I AM reasonable man for most of the time. If you see me around and ask me to buy you a pint I might even agree.

Not that I drink myself but, hey, that's the kind of guy I am. Because I realise that in life it's the little things that matter.

If more people in life were as reasonable as me then I'm sure we would get along better. I wouldn't then have to vent my anger everytime my council decides to make stupid decisions.

For those with a nervous disposition please turn away now.

I speak of none other of the asphalting of the once legendary St John's School playground. Money talks, I am afraid, and it doesn't matter who's in charge but it seems we all tend to forget how it was like being a child as soon as the mortgage kicks-in.

Like many a keen footballer I was one of dozens who played on that pitch based in Barbara Castle Way. And I still do sometimes when the wife lets me out.

It was a sight to behold to see 10 games going on in 20 different directions.

Last week I drove past and saw no-one. Not a soul.

Something was definitely wrong and then the calls started flooding in.

"Where will all the kids play?" asked one caller. "First they ripped up the high school (Preston New Road) and built flats on it and now this!" and so on.

After some calls I was told the astro-turf had been ripped up to be replaced by some Tarmac because it was too expensive to lay out a new one. And the health and safety people said it was dangerous. In fact it would cost £200,000 to get a new artificial turf.

Not the school's fault, mind you, which has allowed members of the community to play there for years.

It has even left the floodlights on for the kids so games could go on till late in the evening. It just couldn't stump up the cash to pay for the new pitch.

The school was as disappointed as the rest of us.

Now everyone who knows anything about anything will agree places like this keep more kids occupied than any amount of government projects. So wouldn't it be wise for the council to support such a venture? It's better than forking out double that later on Youth Inclusion Projects.

The point is, if we're going to start messing up places where kids can play we shouldn't moan then when they are hanging around outside our local shopping areas and on street corners.

I'm not asking for special attention because I won't get it. All I'm asking for is a bit of sense. And that, ladies and gentlemen, costs absolutely nothing.