SOME of our best footballing talent in recent memory learnt their trade in the streets, kicking balls about for hours on end.

Rovers legends Simon Garner and Ronnie Clayton were among those who delighted generations of fans with their skills.

But if they had been growing up today, it's a fair bet they would have been labelled "juvenile nuisances" by disgruntled residents who would have called the police up to move the boys on.

Councillors and officers from local authorities have now hit out at these so-called "Victor Meldrew" characters they say are strangling the life out of the national game.

Police officers have joined councillors in criticising this NIMBYism. They are fed up of being expected to trot out every time a ball is kicked, to move the youths on.

The police are already under great pressure and their reluctance to respond to what many would describe as a minor nuisance is understandable.

Of course we are not so blinkered to suggest all of these youths are angels. A handful don't help the situation by being abusive or rude to people trying to move them on.

On those occasions when things get truly out of hand with front windows broken or gardens ruined then clearly some form of action has to be taken.

Most of the time, however, extreme consequences don't occur - and frequently youngsters simply don't have the green spaces in their areas in which to play.

Perhaps it's time to cut a little more slack to the children of our neighbourhoods.