AN eight-year-old footballer has been told he must choose between playing for his Sunday league team or playing for Darlington.

Nathan Bowman started training twice a week with Darlington in January, while also playing for Sunday side Darlington 21st All Stars, who play in the Teesside Junior Football Alliance (TJFA).

This summer, the TJFA passed a rule preventing its players also being signed with a professional club.

The rule change means Nathan must choose between playing on a Sunday with his friends, or training with Darlington - and playing no games.

Mick Tait, Darlington's head of youth development, said the decision was a "shame".

Nathan's father, Paul, said: "Nathan loves it at the 21st All Stars, playing with his mates in the same age group.

"But now everyone who also plays in an academy is gutted. Do they stay with their club, or do they keep alive that one-in-a-million chance of making it?

"Once you get to 11 years old, and secondary school, you can begin to understand it - but at eight years old? Nathan's asking why he can't keep playing for both. I don't see why he can't."

The TJFA, formed in 1974, has 564 teams in 54 divisions. Chris Ord, league secretary, said the new rule had been unanimously agreed by clubs and officials at the annual meeting on June 12.

"There were a multitude of reasons for the decision," said Mr Ord. "At under-eight and under-nine level it's a bit different, but we have a duty of care to players in the league, at grassroots level.

"We shouldn't have a situation where a player with a week off from Darlington or Middlesbrough comes back and dislodges someone who has been playing week-in week-out.

"It's perhaps a little bit unfair of the professional club asking players to sign contracts without offering a fixture programme."

The FA has no rule on the issue, and said it was a matter for the league or the club.

Mr Tait said: "While I understand the reasons, if we had been consulted prior to the decision being taken, we would have made alternative arrangements for our younger players to be involved in matches.

"It is a shame if the youngsters are forced to choose between the excellent coaching they receive from their professional clubs and playing for Sunday teams with their friends.

"We are still looking at ways to resolve the situation."