IT was back to school for a host of top football stars last week as they visited Auchinleck Academy for a coaching session and live BBC Radio Scotland broadcast.

Auchinleck Talbot Community Football Foundation (ATCFF) arranged for kids from Auchinleck and Cumnock Academies to take part in football coaching sessions run by ex-pros.

On the day ex-Rangers and Scotland midfielder Barry Ferguson and his brother Derek along with former Kilmarnock manager, Kenny Shiels put the pupils through their paces with a tough but enjoyable training session.

Later on that evening BBC Radio Scotland broadcasted their live Sportsound programme from the assembly hall at Auchinleck Academy. The panel of Chick Young, Kenny Shiels, Derek Ferguson and former grade one referee and ATCFF President, Charlie Richmond discussed the latest football topics and fielded questions from the audience.

Former footy ref, Charlie, and four colleagues joined up to start the Auchinleck Talbot Community Football Foundation (ATCFF) which was set up to tackle hate among youngsters.

The Chronicle reported in September how the project will try and stem the intense rivalry between two local communities - after the organiser were inspired to take action after witnessing a bitter war of words among seven-year-olds.

Of the rivalry, Derek Ferguson said: “There’s always going to be a rivalry, that happens throughout Scotland not just in Ayrshire. What I try to do in my coaching session is to mix them up and they did it no problem at all.

“You could actually see one or two of them hitting it off with one another, they were starting to create an understanding on the football pitch and that was in a very short time.

“Win lose or draw you should just shake hands and get on with it and that’s what we’re trying to promote.”