Bristol Rovers have launched a scheme they hope will get youngsters off the streets of Henbury and playing football.

Henbury has suffered from anti-social behaviour, especially around Crow Lane, where groups of youths congregate.

Police have had reports of intimidation, theft, assault, criminal damage and verbal abuse.

Currently three youths –Peter Clark, 19, of Westerleigh Road, Southmead, Jamie Jeffrey, 18, of Ascot Road, Southmead, and Ashley Mullen, 18, of Roselarge Gardens, Brentry – have injunctions banning them from Crow Lane and the surrounding area for a year.

Three more youths – Truman Ward, 19, of Dovercourt Road, Horfield; Matthew Ryan, 16, of Henbury; and George James, 17, of Brentry – also have Asbos with similar conditions.

But now that Bristol Rovers have secured funding from the Football League Trust for the project called Make Every Goal Count they hope to make a difference in the area.

The two-year project will run on Friday and Saturday nights at Brentry Lodge Youth Centre for 48 weeks of the year.

There will be two sessions each evening. One session will be for under-12s and a second later session will be for under-17s.

The first session is expected to take place on August 7.

Bristol Rovers' community officer Peter Aitken said: "The Football League Trust said they had some funding available and asked if we knew of anywhere in Bristol that we might be able to make a difference.

"We were aware of a few issues going on in Henbury and we thought it would be an ideal opportunity to try and do that.

"We have had meeting with the local youth workers and have a meeting coming up with the police to discuss the best way forward and how to make this a positive venture.

"There are a lot of good kids out there who misbehave simply because of peer pressure. Our aim is to get kids off the street, playing football, enjoying themselves and meeting new friends in the process.

"As we get going we are hoping to identify a few of the older kids as mentors who can act as positive role models for the younger ones in the group.

"In terms of the facility we are concerned about the flood lights but we are sure that if the local council get behind the project they can allay those fears.

"In my role I listen to a lot of young people who don't really know what they want to do and don't think that they have anything to offer.

"That is nearly always not the case and through this scheme there may even be opportunities for personal development.

"You never know we may even unearth a few decent players or someone who could come and work with us at the Bristol Rovers' community team.

"We are very excited about this and really feel like we can make a difference."

Henbury sergeant Terry Scoble added: "We think this is an excellent idea and hope youths in the Henbury community take advantage of the scheme.

"There are often complaints that there is not enough to do in the area and hopefully the efforts of Bristol Rovers football club over the next two years are greatly appreciated.

"From the police's point of view we are delighted to see something put in place that will both benefit youngsters in the community and potentially reduce anti-social behaviour that has blighted the area in recent times."

For more information visit www. bristolrovers.co.uk, or contact the community team on 0117 952 2581.