FORMER Swindon Town international Alan McDonald admits he is on a youth football 'good behaviour' drive after launching his first soccer school in Cricklade yesterday.

The 52-times capped Northern Ireland defender, who made more than 30 appearances for Town in the late 1990s, is passing on his considerable expertise and experience to around 35 youngsters at Cricklade Leisure Centre all this week.

McDonald, who also served on the backroom staff during Jimmy Quinn's managerial reign at the County Ground, has more recently been studying for a coaching NVQ at Bicester College as well as running coaching eduation sessions for adults.

But he is also intent on promoting better behaviour among the players and especially coaches at youth level.

"Being a parent myself (son Joshua is taking part this week) I've seen a few things going on and some of the behaviour is terrible,'' he admitted.

"The thing I'm really big on is the responsibility that coaches have towards the kids.

"They have a duty of care and I want to promote good behaviour and good practice by coaches. It's up to them to set a good example.

"At grass roots level that is something really important and it's been worked at really hard by the Wiltshire FA.''

The 41-year-old says this week's school is a one-off at the moment.

But he added: "I only really did it because my own son needed something to do in the school holidays!

"Some other parents were also asking whether I would do something to stop their kids getting bored and my wife was nagging me a bit too!''

He added: "It's a non-profit making thing and the first one I've done, so I don't know about ones in the future.

"But the kids seem to be really enjoying it.

"It's not competition-based, which would put too much pressure on the kids.

"It's all skills-based passing, control, heading, dribbling that sort of thing.

"And we'll also have a couple of trick and penalty competitions.

"It's all about enjoyment.''