Soccer coach Maurice Chalk told of his relief today after police dismissed allegations against him of indecency with a young boy.

The Mid-Oxfordshire Schools FA coach was released from bail without charge by Thames Valley officers.

The 81-year-old retired teacher, of Church Lane, Burford, is also a scout for Premiership giants Arsenal and Aston Villa, and vice-president of Witney Town FC.

He told the Oxford Mail: "I am relieved but I knew there was nothing in it in the first place. It was all a mistake. "There was a sense of great relief. I have aged about ten years, although I knew there was really nothing there."

Mr Chalk is one of the county's best-known sports administrators and was devastated by allegations made by an 11-year-old boy and his family. Dozens of friends sent him letters of support and he was bombarded by telephone calls from well-wishers.

He revealed the investigation forced him to consider quitting football.

"The day after the first interview I was determined to give it up, but nobody would let me. Everybody was 100 per cent with me and nobody dropped out of the teams. But it has been worrying," he said. Grandmother Gladys Sadler, of Cholsey, near Wallingford, was one of about 40 people to write him a goodwill letter.

She said: "I am totally disgusted that anyone could think that wonderful man would do anything improper.

"He has taken my grandson and his friends to soccer coaching and there has never been a shadow of anything untoward.

"He is a perfect gentleman. There is not an ounce of wrong in him. He loves football and he loves the young players in an entirely good way. It is dreadful that a man who has done so much can be accused like this." Mr Chalk has been a soccer coach for most of his life, teaching boys throughout Oxfordshire and acting as a scout for Premiership clubs. He is credited with helping the careers of England and Arsenal star Martin Keown, former Liverpool defender Mark Wright and former Oxford United midfielder Kevin Brock.

Bachelor Mr Chalk, a former chairman of Oxfordshire Schools FA and a retired teacher at Burford School, said life would not be worth living if he did not have football. Det Chief Insp Keith Ringsell, head of the Thames Valley family protection units in Kidlington, said: "He answered his bail and has been released from bail without charge. Given the nature of the allegations, we did liaise with a number of agencies on a child protection level and will continue to monitor the situation.

"As far as we are concerned he is not guilty of a criminal offence."

Story date: Tuesday 27 April

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