WITH reference to Roger Mitchell's (SPL chief executive) letter (October 17) regarding the youth development of football in Scotland, I would put forward the following pertinent points.

It would appear that there is a great emphasis being placed on young Scottish talent being burnt out due to some youths playing up to 100 matches per year. This seems problematic but I will give you a typical example of what was occurring to a schoolboy playing in a youth team from the 1950s to approximately mid-1980.

On Saturday morning he would play for his school team, then in the afternoon turn out for his youth team, or play for the latter on Sunday. Also from Monday to Friday he could be found training with his school or youth team, and if talented enough, would be attending coaching sessions by a senior professional club. Between times the same lad would be involved in his spare time in kicking a ball about in his local park with his friends for hours on end, thus improving his skills in a relaxed atmosphere.

I realise that over the last 12 years or so there are far fewer boys kicking a ball about when not playing in organised teams or attending coaching/training sessions, and, admittedly it was a rather haphazard method of improving the youngster's ability, but in that era young players simply thrived on playing and practising with a ball.

If later a potentially gifted boy failed to make the senior grade then it was generally accepted he had failed due to certain reasons, eg lack of physique/pace; wrong attitude; loss of interest. But in all the years involved in youth football I have never heard that the failure was due to a youth being burnt out.

I feel from the tone of Mr Mitchell's letter that the SPL wish to have talented youths playing only in their Youth Initiative Leagues at Under-14; Under-15; and Under-16 levels which were introduced this season and with the teams attached to senior clubs. This in turn would mean a more systemised method of teaching the youths to play the game instead of alternative ideas of school teachers and youth teams coaches.

The flaw in this arrangement is that the boy must decide whether to play for his youth team or with the club in the Initiative League as he is not allowed to turn out for both teams. It is pretty obvious that the large majority will opt for the latter.

This in turn leaves the Scottish Association of Youth Football with a huge problem as it will mean that some of the hard working officials will be trying to run their teams without the services of their best players and I can visualise many of the clubs folding; also what happens to youngsters who are eventually turned down by the senior clubs as they are not allowed to return to their youth team?

Bill Hunter,

33 Keir Hardie Avenue,

Laurieston,

Falkirk.