Osbaldwick is thick with football after the formation of a new battalion of youth teams.

No less than six new kids' teams have been formed as part of the new Osbaldwick Juniors Football Club.

All have been registered and are presently being readied for their respective debuts in the upcoming junior leagues, which start in September.

The Under-7s (two teams), U8s, U9s and U10s will be playing in the Mitchell Sports Mini-Soccer League, while the U11s will pit their burgeoning skills against rivals in the York City Supporters' Trust Ryedale Junior League.

The blossoming of so many youth teams is a major boost for 39-year-old Peter Rawsthorne, who has been the driving force behind the boom in junior football in the village.

He told the Evening Press that the idea of a new junior football club mushroomed soon after he opted to form a team to help to accommodate the desire of his six-year-old son Jon, who was formerly attached to the Heworth junior club.

"I decided to form my own team in the village. Other people got interested and from there it took off. People just said 'let's go for it'," said Rawsthorne, ironically a rugby league player for York 'A' team in his younger days.

Once summer training was announced the club regularly attracted between 50 and 60 children to its twice-weekly sessions - Tuesdays for the U7s and U8s, Thursdays for the rest, and Sundays when all the squads are involved.

Kit sponsorship has been secured for all the teams, who will make their competitive debut in the York City and District FA Mini-Soccer tournament to held at the York Railway Institute ground in New Lane on Saturday, August 9.

And the blizzard of Oz interest is likely to increase in tempo next season when Rawsthorne, now the club president, will attempt to form teams at U12, U13 and U14 level. For now, however, it's all systems go for the six to enter this season's mix.

Updated: 09:51 Wednesday, July 30, 2003