Football authorities in Oxfordshire have received more than 14,500 reports about amateur players from referees in the past three-and-a-half seasons.

The figure was revealed after a second player was dealt with by the courts for violence on the pitch. He broke a rival's cheekbone after a tackle.

But despite this, football authorities say on-field problems are reducing, especially as the county's 12,000-plus amateur players are playing more games.

Figures from Oxfordshire Football Association show that in the 1998/99 season referees reported 4,903 infringements compared with 4,424 the following year.

This figure fell last season to 3,520 - of which 3,015 were for yellow cards - and there have been 1,728 so far this campaign, with 1,500 for cautions.

The rest are made up of red card offences as well as misconduct charges, which are more serious offences.

Lucy Barrett, the Oxon FA's disciplinary secretary, said: "Court cases are very, very rare and the ones we had last season are extreme examples.

"But the general figures show that the problem of indisicpline is reducing every year and the stereotypical punch-up is rare.

"Also, the figures represent complaints, not the number of players involved, so one footballer could have a number of complaints made against him, which increases the figure.

"On top of this, I think the amount of legal action is increasing across society generally, not just in football."

As well as adult sides, there are an estimated 3,000 young people playing football in the county. The Oxford Mail Boys League has 168 teams ranging from under 10s to under 16s.

But while league officials say the number of problems is reducing, their website, which carries the minutes of recent meetings, does mention indiscipline.

One, for December last year, seeks the re-registration of a player which was rescinded last season for an 'incident' at a cup semi-final.

And there was a complaint last November that an under 14s player had hurled racial abuse during a clash.

Despite this, league chairman Alan Wilkins said: "Things have got a lot better in recent years. There was a problem a couple of years ago, but since then things have calmed down and it isn't really an issue now.

"Our discipline committee deals with as many complaints about parents behaving badly than players, and it does tend to be the older boys.

"They see players hurling abuse at referees on the television and think that's how they should act, but in the main, things are fine."

While the OFA do not have a reason for the reduction in complaints, Wilkins says naming and shaming repeat offenders in league circulars has worked.

What do you think of discipline in the county's amateur leagues? Are you aware of serious problems? E-mails to mark.prissell@nqo.com