln City football clubs and wants other UK teams affiliated to professional clubs to join their league.

Ann, who lecturers in Behavioural Sciences, said: "Mental illness affects one in four of the population at some time.

"We should not allow the mentality which still prevails in certain areas of society. Fear and stigma has played a big part in preventing normal daily activities, causing social isolation and the loss of skills and dreams.

"Football helps improve the physical and mental wellbeing of mental health sufferers and the club offers management and committee positions, which build self-esteem and confidence.

"A support worker is on hand on match days to help players who are feeling anxious because of their condition, and the coaches have received mental health awareness training.

"Some of our players have shown marked health benefits such as improvements in mood and confidence. It’s the main reason our work will not stop here.

"We want the opportunity for our best players to play at a national level for their country and possibly at the Paralympics, something that has been the case for other disabled players."

A trawl of the internet for fresh opponents has been largely fruitless, so Ann has fostered links with the FA, Football Foundation and Sport England.

Ann was invited onto The FA’s disability committee after meeting its National Disability Football Manager, Jeff Davis, at the recent FA conference Moving Football Forward, held at Coventry City FC.

Jeff said: "We take our duties very seriously but acknowledge The FA cannot make everything happen immediately. That is why work done by people like Ann is absolutely critical in providing opportunities to get involved.

"I will be working with Ann to see how the existing club structures across the country can help sufferers enjoy what the game has to offer.

"We have six England teams in different disabilities already and we are creating performance pathways so that people can play at a local and regional level, and then progress – possibly even through to representing their country.

"The FA has a simple mission: we want to encourage as many people as possible to participate in our game in whatever way suits them best and be the leading governing body in the provision of disability football."

Derwent Valley Rovers striker Lee Riddings, from Chaddesden in Derby, has manic depression. He said: "It is fantastic to be able to play football in this league but we would like more opponents across the UK to play against.

"As well as the physical benefits, it is a useful addition for our care as sufferers. I have had breakdowns and it is a useful release of energy and good for building up self-esteem to be able to play and to be part of a team."