FOOTBALL fans throughout the district will be spluttering into their hot Bovril following the news that some schools in the area have blown the final whistle on the beautiful game being played in schoolyards during breaks.

At least one secondary school in the area has banned the game, using a full-size ball, in the main recreation area and it looks as if more could follow.

Schoolboys and girls have for years enjoyed 72-a-side kickabouts before the bell forced them back into class but now it seems pupils at Our Lady's RC High School don't even care and would rather play basketball anyway!

That's according to headmaster of the school Mr Michael Webster who explained: "Basketball is just more popular with the pupils at the moment. I haven't had a single complaint from them about the football. I know basketball is on satellite television and, I think, on Channel Four so that might have something to do with it.

"We only had one basketball hoop at one time but it was very, very popular. Then the PE department head heard about the British Basketball Association giving away hoops. We applied and got three of them for free, all we had to do was pay for them to be installed. The pupils are very keen on them and they were the one's actually asking for them."

Mr Webster denied he was banning the English national sport in favour of the American game. He said: "They are allowed to play football on the main playground, just not with a normal size ball. They can play with tennis balls and the like. We've also a field at the back and the older children can leave the school and play on the Park."

But one soccer-mad pupil who understandably didn't wish to be named said: "How come they have basketball with proper balls and not football. "It's just the basketball association trying to take over with their sport. All my mates love playing football."

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