Community football teams for people with intellectual disabilities in secure settings: "They take you off the ward, it was like a nice day, and then you get like medals at the end".

Background: People with learning disabilities (LD) are particularly vulnerable to mental health and behavioural difficulties, and it has been shown that regular exercise can improve psychosocial well-being as well as physical fitness. This research aims to explore the experiences of men with LD detained in secure settings who have engaged in community football training programmes and identify the benefits of such provision.

Method: Interviews were conducted with eight patients in a forensic LD service, discussing their experiences of participating in community football.