They found that hundreds of young players and their parents head to the pitches almost every weekend of the football season to sharpen their skills.

One of the coaches helping the West Bridgford Colts under-11s in Nottinghamshire is a well-known name in the game: Martin O'Neill's brother Owen.

"I love it, seeing the lads enjoy themselves, " Owen O'Neill said.

"I try not to tell people who I am, but I guess football is just in the blood."

A coach at a six-aside tournament in Nottingham - with more than 60 girls' sides taking part - said: "It keeps them active and keeps them off the streets.

FA course

"They have played together for years and are really the best of friends now even though they attend different schools.

One of the hundreds of parents at the tournament said: "We've come to support out children and who knows, one day they might become the next Pele."

Girls are hooked on the game

The West Bridgford Colts' chairman, Baz Najdan, says the youth league depended completely on volunteers: "It couldn't survive without the work of all the parents".

According to the Football Association in England, more than 4m children play in youth leagues.

The FA organises a scheme called Soccer Parent that is designed to help parents develop key skills to improve their children's football experience.

Parents can attend training courses or complete an on-line version of the accredited FA course.

A referee at the six-aside tournament said: "Usually it's the parents who are the problem. They seem to take it more seriously than the lads and gals."

Inside Out is on BBC One at 1930 BST on Monday.