THE success of the first ever 'football in the community' coaching courses at Witney Town on Saturday gives us high hopes for the future of the game at grass-roots level.

There were many attractive reasons for the youngsters to be there - coaching from a former full-time professional; the chance of a place on a summer coaching school; and a prize worth £150.

But even so, the response was tremendous with around 300 youngsters taking advantage of the programme organised by the club's newest recruit, Simon Stapleton.

Simon deserves most of the credit for a successful day - and it's now hoped the summer coaching courses will be just as popular. The other plus for the event on Saturday was that scores of the lads stayed on to watch Town's home game with Tonbridge. Coupled with the Witney Gazette's own 'Kid for a Quid' initiative, the match attendance was boosted to Witney's highest of the season, 240.

It may be oversimplistic, but loyalties to football clubs are established at a very young age. Town will hope that the belief "catch 'em young and keep 'em for ever" will work for them. Once a fan, albeit a fickle young 'un, there's a good chance the kids will always be fans.

Let's hope so. LESS enjoyable to report is Town's dispute with a football official. Witney have decided to report linesman Paul Ryan to the Dr Martens League for allegedly using foul and abusive language towards midfielder Shaun Wimble during the game against St Leonard's at Marriotts Stadium a few weeks ago.

Wimble himself put in his two-penn'orth to the linesman after being upset over St Leonard's winning goal, and the player was red-carded for his use of bad language.

Witney may feel a tad hurt, but aren't they really making a fuss out of nothing? They are unlikely to gain anything from such a protest, so I question whether the matter should be raised at all, except perhaps in a private letter to the league.

Wimble transgressed, and there is no excuse for his behaviour. The club should stop whingeing and let the player take his punishment.

Town should get on with the main task in hand - returning to their early-season form and climbing as high up the league as possible. I DON'T want to reopen old wounds - and I certainly don't want attacking across two pages of Oxford United's fanzine Rage On again! But I have to return to an old story . . . and say: I told you so.

I've already been slaughtered for suggesting that Chelsea's equaliser in the FA Cup clash at the Manor was a penalty. But now I offer the evidence that striker Kevin Francis is 'a serial penalty offender'!

Big Kev's nightmare returned to haunt him in the 2-2 draw with Huddersfield last Tuesday when he again came off the bench to give away a late penalty which cost United victory.

This time even U's fans didn't disagree. Francis brought down Craig Armstrong with an outstretched arm and, unlike his challenge on Gianluca Vialli in the FA Cup, there was little debate this time around.

I rest my case!

Story date: Friday 19 March

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