IMAGINE walking into a Football Centre, professionally staffed, which looks down upon well-maintained floodlit and artificial pitches and a operates a wide range of courses and competitions for all age ranges.

It's a 21st century vision which Peter Ducksbury hopes to help make a reality as part of his duties as the newly-appointed full-time executive officer with the Westmorland County FA since December 1.

"It's no secret that Westmorland is lagging well behind in footballing facilities and the appointment is a first step towards putting into place a development plan for the new Millennium," he said.

Peter, aged 42, of Sedbergh Road, Kendal, has been an unpaid officer with the County FA for the past 10 years, serving initially as treasurer and as both secretary and treasurer for the past four years.

An avid football fan since his season ticket-holding father took him to watch Burnley in their heyday years, Peter played football at Sunday League level before turning to refereeing at the age of 18.

He became a well-respected Unibond League referee and a Conference linesman, and his biggest day with the whistle came when he refereed an England v Scotland schoolboy international at Newcastle United.

But he admits it was still a major life-changing choice when he was approached to see if he was intetrested in accepting the new post.

Football won and he decided to leave his job as a capital programme officer with South Lakeland District Council's housing department to take up the job, which is funded by the FA for an initial period of five years.

"It was a massive decision to make but a door had opened to make another career in football and I would probably look back and regret it if I had not chosen to walk through it."

The appointment is the first stage of the development plan towards full-time administration within the County FA, but it is just the start.

"We are aiming to form a limited company and continue the adminstrative side, while looking at developing the facilities and coaching.

"In the future we would hope to apply for funding from the Football Foundation for a grant towards a Football Centre which would oversee all aspect of the game locally."

Peter is available for advice and assistance on local footballing matters at the County FA office in Angel Court off 21 Highgate in Kendal.