THE resignation of David Borthwick as Westfields chairman this week (See Sports Times 3) is a further reminder, if one was needed, of the growing problem of bad behaviour connected with football at all levels, writes Richard Prime.

Borthwick's comments about bad language and behaviour in football are a reminder of recent problems in the HGTA Herefordshire Junior League which had to call a meeting earlier this month to discuss similar difficulties involving spectators at under-9 and under-10 level.

At that time, league secretary Dave Higgins described the behaviour of a minority of spectators as 'threatening the very existence of the league'.

The problem is, of course, by no means simply confined to Herefordshire.

An article in the current news bulletin of the Cherry Red Records Hellenic League, whose members include Pegasus Juniors and Ross Town, quotes Henley Town secretary Tony Kingston's thoughts on 'one of the main 'cancers' of football - bad language'.

"The F-word is a common occurrence from players on the pitch and team officials on the touchline. It won't be long before a recreation ground or even a more senior club's ground is closed to football by a local council to protect the local residents from the consistent barrage of insulting and abusive language emanating from the pitches," writes Kingston.